As with any discipline, English can seem impossible to master with hundreds of technical terms. And as helpful as in-depth articles and interactive web pages can be, it can be difficult to quickly find a term that's on the tip of your mind with so many articles to peruse. Below is a quick list of the important terms found on the pages of this site (the ones in purple) along with their definition and the page of this site where you can find more on the term. Or... at least it will. This page is a work-in-progress.
abridgment is where a version of the original text is shortened, either for printing purposes or purposes of education
Absolute adjectives and adverbs like pregnant, dead, unique, and virginal do not very in intensity
abstract is a brief summary written by a paper's author regarding its main contents and findings
Access Writing is writing that acts as a tool or scaffold to access content understanding.
Ad hominum is as error in logos. Instead of attacking an argument, the writer attacks the person who said the argument instead.
Adjectives modify nouns.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjective, and other adverbs.
ADVERBIAL CLAUSE: a clause that starts with an adverb and clarifies where, when, or why something happens
allegories ometimes an entire text sticks to a specific metaphor. These are called , and allegory gives a story multiple levels of meaning
allusion is a single reference to a well-known text or character.
analogy is any comparison of two things for the purposes of clarity or an example
Annotated bibliographies are used to list sources for non-essay research projects, such as presentations or experiments. An annotated bibliography is similar to a regular bibliography, but each bolded citation is followed by a short paragraph, which has three parts:
antagonist is the character or force that causes conflict with the protagonist
antecedent they are standing in and this represent a previously stated noun, which is called an
apostrophe. address someone who is not physically present, such as when characters pray, write letters, or have hypothetical or imaginary conversations. This is a device called
appositive is a single word that renames a noun prior to it
archetype is a primal character, place, or object that appears in all stories and has a universally recognized set of values
archetypes, primal examples of certain cultural characters and ideas
Articles (also known as determiners) are words that determine which item is being spoken about as well as its gender or plurality
aside is a statement that acts as an apology our explanation
audience are the intended readers of a piece
bandwagon is an error in pathos that refers to the idea that if everyone believes something, you should believe it too.
Bias is an unfair personal prejudice against a group, person, or idea.
bibliography (also called a Works Cited page) is a list of sources used in a research project
bildungsroman is a story about the protagonist making the transition from childhood to adulthood.
BLANK VERSE: Poetry that has a regular meter but no rhyme
caesura A pause in the middle of a line of poetry is called a
catharsis emotional connection a reader can make with a story is called
Chekov's Gun, named for this advice by Russian playwright Anton Chekov: "If you say in the first act that there is a rifle hanging on a wall, in the second or third act it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there."
Chemistry is a term for how two characters complement each other
cinematic film as a film primarily developed to have a artistic message
Cinematography is the art of capturing images on film.
Claims are arguments that support the thesis
climax is the moment the conflict is finally solved. The protagonist will either win or lose everything.
closed form and fit into a specifically named and defined poetic structure
COLLECTIVE NOUNS: a group made of many members that is considered a singular and not plural entity (e.g. audience, crowd, mob)
Comedy a genre appealing to the emotion of joy that tries to invoke laughter.
common nouns that are generic and not specific
complement is a word that completes the idea of a subject and verb
Complex characters are fully developed characters with physical descriptions and nuanced behavior
COMPLEX: a sentence with a single independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses
Composition is the weight, feel, and look of the printing material.
COMPOUND: a sentence with two or more independent clauses
COMPOUND-COMPLEX: a sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses
conceit. the main idea of a poem, which is called a
concession(admission that the "other side's" evidence is right but the warrant is wrong).
conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.
conjunctive adverbs are inserted into a second sentence to show a relationship to the first sentence
coordinating conjunctions, which join equal items
Copyright is literally the right to copy-- copyright protection means that if you create something, you are the only one who can copy, perform, or sell your creation.
COUNT NOUNS: nouns that can be easily counted and can thus be pluralized
counterargument is the argument opposite of the thesis
cover page has only the quoted title of the essay, followed by all the header information, centered and about of a third of the way down the page. A cover page has no page number
dangling modifier when the noun being modified does not immediately follows the phrase.
data, which is evidence that a claim is true
DECLARATIVE: a statement of fact or opinion
Denouement (pronounced DAY-no-MAH or just called falling action) is where characters address the fallout of the conflict being solved.
dependent clause If the clause doesn't make sense on its own, the clause is a
deus ex machina solution comes out of nowhere, the audience feels cheated, as if they were playing along with the story and then the rules were changed. Classical stories did this constantly, having gods arrive at the last minute and save characters from a bad fate. This idea is the called
deuteragonist characters central to the conflict that aid the protagonist or antagonist
Diction is an author's word choice.
