Lit Terms 1
The description and progression of a character in a story
characterization
The use of an object, action, or character to represent something else
symbol
At the ice cream parlor, the sweet smell of waffle cones wafted through the air and the droning sound of the milkshake machine whirled in the background.
imagery (or mood)
The mechanic knew the car's breaks needed to be replaced because they sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
simile
If an electric train is traveling south, which way is the smoke blowing?
there is no smoke, it's an electric train
A comparison of two things using “like” or “as.”
simile
The use of words to create a vivid picture or sensory experience
imagery
The new employee is shy and won't make eye contact when talking to other people.
characterization
The travelers came upon a foreign village, but they knew the villagers were peaceful because they saw a dove with an olive branch on a flag.
symbol
What is the only mammal that can fly?
bat
When something not human is given human- like characteristics
personification
When something hints at what will happen later in the story
foreshadowing
When it was time to leave for summer break, the 1st graders screamed their excitement and jumped up and down.
tone
The blood on the walls, the screams through the halls, and the zombies jumping out made the haunted house terrifying.
mood (or imagery)
What are the states that border North Carolina?
South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia
Using information in a text to make an assumption or guess about something you don’t know for sure
inference
When the opposite of what is expected happens
irony
The writer's pen danced across the paper as she wrote her story.
personification
Two weather men forget their umbrellas and get caught in the rain. One looks to the other and says, "what great weather we're having."
irony
How do you spell Ms. W's name?
Ms. Wiszowaty
The feeling of emotional response a writer creates for the reader
mood
The writer’s attitude or feeling towards a subject or situation
tone
Sam saw dirt under her mom's nails. She assumed that her mom had been out in the garden planting flowers.
inference
"I always get weird dreams when I eat cheese," she said, stacking several cubes of cheddar onto her plate.
foreshadowing
What is the scientific name of a rain cloud?
Cumulonimbus or Nimbostratus