Techniques Flashcards
What is a dynamic verb?
Action words that express physical or mental activities (e.g. I ran there).
What is a stative verb?
Relates to thoughts and opinions (e.g. they love books).
What is a concrete noun?
Refers to a physical thing, person, or place (e.g. on the table).
What is an abstract noun?
Refers to something non-physical and conceptual (e.g. full of anger).
What is an adjective?
Describes nouns (e.g. blue sky).
What is an adverb?
Describes verbs (e.g. walked quickly).
What is a conjunction?
Joins words and clauses together (e.g. dark and gloomy).
What is a personal pronoun?
Used as a simple substitute for the proper name of a person (e.g. she is here).
What is a possessive pronoun?
Indicates the ownership (possession) of something or someone (e.g. his bag).
What is a preposition?
Describes where or when something is (e.g. under the sea).
What is a determiner?
Adds information about number, quantity, or ownership to nouns (e.g. some people).
What is a superlative?
An adjective or adverb that shows the thing described has more of the quality than all others (e.g. the greatest day).
What is an imperative?
Giving a command to the person being addressed (e.g. look at this).
What is a modal verb?
Shows possibility, intent, ability, or necessity (e.g. it might rain, you can go).
What is a simple sentence?
A sentence containing just one independent clause.
What is a compound sentence?
Has at least two independent clauses joined by a comma, semicolon, or conjunction.
What is a complex sentence?
A sentence containing more than one clause (compound or complex).
What is a minor sentence?
Also known as fragments; a sentence that is often missing a main verb or a subject.
What is a declarative sentence?
A sentence that gives information. Most sentences are declarative.
What is an imperative sentence?
Gives a command.
What is an interrogative sentence?
Asks a question.
What is an exclamatory sentence?
Ends in an exclamation mark.
What is a simile?
Comparing two things using like or as.
What is a metaphor?
Comparing two things in order to point out a similarity.
What is an extended metaphor?
A number of metaphors on the same topic are grouped together.
What is personification?
Giving an inanimate object human characteristics.
What is colloquialism?
Use of informal words, phrases, or even slang.
What is irony?
Signifies the opposite of what you actually mean, typically for humour.
What is symbolism?
An object that is used to represent something.
What is sensory language?
Language that evokes the 5 senses.
What is pathetic fallacy?
Using nature or the weather to reflect emotion.
What is a semantic field?
The use of a group of words that all link to the same topic or theme.
What is an oxymoron?
Two oppositional words next to one another.
What is hyperbole?
Exaggeration that should not be taken literally.
What is connotation?
The thoughts or feelings brought to mind by a word or phrase.
What is onomatopoeia?
Words that sound like what they are (e.g. Bang, clap, thud).
What is imagery?
Vivid description of a particular scene.
What is emotive language?
The deliberate choice of words to influence or elicit emotion.
What is a cliche?
An expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original.
What is a paradox?
A statement that contradicts itself, or that must be both true and untrue at the same time.
What is an idiom?
A group of words with a different meaning when used together.
What is a motif?
An object, image, sound, or phrase that is repeated to point toward the story’s larger theme.
What is synesthesia?
Description using multiple senses.
What are plosive consonants?
Sounds that create an abrupt and often harsh sound.
What are sibilant consonants?
Sounds that create a soft sound.
What is alliteration?
Two or more words beginning with the same sound.
What is anaphora?
Repetition of a word or phrase at paragraph/sentence starts.
What is assonance?
Repeating the same vowel sounds.
What is consonance?
Repeating the same consonant sounds.
What are plosives?
The repetition of harsh p, b, t, or d sounds.
What is repetition?
The same important word or phrase appearing multiple times.
What is sibilance?
Repetition of s/sh sounds.
What is a rhetorical question?
A question which does not require an answer.
What is a triplet?
Use of three words or phrases.
What is listing?
A list of a number of connected items written one after the other.
What is narrative voice?
Written in 1st / 2nd / 3rd person perspective.
What is foreshadowing?
An advance hint of what is to come later.
What is flashback/forward?
Set earlier or later than the main narrative.
What is juxtaposition?
Two things placed together to highlight the contrast between them.
What is climax?
The most intense point in the development of the narrative.
What is tense?
Past, present, future.
What is exposition?
Introduction of background information on characters, events, or settings.
What is in media res?
In or into the middle of a narrative or plot.
What is chronological order?
Events in the order of their happening or based on the time they have occurred.
What is dialogue?
A conversation between two or more persons.
What is direct speech?
When someone’s words are written down exactly as they were said.
What is contrast?
Making a clear and obvious difference between two things or ideas.
What is an analogy?
A comparison between things that have similar features, often used to help explain an idea.
What is an allegory?
A narrative story that conveys a complex, abstract, or difficult message.
What is an anecdote?
A short, often amusing story about an event, usually involving a particular person.
What is an allusion?
An implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text.