Diegetic sound refers to sound coming from a source in the world of the actors
DIRECT OBJECT: a direct object is an object (noun or pronoun) affected by the verb action
ditransitive verb acts upon both direct objects and indirect objects
double entendres, which are phrases with a surface meaning and a deeper meaning
double negative, where two negative nouns, adjectives, or adverbs contradict each other and a create positive meaning
Drama is writing that is meant to be performed rather than read.
dramatic irony, which occurs when the audience knows information the characters don't and thus they can anticipate future events
dynamic characters Characters whose objectives and motivations change over time are called
Edifying texts convey information and endeavor to teach or persuade more than they entertain.
Editing refers to making sure sentences conformer to proper grammar and usage, such as sentence mechanics, spelling, and punctuation.
ENCHANTMENT: Writing the readers can love
enjambment When a poetic sentence does not pause at the end of a line, it is called
Epigraphs are quotations from another text used at the start of each chapter or section that ties into the content of the section.
epistolary novel is, traditionally, a series of letters between one character and another that chronicles the story, but can also include diaries and blogs
essay is a short (under 3,000 words) objective edifying text
Ethos (ethics) appeals to our sense of trust that the argument is credible
Euphemism is when a distasteful idea or word is represented by a gentler concept
EXCLAMATORY: an urgent, excited statement
expansions, sequels or prequels that pick up on threads from the story and make the story longer
exposition normal life before the conflict
Expository texts are meant to objectively inform a reader on a topic; these include textbooks, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, wiki pages, and newspapers.
Fables are very short stories (usually less than 250 words) with talking animals as the main characters.
facts, which are provably true statements
Fair Use is the exception of copyright, which allows people to use copyrighted material for free for the purposes of education, news reporting, commentary, research, or parody.
Fantasy a genre providing social critique by using magical places and creatures
feminine ending syllable is unstressed, like in this sentence, it is a
Fictive character is how fictional a text is.
First person perspective means that the story is told by the protagonist of the story, using the words I, me, we, us, our, my, and mine when referring to the protagonist.
flashback is when the story jumps to a prior event before the conflict
folk tales legends, especially those told in the American West, took real figures and exaggerated their deeds to unrealistic extremes. These are
foot is a unit of two syllables
FREE VERSE: Poetry that has a no regular meter or rhyme
Functional texts directly instruct the reader and are meant to be used to do something practical; these include recipes, how-to guides, grocery lists, and other step-by-step instructions.
Genre is a classification of texts with similar tropes, plot patterns, and character conflicts.
gerund is a present-tense verb with the suffix -ing that acts as a noun.
Grammar is the set of rules of writing that allow it to make sense.
graphic novel takes a novella's amount of text and breaks it into a series of illustrated panels
Graphic weight is the way some images attract the eye more than others do.
gutters (the space, usually white, between panels
HELPING VERB, which must be paired to an action verb to either restrict it with conditions, aid in subject/verb inversion, or demonstrate verb aspect.
Heroic Quest a genre where a protagonist goes on an outer journey to repair society
homage When a bunch of similar allusions come together and carry through an entire scene, this is called an
Horror a genre appealing to the emotion of fear that uses unnatural threats.
Hubris is excessive pride that causes a character to suffer
Hubris, on the other hand, is when a personal attribute that a character takes pride in causes them to lose ground in the conflict
Imagery is the creation of vivid descriptions the reader can easily imagine.
IMPERATIVE: an order or command
independent clause a clause makes sense on its own, it is called an
INDIRECT OBJECT: an indirect object is an object (noun or pronoun) that receives or benefits from the direct object
infinitive is a verb paired with the word to, making it look like a preposition
interjection shows a sudden outburst that stands outside a sentence
INTERROGATIVE: a direct question
intertextuality,which is the creation of intentional connections between the text you are reading and another famous literary text.
intransitive verb does not act upon a direct object
irony is a contrast of what is literally expected and what actually occurs.
irregular verbs Some English words with Anglo-Saxon, French, or foreign origins and keep their original past inflections: the words, like ate, ran, broken, rode, and bit, are called
legend is a story that tells the unauthenticated “history” of a culture and leans more heavily on historical fact and context than religious myths.
limiting modifier introduces a limitation or direction to a noun or verb.
