Figurative Language
"The wind whispered secrets through the trees" is an example of this literary device.
What is Personification?
This genre relies heavily on stage directions and dialogue to convey the plot and character emotions.
What is Drama (or Play)?
This is the literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of emotion.
What is Denotation?
This sentence, usually found at the end of the introduction, controls the entire essay and directly answers the prompt.
What is the Thesis Statement?
This punctuation mark is used to separate/join two independent clauses (complete sentences) without using a conjunction.
What is a Semicolon (;)?
An author uses this device, an extreme exaggeration, not to deceive, but to emphasize a point or create humor (e.g., "I've told you a million times").
What is Hyperbole?
In a persuasive text, the author uses a counterargument to acknowledge the opposing view and then do this to it.
What is a Rebuttal (or Refute/Disprove it)?
Between the words "childish" and "youthful," this word carries a negative connotation, implying immaturity.
What is Childish?
In a STAAR ECR, you cannot just make claims; you must support them with this, taken directly from the text.
What is Text Evidence (or Quotes)?
You can remember the seven coordinating conjunctions (used with a comma to join two sentences) by using this famous acronym.
What is FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)?
While a metaphor states one thing is another, this device compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
What is a Simile?
In poetry, this is the name for a group of lines arranged together, similar to a paragraph in prose.
What is a Stanza?
An author describes a house as "dingy" rather than "messy" to evoke a specific feeling or attitude, also known as this literary element.
What is Tone?
After providing a quote, you must write this—your own explanation of how the quote proves your thesis (the "Why").
What is Commentary (or Analysis/Reasoning, explanation)?
Words like "However," "Therefore," "Consequently," and "Furthermore" are used to improve the flow of an essay and are known as these.
What are Transition Words?
This occurs when the audience knows something that the characters in the story do not, often creating suspense or humor.
What is Dramatic Irony?
While fiction describes imaginary events and people, this broad category describes real events, facts, and real people (e.g., biographies, history, and essays).
What is Non-fiction?
If you don't know a word's meaning, STAAR requires you to use these—surrounding words and sentences—to infer the definition.
What are Context Clues?
When quoting the text, you must use these punctuation marks to indicate the words are not your own.
What are Quotation Marks?
"The group of students are planning a trip." This sentence contains an error in this grammatical area.
What is Subject-Verb Agreement (should be "is")?
On the STAAR test, you rarely just identify the device; you must explain this—how the device affects the reader or shapes the meaning of the text.
What is the Effect (or Function) of the figurative language?
A common STAAR "crossover" question asks you to identify this—the central message or lesson—that is shared by two different reading passages.
What is the Theme?
The difference between "thrifty" (smart with money) and "cheap" (stingy) is primarily a difference in this.
What is Connotation?
A strong conclusion does not just repeat the thesis; it leaves the reader with this—a final thought on why the topic matters.
What is a closing statement, or a "So What?" Statement (Call to Action)?
This is the difference between Revising and Editing.
What is: Revising makes the writing better (ideas/organization), while Editing makes the writing correct (grammar/spelling)?