Semester Final Review Sheet

  1. Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using a word of comparison

such as like or as.

Example: The football player is a tank; nobody can tackle him.

  1. Simile

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using words of comparison such as like or as.

Example: The football player is like a tank; nobody can tackle him.

  1. Idiom

Words used in a special way that is different from their literal meaning.

Example: My grandpa was 102 years old when he kicked the bucket.

  1. Symbolism

Frequent use of words, places, characters, or objects that mean something beyond what they are on a literal level.

Example: The bald eagle is the symbol of America.

  1. Sensory detail

Descriptive details of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell

  1. Proposition and Support

Proposition and Support pattern is text that presents an idea, or opinion. Then, it provides supporting sentences to show that the proposition is true.

A Proposition states the opinion or idea of the writer.

•Students should be required to wear school uniforms.

Supportsare sentences that help show that the writer’s opinion or idea it true.

•Students who do not have the latest designer clothes will not feel embarrassed. (Economic differences in students will not be apparent.)

•Gang allegiances will not be apparent.

•Students will not be dressed inappropriately (skimpy clothing, shirts with inappropriate wording, etc.), which could cause distractions to other students.

  1. Types of Support

• Facts, including the results of scientific research and surveys.

• Statistics– facts in number form.

• Examples– specific instances that illustrate reasons or facts.

• Anecdotes– brief stories, such as personal experiences.

• Definitions

• Opinions from Experts on the subject, especially with directquotations.

  1. Thesis: Key sentence of the writer’s paper that states what the writer is trying to prove/support in the paper.
  1. Biographical approach

A way to analyze literature in which one learns how the events in the writer’s life affect the text

  1. Setting: the time and place of the story is the setting
  2. Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts
  3. Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax
  4. Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action
  5. Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax
  6. Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads
  1. Conflict

Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story.

  1. Theme

The theme of a literary work is its central message, concern, or purpose. A theme can usually be expressed as a general statement about people or life.

  1. Inner Conflict

Takes place in Character vs. Self Conflict

In this type of conflict, the main character experiences some kind of conflict, which occurs within the character (emotions, thoughts).

  1. Parallel Episodes

story teller repeats the main outline of an episode, scenes, or events more than once

  1. Primary Source: documents and records that contain firsthand knowledge, such as maps, diaries, interviews and letters.

Secondary Source: interpretations of primary materials produced by others such as encyclopedia entries, newspaper articles, online information sites.

  1. Conventions:

Pronoun antecedent agreement:

WRONG: Everybody needs to bring their homework.

RIGHT: Everybody needs to bring his or her homework.

Compound subject agreement:

WRONG: My friend and him went to a movie.

RIGHT: My friend and he went to a movie.

Spelling , context vocabulary, their/there/they’re, it’s/its, punctuation