literary movement When several artists in the same place and time start to write in a similar style about similar themes using similar tropes (characters, plots, motifs, and symbols), they create a
literary tales, stories that comes from a play or novel but is treated like a myth, legend, or fairy tale over time
LOGIC: Story that makes sense
Logos (logic) appeals to our sense of reason
masculine ending (if the syllable is stressed, this is called a
McGuffin an object that all the character seek that motivates a plot
mechanics Analysis at the level of groups of works (phrases, clauses, and sentences is called
media adaptation is where the text of one medium (writing, song, art, etc) is turned into another medium directly
media analysis, where an existing text is broken down into elements and interpreted in a new text.
memoir story is about an experience in the author's life, the novel is called an
Metaphors show the similarities between dissimilar things
meter (patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables)
Metonymy is a comparison of a term and a larger idea that it represents
Mise en scene comes from the French phrase "setting the stage," and describes all the physical visual elements in a film. This includes the set design and its architecture, the costume design, the makeup design, and the use of properties (props),
modal verbs change the conditions under which an action verb can act. These are called
modernism, an attempt to find meaning in an alienating world where all beliefs and societal foundations are relative.
Mood is the atmosphere of the story, often referred to as "how the author tries to make the reader feel."
Motifs are reoccurring patterns or images that tie into a theme.
motivation is the reason a character wants to achieve their objective.
movie, which is a film primarily developed to make a creator profit
Mystery a genre that follows a detective trying to solve a crime or puzzle
Myth is writing that disregards "fictional" or "nonfictional" distinction and instead seeks to impart higher moral or cultural truths.
Narratives are completed writings that center around a character in conflict. Common narratives include oral histories, memoirs, short stories, and novels.
neologisms new words (
Noir a subgenre of mystery involving a male detective of dubious morals and a femme fatal
NONCOUNT NOUNS: nouns that can’t be counted, like jeans, lightning, homework, air, or dirt. These words cannot be pluralized
Nondiegetic sound refers to sound characters can't hear
NONRESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE: begins with a relative pronoun, is not necessary for the meaning of the sentence, and functions as an adjective
NOUN CLAUSE: a clause that functions as a subject, direct object, or object of a preposition
noun is a person, place, object, or concept.
nouns of direct address are useful in clarifying who a speaker is talking to by inserting their name somewhere in the sentence
novel is a long story (over 40, 000 words) told in prose.
novelette A prose work longer than 7,500 but still under 17,500 words is called a
novella one between 17,500 and 40,000 is a
OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT: a noun or adjective which renames or modifies a direct object, often used with verbs like make, name, call, elect, and appoint.
objective is what the character wants
obscene is something that is not mentioned around children
open form poems that do not fit into a specifically defined poetic structures
opinions, which are personal beliefs
PACING: How the story moves
panels A page of graphic literature is divided into sections called
parenthetical is a nonessential sentence interruption-- when a sentence takes a quick detour from its normal pace and gets interrupted.
parody is an adaptation that makes fun of or comments on another text, artist, style, or real world person or event.
participle is a verb that acts as an adjective.
pastiche is a text that imitates the style of another text or artist
Pathos (passion) appeals to the reader's emotions
pearl (the archetype of the ultimate prize
Perfect aspect describes a prior completed action
Perfect progressive aspect describes an action that was unfolding but is now completed
Perspective describes the point of view of the storyteller
phrase is a string of grammatically related words that do not for a full clause
picture book is a shorter work with little text intended for children
Playwright the person who scripts a play
plot hole a leap in the logic of the plot (this is called a
Poetry is writing in verse that emphasizes restrictions on meter and rhyme above style and meaning
point of no return, which is when a character is brought into the main conflict.
possessive noun shows ownership by adding an ’s to the word
postmodernism, held that characters (and authors) were insignificant, that a character's success in dependent upon luck and chance, and that all other conflicts pale to the conflict of the man who realizes his life has no significance.
PREDICATE ADJECTIVE: a predicate adjective is a modifier that describes the subject after a linking verb.
PREDICATE NOMINATIVE: a predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that renames the subject after a linking verb
predicate of a clause always consists of at least this one verb
preposition shows a physical relationship between objects.
Presearch is not in-depth research, but a quick look at a topic to see if it is worth pursuing
primary sources (from a time, place, or event)
Process writing is writing that creates something new, like a story or an argument.
Progressive aspect describes an action that is continuously unfolding
pronoun stands in for a known noun.
proper nouns nouns are specific and have specific names; these are and are always capitalized
prosody An analysis of a poem's structure is called
protagonist is the character the story action follows
public domain. A public domain work is a creation that anyone can copy, publish, perform, or reproduce for free.
PURPOSE IS WHY A WRITER WRITES
realism: writing focusing on the actual and not the fanciful.
reception, makes audience members co-creators as well.
refrain. This is called a
reluctant hero who does not want to go on the quest but is forced to.
