Reading Comprehension-Literary terms Flashcards
Alliteration
A sentence that uses the same letter or beginning sound at the start of each word.
Allusion
A reference to a famous event that has taken place in history, a book, movie, song, or other piece of famous work.
Ambiguity
Describing something in a way that is unclear, it can be interpreted in many ways
Ballad
A song that tells a story
Static Character
A character that does not experience basic character changes through the story
Dynamic Character
A character that changed and develops through the plot
Round character
A well described, developed character
Flat character
A basic character, is not described
Cliche
A commonly used phrase that is unoriginal.
Connotation
A word that is used to suggest another meaning
Dialect
Language that is used by specific people or places
Diction
Type of words used-fancy or everyday
Elegy
A sad poem used to express sadness
Figurative Language
A type of language used that is not meant to be taken literally
Foreshadowing
Predicting upcoming events in a plot
Hyperbole
Describing something with extreme exaggeration
Idiom
A phrase that does not use the literal meaning of the words
Imagery
Describing something with your five senses, and an in-depth description.
Dramatic irony
When the reader knows something that the characters don’t know
Situational irony
When the opposite of what you think will happen happens
Verbal irony
When you say the opposite of what you mean
Jargon
A type of language used that is commonly used in a group of people
Metaphor
Comparing two things by saying one thing is the other
Mood
The feeling a reader gets from text
Onomatopeia
Words used to demonstrate sounds
Parody
Type of language used to make fun of something-used in the same writing format
Personification
Giving non-human objects human characteristics.
Refrain
A repeated word or line in poetry that comes to an end at the end of a stanza
Satire
A form of writing that used comedy to show people’s flaws
Simile
Comparing two things using like or as
Symbol
A word, action, or object used to represent a deeper meaning
Theme
The central idea or message of a piece of writing
Tone
The author’s attitude towards the characters shown through themes or dialogue
Understatment
An expression that has less strength than expected.
