English Grammar Terms

Question 1

Abstract

Answer 1

Abstract is language that describes qualities not perceived by the five senses. For example, “pleasing” or “disturbing” as opposed to “sour” or “noisy”. Abstract is the opposite of concrete.

Question 2

Alliteration

Answer 2

Alliteration is the repetition of consonants, like initial sounds in poetry or prose. Example: She sells sea shells …

Question 3

Allusion

Answer 3

Allusion is a casual reference to a person, place, event or another piece of literature, it is used to create a tone or an associate. An author who uses an allusion assume the reader will be familiar with the allusion and understand the meaning.

Question 4

Audience

Answer 4

Audience is the reader or listener.

Question 5

Cause and Effect

Answer 5

The relationship between two things: because of the first thing, the second thing happens

Question 6

Characterization

Answer 6

Characterization means the author’s use of dialogue, description, dialect and action to make the character real or to create a reaction to the character in the reader.

Question 7

climax

Answer 7

the big moment in the story, the incident towards which the story has been building

Question 8

Compare

Answer 8

Two show the similarities between two things or ideas.

Question 9

complications

Answer 9

actions in the plots that add complexity, make the plot line twist and turn

Question 10

Concrete

Answer 10

Fact based, tangible, of the five senses

Question 11

conflict

Answer 11

the problem facing the main character

Question 12

Connotation

Answer 12

A Connotation is something implied by a word or phrase, the suggested meaning or the extra meaning.

Question 13

Contrast

Answer 13

Two find the differences between two things or ideas.

Question 14

Denotation

Answer 14

Denotation means the strict or literal meaning of a word.

Question 15

Dialect

Answer 15

Dialect is the language of a particular class, group or region. Example, Huck in Huck Finn.

Question 16

Dialogue

Answer 16

in literature, characters speaking to each other. Indicated by “ “ Good dialogue advances characterization.

Question 17

Diction

Answer 17

Diction is the choice of one particular word over another. An author’s diction creates tone and style.

Question 18

Dominant Effect

Answer 18

The primary effect, the main effect

Question 19

Exposition

Answer 19

background, setting the stage for the plot

Question 20

falling action

Answer 20

action after the climax

Question 21

Figurative language

Answer 21

Language that uses imagery such as metaphor, allusion, simile to create images in the reader’s mind.

Question 22

Flashback

Answer 22

In a narrative, when the action goes back to an earlier time either in the character’s mind or in the plot.

Question 23

Foreshadowing

Answer 23

A literary device that gives you a clue or hint about what may happen later in the story.

Question 24

Hyperbole

Answer 24

exaggeration

Question 25

Imagery

Answer 25

Using words or literary devices to create images in the readers mind.

Question 26

Inciting Action

Answer 26

the part of the plot that leads towards the main action

Question 27

Inference

Answer 27

a conclusion that the reader draws from the material that is not spelled out, rather the reader must use the clues in the text to figure or infer the meaning.

Question 28

Irony

Answer 28

Something that seems to be contradictory but actually is accurate. “saying one thing and meaning another”. Many times the reader knows something that the character does not and this is dramatic irony.

Question 29

Literal language

Answer 29

Means exactly what it says

Question 30

Metaphor

Answer 30

A comparison of two unlike object not using “like” or “as” that creates a level of meaning or imagery for the reader.

Question 31

Meter

Answer 31

the beat of the poem, the alternation between stressed and unstressed syllables.

Question 32

Motivation

Answer 32

What is driving a character to act or speak in a certain way.

Question 33

Narrator

Answer 33

Who is telling the story.

Question 34

Nuance

Answer 34

a subtle, not obvious meaning to a word, phrase or action.

Question 35

Organization

Answer 35

structure of a story or poem.

Question 36

Parallelism

Answer 36

Similar patterns of grammatical structure and length. Can also begin developing two characters or ideas at the same time.

Question 37

Personification

Answer 37

Giving human qualities to inanimate objects.

Question 38

Plot

Answer 38

Action of the story

Question 39

Point of View

Answer 39

How the story is being told.
First person: I am the narrator
Third person: he or she, main character or other person is the narrator
Omniscient: someone other than the people involved in the story is the narrator.

Question 40

prediction

Answer 40

what you think will happen in the story or to a character

Question 41

quotation

Answer 41

what a character says

Question 42

resolution

Answer 42

how the conflict is solved or handled.

Question 43

rhyme

Answer 43

words or sounds in a word that sound alike

Question 44

rising action

Answer 44

actions that are part of the plot leading to the climax or the conflict

Question 45

setting

Answer 45

where the story or poem takes place

Question 46

simile

Answer 46

a comparison using “like” or “as”

Question 47

speaker

Answer 47

person talking

Question 48

stanza

Answer 48

a unit of a poem, usually expressing an idea

Question 49

static character

Answer 49

a character that does not change during the story

Question 50

subtext

Answer 50

the implied meaning of a story.

Question 51

Summary

Answer 51

short paragraph with the most important information

Question 52

Symbol

Answer 52

one word or image that stands for something else

Question 53

Theme

Answer 53

main idea

Question 54

Thesis statement

Answer 54

idea or argument that the author develops

Question 55

tone

Answer 55

the means of creating a relationship or conveying an idea.

Question 56

transitions

Answer 56

words that move from one idea or concept to another, or from sentence to sentence

Question 57

understatement

Answer 57

using language in a deliberately low key or calm way to make an important point. Opposite of hyperbole or exaggeration.

Question 58

verse

Answer 58

poetry, opposite of prose.