RESOLUTION: Life returns to a state of normalcy, though the characters are in a different place than before because of the conflict
RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE: begins with a relative pronoun, is necessary for the meaning of the sentence, and functions as an adjective
resume is a brief document that summarizes your skills, employment history, and experiences for a potential employer
Revision refers to making sure the content and ideas match what you want to say and are clear
Rhetoric is, simply, the art of persuasion.
Rhetorical fallacy misusing appeals can make an argument weaker
rhetorical question, i.e. one that has no clear answer
Rhetorical texts seeks to persuade the reader to change a belief or to take an action for or against something; these included essays, speeches, advertisements, opinion articles, and critiques.
rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhymes at the end of each line that stay consistent over the course of several stanzas
rhyme (regular patterns of similar sounding syllables)
rhyme, or course, is a pair of words that use the same end sound
Romance a genre appealing to the emotion of love.
Science fiction a genre providing social critique by using technology and alternate timelines
second person perspective, which casts the reader into the role of the protagonist and uses the words you, your, and yours when referring to the protagonist.
secondary sources (about a time, place, or event).
serif is a little tail you will see on the ends of letters that make letters look fancier
short story, which is a prose work with a complete plot that is under 7,500 words long.
similes, which take two similar things and show that they are alike using "like," "as," or "than"
SIMPLE: a sentence with a single independent clause
Situational irony occurs when a what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected to happen.
smut, which is only written to sexually arouse a reader.
Stanzas are a series of lines grouped together and separated by an line break from other stanzas.
stasis, a flat line representing life with no major conflict or issues.
static characters characters that never change objective (like the prospector who goes against Aurelia) are
stock characters with very basic traits and motivations.
strawman is an error in ethos where the counterargument is convoluted into something less complex so it is easier to defeat.
Structure is a classification based on formal strictures or textual syntax and text delivery.
STYLE IS HOW A WRITER WRITES
subject is who or what the clause is about
subordinating conjunctions, which join unequal items
subplot. This minor conflict that plays into the larger action is called a
SUBSTANCE: Writing that's "worth" the read
summary is an objective description of events in a story or arguments in a rhetorical piece.
SWEET (OR RHYMED) VERSE: Poetry that has a regular rhyme scheme but an irregular meter.
Symbols are singular objects in a story that tie into the theme.
syncope, the shortening of words to make speech simple (like 'em for them or coz for cousin)
Synedoche is when a part represents a part for a whole
Syntax is how an author structures and orders sentences.
Tension (sometimes called rising action) deepens the conflict by giving the protagonist resources to solve the conflict, taking away those resources, or changing the terms of the conflict.
the Unities: a single time frame, a single place, and a single action (plot)
Theatre is any performance in front of a live audience sharing the same space as the performers
Theme is a universal truth explored in an artwork.
thesis is a statement of what you want the reader to believe or do
third person limited perspective. Here, the story is told by someone who is a minor character in the story who is not the protagonist
Third person omniscient perspective uses a narrator divorced from the story action who knows all actions, thoughts, and desires of each character.
Thriller a subgenre appealing to the emotion of fear that uses realistic threats.
Tone is an author's attitude toward the subject.
Tragedy a genre appealing to the emotion of sadness that tries to invoke tears.
Tragic flaw is a personal failing that brings about a character’s downfall.
transformative adaptation takes the original story but makes sweeping changes-- the text is rewritten with slightly different characters, setting, and style but stays true to the themes, story, and purpose of the original work.
transition see conjunctive adverb
transitive verb acts upon either one direct objects (I love cookies, Stephanie runs the company) or multiple direct objects
translation is the rewriting of a text as accurately as possible into a different language
trope is a literary device that reappears in similar literary texts
True Crime a genre that follows a culprit trying to commit a crime or get away after committing a crime
true myth is religious story explaining some natural or social phenomenon through gods, miracles, and magic.
unrest, causing conflicts between one another.
urban legends legends that take place in the unknown shadows of modern society. These are
usage. Analysis at the level of paragraphs where sentences work together to create meaning is called
UTILITY: Relevancy to the reader
verb aspect shows how the verb moves through time (duration)
verb is an action or state of existence.
Verb mood indicates tonal meaning.
