Text Features
This text feature breaks up a long article into smaller sections and signals what each section is about.
What is subheading?
What is a central idea?
What is the main point or overarching message that an author wants the reader to take away from a text?
What do the letters R and A stand for in RACER?
What are Restate (the prompt) and Answer (the question)?
Name the 4 primary author's purposes.
What are Persuade, Inform, Entertain, and Express Thoughts/Feelings?
What is a topic sentence?
What is the sentence that introduces the main point of a paragraph?
This feature sits directly under or beside an image to explain what is happening in the picture.
What is a caption?
Facts, statistics, and examples in a paragraph that prove the central idea are known as these.
What are supporting details?
What punctuation marks MUST be placed around direct evidence copied from a text?
What are quotation marks (" ")?
An article giving facts, dates, and instructions on how to plant a tree has this primary author's purpose.
What is to Inform?
This tool at the back of a textbook lists topics alphabetically along with page numbers.
What is an index?
A visual drawing or chart that shows the parts of something or explains how a step-by-step process works.
What is a diagram?
True or False: A central idea can be expressed as a single word like "Dogs."
What is False? (A central idea must be a complete thought/statement).
Identify the mistake in this sentence: Because animals need water to survive.
What is it is an incomplete sentence / fragment (it does not restate or form a complete thought)?
Context clues in surrounding sentences help readers figure out the meaning of these.
What are unknown or unfamiliar words?
Why should a summary NEVER contain phrases like "I think" or "In my opinion"?
What is because a summary must remain objective and factual?
Words formatted in bold, italics, or underlining are used by authors for this specific reason.
What is to emphasize key vocabulary or signal important terms?
Where in a non-fiction paragraph can a reader usually find the central idea stated directly?
What is in the topic sentence (often the first or last sentence of a paragraph)?
What is the specific job of the E step in RACER?
What is to Explain HOW or WHY the evidence proves the answer?
If a context clue gives an opposite meaning to help you understand a word, what type of clue is it?
What is an antonym or contrast clue?
What does the word graphic mean in ELA when referring to text design?
What is relating to visual art, images, drawings, or lettering?
Explain how a subheading and a diagram work together to help a reader understand a non-fiction text.
What is the subheading signals the specific topic, while the diagram visually proves or illustrates how that topic works?
What is the difference between a detail that is essential to a central idea and a detail that is minor?
What is an essential detail directly proves the main point, while a minor detail just adds extra background or interesting facts?
Provide a proper signal phrase used in the C step to introduce a direct quote.
What is "According to the text..." or "The author states..."?
An author writes a speech trying to convince students to wear school uniforms. What is the author's purpose, and what is their main claim?
What is to Persuade, with the claim being that school uniforms are beneficial for students?
Combine these two simple thoughts into ONE strong RACER topic sentence: Prompt: Why is sleep important? / Thought: Sleep gives you energy.
What is "Sleep is important for the body because it provides the energy needed to function throughout the day"?