Figurative Language
This type of figurative language compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
What is a simile?
This is the part of the text that provides facts, examples, or explanations to help prove or explain a main idea.
What is supporting details?
This is the message, lesson, or central idea the author wants the reader to understand from the story.
What is the theme?
This context clue type gives the meaning of a difficult word right in the sentence.
What is a definition clue?
This is the main point or most important idea the author wants the reader to understand in an informational text.
What is the central idea?
This figure of speech gives human qualities to animals, objects, or ideas.
What is personification?
You need this type of evidence to support your interpretation of what the author is implying but doesn’t say directly.
What is an inference?
This is the difference between a theme and a topic: a topic is a subject like “friendship,” while a theme is this.
What is a statement or message about a topic?
The word “benevolent” most likely means this, based on its prefix “bene-” meaning good or well.
What is kind or generous?
You can often find the central idea in this part of a nonfiction article or essay.
What is the introduction or first paragraph?
In the sentence "Her voice was music to his ears," this type of figurative language is used.
What is metaphor?
In the sentence "Tom's hands trembled as he read the letter," this detail helps support the idea that Tom is feeling this emotion.
What is nervousness (or fear)?
In Romeo and Juliet, this theme is shown through the characters' love and their families' hatred.
What is the conflict between love and hate (or forbidden love)?
In the sentence “After the rainstorm, the garden was rejuvenated,” this word means brought back to life or refreshed.
What is rejuvenated?
In a well-written text, these support the central idea by offering facts, examples, or explanations.
What are supporting details?
This is an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, like "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
What is hyperbole?
In an informational text, this type of sentence usually introduces the main idea that the supporting details will explain.
What is a topic sentence?
This is one way readers can identify a theme—by looking at how a character changes from the beginning to the end of the story.
What is character development (or character growth)?
These are hints found around an unfamiliar word that help determine its meaning.
What are context clues?
This is the difference between central idea and summary: a summary includes several points, while central idea focuses on this.
What is the most important or main point?
In the line "The thunder grumbled like an old man," this device is used to describe a sound in a vivid way.
What is simile?
This type of textual evidence is directly stated in the passage and clearly supports the main idea.
What is explicit evidence?
This type of theme can apply across different cultures and time periods, such as “good vs. evil” or “the importance of family.”
What is a universal theme?
This is the term for a word that has more than one meaning, such as “pitch."
What is a multiple-meaning word?
To find the central idea of a paragraph, you should ask yourself this question:
What is the author mainly trying to say?