VERB TENSE: shows time
Verb valency shows the number of arguments a verb takes
Verbal irony uses wordplay to contrast between what is said and what is meant.
verbals verbs just pose as these other parts of speech. These words are known as verbals, and come in three types: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.
visual rhetoric images can be read and analyzed. This idea is called
Vulgarity bodily excretions, sexual organs, and sexual acts
War a genre appealing to the emotion of courage that uses the idea of brotherhood
warrant, which is a reasonable explanation of how the data proves the claim
Western a genre appealing to the emotion of courage set in an isolated, lawless place
Absolute adjectives and adverbs like pregnant, dead, unique, and virginal do not very in intensity
abstract is a brief summary written by a paper's author regarding its main contents and findings
Access Writing is writing that acts as a tool or scaffold to access content understanding.
Ad hominum is as error in logos. Instead of attacking an argument, the writer attacks the person who said the argument instead.
Adjectives modify nouns.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjective, and other adverbs.
ADVERBIAL CLAUSE: a clause that starts with an adverb and clarifies where, when, or why something happens
allegories ometimes an entire text sticks to a specific metaphor. These are called , and allegory gives a story multiple levels of meaning
allusion is a single reference to a well-known text or character.
analogy is any comparison of two things for the purposes of clarity or an example
Annotated bibliographies are used to list sources for non-essay research projects, such as presentations or experiments. An annotated bibliography is similar to a regular bibliography, but each bolded citation is followed by a short paragraph, which has three parts:
antagonist is the character or force that causes conflict with the protagonist
antecedent they are standing in and this represent a previously stated noun, which is called an
apostrophe. address someone who is not physically present, such as when characters pray, write letters, or have hypothetical or imaginary conversations. This is a device called
appositive is a single word that renames a noun prior to it
archetype is a primal character, place, or object that appears in all stories and has a universally recognized set of values
archetypes, primal examples of certain cultural characters and ideas
Articles (also known as determiners) are words that determine which item is being spoken about as well as its gender or plurality
aside is a statement that acts as an apology our explanation
audience are the intended readers of a piece
bandwagon is an error in pathos that refers to the idea that if everyone believes something, you should believe it too.
Bias is an unfair personal prejudice against a group, person, or idea.
bibliography (also called a Works Cited page) is a list of sources used in a research project
bildungsroman is a story about the protagonist making the transition from childhood to adulthood.
BLANK VERSE: Poetry that has a regular meter but no rhyme
caesura A pause in the middle of a line of poetry is called a
catharsis emotional connection a reader can make with a story is called
Chekov's Gun, named for this advice by Russian playwright Anton Chekov: "If you say in the first act that there is a rifle hanging on a wall, in the second or third act it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there."
Chemistry is a term for how two characters complement each other
cinematic film as a film primarily developed to have a artistic message
Cinematography is the art of capturing images on film.
Claims are arguments that support the thesis
climax is the moment the conflict is finally solved. The protagonist will either win or lose everything.
closed form and fit into a specifically named and defined poetic structure
COLLECTIVE NOUNS: a group made of many members that is considered a singular and not plural entity (e.g. audience, crowd, mob)
Comedy a genre appealing to the emotion of joy that tries to invoke laughter.
common nouns that are generic and not specific
complement is a word that completes the idea of a subject and verb
Complex characters are fully developed characters with physical descriptions and nuanced behavior
COMPLEX: a sentence with a single independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses
Composition is the weight, feel, and look of the printing material.
COMPOUND: a sentence with two or more independent clauses
COMPOUND-COMPLEX: a sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses
conceit. the main idea of a poem, which is called a
concession(admission that the "other side's" evidence is right but the warrant is wrong).
conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.
conjunctive adverbs are inserted into a second sentence to show a relationship to the first sentence
coordinating conjunctions, which join equal items
Copyright is literally the right to copy-- copyright protection means that if you create something, you are the only one who can copy, perform, or sell your creation.
COUNT NOUNS: nouns that can be easily counted and can thus be pluralized
counterargument is the argument opposite of the thesis
cover page has only the quoted title of the essay, followed by all the header information, centered and about of a third of the way down the page. A cover page has no page number
dangling modifier when the noun being modified does not immediately follows the phrase.
data, which is evidence that a claim is true
DECLARATIVE: a statement of fact or opinion
Denouement (pronounced DAY-no-MAH or just called falling action) is where characters address the fallout of the conflict being solved.
dependent clause If the clause doesn't make sense on its own, the clause is a
deus ex machina solution comes out of nowhere, the audience feels cheated, as if they were playing along with the story and then the rules were changed. Classical stories did this constantly, having gods arrive at the last minute and save characters from a bad fate. This idea is the called
deuteragonist characters central to the conflict that aid the protagonist or antagonist
Diction is an author's word choice.
