ELA class words

Question 1

Connotation

Answer 1

the associations and emotional overtones attached to a work beyond its literal
definition, or denotation. A connotation may be positive, negative, or neutral.

Question 2

Tone

Answer 2

A writer’s (or speaker’s) attitude toward a subject, character, or audience

Question 3

Imagery

Answer 3

the verbal expression of sensory experience; descriptive or figurative language used to
create word pictures; imagery is created by details that appeal to one or more of the five senses.

Question 4

Diction

Answer 4

a writer’s word choices, which often convey voice and tone

Question 5

Hyperbole

Answer 5

exaggeration used to suggest strong emotion or create a comic effect

Question 6

Allusion

Answer 6

a reference made to a well-known person, event, or place from history, music, art, or
another literary work.

Question 7

Symbol

Answer 7

anything (object, animal, event, person, or place) that represents itself but also stands
for something else on a figurative level.

Question 8

Extended Metaphor

Answer 8

a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series
of sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem.
i.e. allegory

Question 9

Anaphora

Answer 9

GRAMMAR
the use of a word referring to or replacing a word used earlier in a sentence, to avoid repetition, such as do in I like it and so do they.

RHETORIC
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Question 10

Theme

Answer 10

a writer’s central idea or main message

Question 11

Refrain

Answer 11

a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song; usually at the end of a
stanza
Example:
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”

Question 12

Onomatopoeia

Answer 12

the occurrence of word whose sound suggests its meaning
Examples:
 achoo
 bam
 bang
 beep

Question 13

Alliteration

Answer 13

the repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together
Example:
 rocky road
 big business
 kissing cousins
 jumping jacks
 no nonsense
 tough talk
 quick question
 money matters
 picture perfect

Question 14

Rhyme

Answer 14

the repetition of sounds at the ends of words

Question 15

Assonance

Answer 15

the repetition of similar vowel sounds in accented syllables, followed by different
consonant sounds, in words that are close together.
Examples:
 Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary (“The Raven” Edgar
Allan Poe)
 I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam I Am. (“Green Eggs and Ham”
Dr. Seuss)
 Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely (English language tongue-twister)
 Nutter Butter (American cookie brand)
 This little light of mine, I‘m going to let it shine (gospel/spiritual Harry Dixon Loes)
 Girl with a Pearl Earring (painting by Johannes Vermeer)

Question 16

Consonance

Answer 16

the repetition of final consonant sounds in stressed syllables with different vowel
sounds.
Examples:
fuddy duddy
pitter patter
odds and ends
best bet