analyze

analyze

• study the details of a work to identify essential features or meaning

sequence

sequence

• the order in which events happen

cause-effect

cause-effect

• cause: an initial action; an event that makes something else happen
• effect: the result of an event or action

transitions

transitions

• words or phrases that connect ideas, details, or events in writing

coherence

coherence

• the clear and orderly presentation of ideas in a paragraph or essay

narrative

narrative

• a type of writing that tells a story or describes a sequence of events

characterization

characterization

• the methods a writer uses to develop characters; for example, through description, actions, and dialogue

setting

setting

• the time and place in which a narrative occurs

conflict (internal/external)

conflict (internal/external)

• internal conflict: a character struggles with his or her own needs, desires, or emotions
• external conflict: a character struggles with an outside force, such as another character or something in nature

dialogue

dialogue

• conversation between characters

personal narrative

personal narrative

• a piece of writing that describes an incident and includes a personal response to and reflection on the incident

point of view

point of view

• the perspective from which a story is told
• 1st-person: the teller is a character in the story telling what he or she sees or knows
• 3rd-person: the narrator is someone outside of the story

denotation

denotation

• the exact, literal meaning of a word

connotation

connotation

• the suggested or implied meaning or emotion associated with a word -- beyond its literal definition

figurative language

figurative language

• imaginative language that is not meant to be interpreted literally

simile

simile

• a comparison between two unlike things, using the words "like" or "as"

metaphor

metaphor

• a comparison between two unlike things in which one thing becomes another

sensory language

sensory language

• words or information that appeal to the five senses

short story

short story

• a work of fiction that presents a sequence of events, or plot, that deals with a conflict

theme

theme

• the central idea, message, or purpose of a literary work

plot

plot

• the sequence of related events that make up a story or novel

foreshadowing

foreshadowing

• clues or hints signaling events that will occur later in the plot

personification

personification

• a kind of metaphor that gives objects or abstract ideas human characteristics