Diegetic sound refers to sound coming from a source in the world of the actors
DIRECT OBJECT: a direct object is an object (noun or pronoun) affected by the verb action
ditransitive verb acts upon both direct objects and indirect objects
double entendres, which are phrases with a surface meaning and a deeper meaning
double negative, where two negative nouns, adjectives, or adverbs contradict each other and a create positive meaning
Drama is writing that is meant to be performed rather than read.
dramatic irony, which occurs when the audience knows information the characters don't and thus they can anticipate future events
dynamic characters Characters whose objectives and motivations change over time are called
Edifying texts convey information and endeavor to teach or persuade more than they entertain.
Editing refers to making sure sentences conformer to proper grammar and usage, such as sentence mechanics, spelling, and punctuation.
ENCHANTMENT: Writing the readers can love
enjambment When a poetic sentence does not pause at the end of a line, it is called
Epigraphs are quotations from another text used at the start of each chapter or section that ties into the content of the section.
epistolary novel is, traditionally, a series of letters between one character and another that chronicles the story, but can also include diaries and blogs
essay is a short (under 3,000 words) objective edifying text
Ethos (ethics) appeals to our sense of trust that the argument is credible
Euphemism is when a distasteful idea or word is represented by a gentler concept
EXCLAMATORY: an urgent, excited statement
expansions, sequels or prequels that pick up on threads from the story and make the story longer
exposition normal life before the conflict
Expository texts are meant to objectively inform a reader on a topic; these include textbooks, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, wiki pages, and newspapers.
Fables are very short stories (usually less than 250 words) with talking animals as the main characters.
facts, which are provably true statements
Fair Use is the exception of copyright, which allows people to use copyrighted material for free for the purposes of education, news reporting, commentary, research, or parody.
Fantasy a genre providing social critique by using magical places and creatures
feminine ending syllable is unstressed, like in this sentence, it is a
Fictive character is how fictional a text is.
First person perspective means that the story is told by the protagonist of the story, using the words I, me, we, us, our, my, and mine when referring to the protagonist.
flashback is when the story jumps to a prior event before the conflict
folk tales legends, especially those told in the American West, took real figures and exaggerated their deeds to unrealistic extremes. These are
foot is a unit of two syllables
FREE VERSE: Poetry that has a no regular meter or rhyme
Functional texts directly instruct the reader and are meant to be used to do something practical; these include recipes, how-to guides, grocery lists, and other step-by-step instructions.
Genre is a classification of texts with similar tropes, plot patterns, and character conflicts.
gerund is a present-tense verb with the suffix -ing that acts as a noun.
Grammar is the set of rules of writing that allow it to make sense.
graphic novel takes a novella's amount of text and breaks it into a series of illustrated panels
Graphic weight is the way some images attract the eye more than others do.
gutters (the space, usually white, between panels
HELPING VERB, which must be paired to an action verb to either restrict it with conditions, aid in subject/verb inversion, or demonstrate verb aspect.
Heroic Quest a genre where a protagonist goes on an outer journey to repair society
homage When a bunch of similar allusions come together and carry through an entire scene, this is called an
Horror a genre appealing to the emotion of fear that uses unnatural threats.
Hubris is excessive pride that causes a character to suffer
Hubris, on the other hand, is when a personal attribute that a character takes pride in causes them to lose ground in the conflict
Imagery is the creation of vivid descriptions the reader can easily imagine.
IMPERATIVE: an order or command
independent clause a clause makes sense on its own, it is called an
INDIRECT OBJECT: an indirect object is an object (noun or pronoun) that receives or benefits from the direct object
infinitive is a verb paired with the word to, making it look like a preposition
interjection shows a sudden outburst that stands outside a sentence
INTERROGATIVE: a direct question
intertextuality,which is the creation of intentional connections between the text you are reading and another famous literary text.
intransitive verb does not act upon a direct object
irony is a contrast of what is literally expected and what actually occurs.
irregular verbs Some English words with Anglo-Saxon, French, or foreign origins and keep their original past inflections: the words, like ate, ran, broken, rode, and bit, are called
legend is a story that tells the unauthenticated “history” of a culture and leans more heavily on historical fact and context than religious myths.
limiting modifier introduces a limitation or direction to a noun or verb.
literary movement When several artists in the same place and time start to write in a similar style about similar themes using similar tropes (characters, plots, motifs, and symbols), they create a
literary tales, stories that comes from a play or novel but is treated like a myth, legend, or fairy tale over time
LOGIC: Story that makes sense
Logos (logic) appeals to our sense of reason
masculine ending (if the syllable is stressed, this is called a
McGuffin an object that all the character seek that motivates a plot
mechanics Analysis at the level of groups of works (phrases, clauses, and sentences is called
media adaptation is where the text of one medium (writing, song, art, etc) is turned into another medium directly
media analysis, where an existing text is broken down into elements and interpreted in a new text.
memoir story is about an experience in the author's life, the novel is called an
Metaphors show the similarities between dissimilar things
meter (patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables)
Metonymy is a comparison of a term and a larger idea that it represents
Mise en scene comes from the French phrase "setting the stage," and describes all the physical visual elements in a film. This includes the set design and its architecture, the costume design, the makeup design, and the use of properties (props),
modal verbs change the conditions under which an action verb can act. These are called
modernism, an attempt to find meaning in an alienating world where all beliefs and societal foundations are relative.
Mood is the atmosphere of the story, often referred to as "how the author tries to make the reader feel."
Motifs are reoccurring patterns or images that tie into a theme.
motivation is the reason a character wants to achieve their objective.
movie, which is a film primarily developed to make a creator profit
Mystery a genre that follows a detective trying to solve a crime or puzzle
Myth is writing that disregards "fictional" or "nonfictional" distinction and instead seeks to impart higher moral or cultural truths.
Narratives are completed writings that center around a character in conflict. Common narratives include oral histories, memoirs, short stories, and novels.
neologisms new words (
Noir a subgenre of mystery involving a male detective of dubious morals and a femme fatal
NONCOUNT NOUNS: nouns that can’t be counted, like jeans, lightning, homework, air, or dirt. These words cannot be pluralized
Nondiegetic sound refers to sound characters can't hear
NONRESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE: begins with a relative pronoun, is not necessary for the meaning of the sentence, and functions as an adjective
NOUN CLAUSE: a clause that functions as a subject, direct object, or object of a preposition
noun is a person, place, object, or concept.
nouns of direct address are useful in clarifying who a speaker is talking to by inserting their name somewhere in the sentence
novel is a long story (over 40, 000 words) told in prose.
novelette A prose work longer than 7,500 but still under 17,500 words is called a
novella one between 17,500 and 40,000 is a
OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT: a noun or adjective which renames or modifies a direct object, often used with verbs like make, name, call, elect, and appoint.
objective is what the character wants
obscene is something that is not mentioned around children
open form poems that do not fit into a specifically defined poetic structures
opinions, which are personal beliefs
PACING: How the story moves
panels A page of graphic literature is divided into sections called
parenthetical is a nonessential sentence interruption-- when a sentence takes a quick detour from its normal pace and gets interrupted.
parody is an adaptation that makes fun of or comments on another text, artist, style, or real world person or event.
participle is a verb that acts as an adjective.
pastiche is a text that imitates the style of another text or artist
Pathos (passion) appeals to the reader's emotions
pearl (the archetype of the ultimate prize
Perfect aspect describes a prior completed action
Perfect progressive aspect describes an action that was unfolding but is now completed
Perspective describes the point of view of the storyteller
phrase is a string of grammatically related words that do not for a full clause
picture book is a shorter work with little text intended for children
Playwright the person who scripts a play
plot hole a leap in the logic of the plot (this is called a
Poetry is writing in verse that emphasizes restrictions on meter and rhyme above style and meaning
point of no return, which is when a character is brought into the main conflict.
possessive noun shows ownership by adding an ’s to the word
postmodernism, held that characters (and authors) were insignificant, that a character's success in dependent upon luck and chance, and that all other conflicts pale to the conflict of the man who realizes his life has no significance.
PREDICATE ADJECTIVE: a predicate adjective is a modifier that describes the subject after a linking verb.
PREDICATE NOMINATIVE: a predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that renames the subject after a linking verb
predicate of a clause always consists of at least this one verb
preposition shows a physical relationship between objects.
Presearch is not in-depth research, but a quick look at a topic to see if it is worth pursuing
primary sources (from a time, place, or event)
Process writing is writing that creates something new, like a story or an argument.
Progressive aspect describes an action that is continuously unfolding
pronoun stands in for a known noun.
proper nouns nouns are specific and have specific names; these are and are always capitalized
prosody An analysis of a poem's structure is called
protagonist is the character the story action follows
public domain. A public domain work is a creation that anyone can copy, publish, perform, or reproduce for free.
PURPOSE IS WHY A WRITER WRITES
realism: writing focusing on the actual and not the fanciful.
reception, makes audience members co-creators as well.
refrain. This is called a
reluctant hero who does not want to go on the quest but is forced to.
RESOLUTION: Life returns to a state of normalcy, though the characters are in a different place than before because of the conflict
RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE: begins with a relative pronoun, is necessary for the meaning of the sentence, and functions as an adjective
resume is a brief document that summarizes your skills, employment history, and experiences for a potential employer
Revision refers to making sure the content and ideas match what you want to say and are clear
Rhetoric is, simply, the art of persuasion.
Rhetorical fallacy misusing appeals can make an argument weaker
rhetorical question, i.e. one that has no clear answer
Rhetorical texts seeks to persuade the reader to change a belief or to take an action for or against something; these included essays, speeches, advertisements, opinion articles, and critiques.
rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhymes at the end of each line that stay consistent over the course of several stanzas
rhyme (regular patterns of similar sounding syllables)
rhyme, or course, is a pair of words that use the same end sound
Romance a genre appealing to the emotion of love.
Science fiction a genre providing social critique by using technology and alternate timelines
second person perspective, which casts the reader into the role of the protagonist and uses the words you, your, and yours when referring to the protagonist.
secondary sources (about a time, place, or event).
serif is a little tail you will see on the ends of letters that make letters look fancier
short story, which is a prose work with a complete plot that is under 7,500 words long.
similes, which take two similar things and show that they are alike using "like," "as," or "than"
SIMPLE: a sentence with a single independent clause
Situational irony occurs when a what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected to happen.
smut, which is only written to sexually arouse a reader.
Stanzas are a series of lines grouped together and separated by an line break from other stanzas.
stasis, a flat line representing life with no major conflict or issues.
static characters characters that never change objective (like the prospector who goes against Aurelia) are
stock characters with very basic traits and motivations.
strawman is an error in ethos where the counterargument is convoluted into something less complex so it is easier to defeat.
Structure is a classification based on formal strictures or textual syntax and text delivery.
STYLE IS HOW A WRITER WRITES
subject is who or what the clause is about
subordinating conjunctions, which join unequal items
subplot. This minor conflict that plays into the larger action is called a
SUBSTANCE: Writing that's "worth" the read
summary is an objective description of events in a story or arguments in a rhetorical piece.
SWEET (OR RHYMED) VERSE: Poetry that has a regular rhyme scheme but an irregular meter.
Symbols are singular objects in a story that tie into the theme.
syncope, the shortening of words to make speech simple (like 'em for them or coz for cousin)
Synedoche is when a part represents a part for a whole
Syntax is how an author structures and orders sentences.
Tension (sometimes called rising action) deepens the conflict by giving the protagonist resources to solve the conflict, taking away those resources, or changing the terms of the conflict.
the Unities: a single time frame, a single place, and a single action (plot)
Theatre is any performance in front of a live audience sharing the same space as the performers
Theme is a universal truth explored in an artwork.
thesis is a statement of what you want the reader to believe or do
third person limited perspective. Here, the story is told by someone who is a minor character in the story who is not the protagonist
Third person omniscient perspective uses a narrator divorced from the story action who knows all actions, thoughts, and desires of each character.
Thriller a subgenre appealing to the emotion of fear that uses realistic threats.
Tone is an author's attitude toward the subject.
Tragedy a genre appealing to the emotion of sadness that tries to invoke tears.
Tragic flaw is a personal failing that brings about a character’s downfall.
transformative adaptation takes the original story but makes sweeping changes-- the text is rewritten with slightly different characters, setting, and style but stays true to the themes, story, and purpose of the original work.
transition see conjunctive adverb
transitive verb acts upon either one direct objects (I love cookies, Stephanie runs the company) or multiple direct objects
translation is the rewriting of a text as accurately as possible into a different language
trope is a literary device that reappears in similar literary texts
True Crime a genre that follows a culprit trying to commit a crime or get away after committing a crime
true myth is religious story explaining some natural or social phenomenon through gods, miracles, and magic.
unrest, causing conflicts between one another.
urban legends legends that take place in the unknown shadows of modern society. These are
usage. Analysis at the level of paragraphs where sentences work together to create meaning is called
UTILITY: Relevancy to the reader
verb aspect shows how the verb moves through time (duration)
verb is an action or state of existence.
Verb mood indicates tonal meaning.
VERB TENSE: shows time
Verb valency shows the number of arguments a verb takes
Verbal irony uses wordplay to contrast between what is said and what is meant.
verbals verbs just pose as these other parts of speech. These words are known as verbals, and come in three types: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.
visual rhetoric images can be read and analyzed. This idea is called
Vulgarity bodily excretions, sexual organs, and sexual acts
War a genre appealing to the emotion of courage that uses the idea of brotherhood
warrant, which is a reasonable explanation of how the data proves the claim
Western a genre appealing to the emotion of courage set in an isolated, lawless place