English
Regents
Review Packet
Ms. Gilbert
Name: __________________________________________________
Period: _______
English Regents Exam: Overview
You have three hours to complete the exam.
Part One: Reading Comprehension
You will read three texts and answer 24 multiple choice questions.
Recommended time: about 45 minutes
Part Two: Argument Essay
You will read four texts and write a response of five paragraphs.
Recommended time: about 90 minutes
Part Three: Text-Analysis Response
You will read one text and write a response of about two paragraphs.
Recommended time: about 45 minutes
Part one:
Reading
Comprehension
Regents Part 1: Reading Comprehension Tips
Overview:
The first section of the NYS Regents Exam in English requires you to read three texts. One text
will be from a work of literature (prose); one text will be a poem; one text will be an informational
text. As you read each of the selections, you should read actively and ANNOTATE the text. Each
passage is followed by several multiple choice questions. There are 24 multiple choice
questions in Part 1 of the exam.
QUESTIONS TO KEEP IN MIND AS YOU READ
➢ Literary Passage
○ What is this piece about? What is the narrative point of view?
○ What do we understand about the setting?
○ What do we understand about the narrator? Other characters?
➢ Poem
○ What experience, memory, or dramatic situation is the poem about?
○ Who and where is the speaker?
○ How does the organization of lines and stanzas affect the meaning?
○ How are language and imagery used?
➢ Memoir/Personal Essay
○ What experience is meant to be shared and understood?
○ What does the author say? Describe? Suggest? Reveal?
➢ Informational Text
○ What is the subject? What do I already know about this subject?
○ What main idea or theme is being developed? What phrases or terms signal that?
○ What is the purpose? To inform? To persuade? To celebrate? To guide? To show
a process? To introduce a new or unfamiliar subject?
Types of MC Questions
Narrator’s point-of-view (POV)/ Author’s purpose
● “The phrase…. emphasizes the narrator’s…
● “The author’s purpose of the text is to…”
Vocabulary
● “The word(s)..... Most nearly means…”
● “Which phrase clarifies the word X?”
Central idea
● “Which quotation best reflects a central theme in the text?”
● “Which statement best describes or summarizes the central claim?”
● “The central idea in paragraph X focuses on the…”
● “The description of … emphasizes the idea of…”
● “Lines X through Y help develop the idea that the narrator has…”
● “.... emphasizes the idea that…”
● “The main idea is strengthened through the poet’s use of…”
Figurative Language
● “The prevailing tone of the text/ poem is…”
● “The narrator’s tone is used to suggest…”
● “The author’s purpose of repetition serves to….”
● “The purpose of the figurative language in lines X to Y is to…”
● “What effect is created by the use of irony in lines…”
● “The description of the neighborhood in lines X through Y contributes to the
mood of…”
● “The description in lines X through Y suggests that … symbolizes…”
● “The main idea is strengthened through the poet’s use of…”
● “The figurative language in line X demonstrates the narrator’s….”
Part Two:
Argument
Essay
Part 2
*DIRECTIONS PAGE*
Argument
Directions: Closely read each of the four texts provided on pages 13 through 20 and write a source-based
argument on the topic below. You may use the margins to take notes as you read and scrap paper to plan your
response. Write your argument beginning on page 1 of your essay booklet.
Topic:
Your Task: Carefully read each of the four texts provided. Then, using evidence from at least three of the texts,
write a well-developed argument regarding whether or not the Internet has a negative impact on our thinking
process. Clearly establish your claim, distinguish your claim from alternate or opposing claims, and use specific,
relevant, and sufficient evidence from at least three of the texts to develop your argument. Do not simply summarize each text.
Guidelines:
Be sure to:
• Establish your claim regarding whether or not the Internet has a negative impact on our thinking process
• Distinguish your claim from alternate or opposing claims
• Use specific, relevant, and sufficient evidence from at least three of the texts to develop your argument
• Identify each source that you reference by text number and line number(s) or graphic (for example:
Text 1, line 4 or Text 2, graphic)
• Organize your ideas in a cohesive and coherent manner
• Maintain a formal style of writing
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
Texts:
Text 1 –
Text 2 –
Text 3 –
Text 4 –
Regents Exam in ELA — Jan. ’20
[12]
Regents Part Two: Argument Essay
Introduction: (about 4-6 sentences)
Background information (1-2 sentences): Provide a brief overview of the topic. While being careful not
to bring too much outside knowledge into the writing, feel free to mention what the American Dream is,
how it works, etc.
Counter Argument: Establish the reasons why the opposing side believes what they believe about this
topic. Use phrases like “Some people believe…”, “Others claim…”, and “Still others maintain…” in conjunction
with quotes from the texts.
Thesis (1 sentence): For this topic, your thesis will look something like one of these:
● Although many will argue that counterclaim, overall it is clear that claim because reason one, reason two,
and reason three.
Body Paragraphs: Aim for three body paragraphs
Body 1: Counterargument
What is the counter argument? DISPROVE the counter argument: Why is it weak? At
least one piece of evidence per side.
Body 2: Claim
Reason why your claim is strong.
Context/ summary (1-2 sentences), quote(s), analysis/commentary (1-2 sentences)
Body 3: Claim
Reason why your claim is strong.
Context/ summary (1-2 sentences), quote(s), analysis/commentary (1-2 sentences)
Conclusion: (approximately 3-5 sentences).
Summarize your argument, restate your points with different wording, move the argument forward.You can
repeat the counter argument again, but be sure to come back to your thesis.
Restate your position very clearly as the last thing you say in the essay.
Organization
Group your quotes/details into sets that make sense together in one paragraph. Before you begin writing,
you should know which details go in which paragraph and in which order.
Reminders:
★ You can study for this test: samples, format, practice tests (Google: English Regents).
★ MINIMUM of 3 sources (will not earn a score higher than a 3/6 if you have fewer).
★ Pick the stronger argument, not necessarily what you personally believe.
★ Counterclaim: at least once acknowledge the other side, then immediately disprove it.
○ Don’t let yourself drift too far to the other side. Only use it to help your own argument.
★ Cite: “Textual Evidence” (text 4, lines 20-25).
★ The difference between a 5 and a 6 is often an artful use of language. Revise carefully—use
every minute on the exam to perfect your writing.
The Question:
Paragraph 1: Introduction
My Thesis (my side of the argument):
“Although some people believe _(counterclaim)_, _(claim)_ because reason 1, reason 2, and
reason 3.”
Paragraph 2: Counterargument
Counterclaim (the other side of the argument): Some people believe _(counterclaim)_ because _(counter
reason)_.
Text evidence #1 (SUPPORTING COUNTERARGUMENT):
However, it is evident that ______ because ________.
Text evidence #2 (DISPROVING THE COUNTERARGUMENT):
Paragraph 3: Body 1
Reason 1:
Text evidence #1:
Text evidence #2:
Text evidence #3 (optional):
Paragraph 4: Body 2
Reason 2:
Text evidence #1:
Text evidence #2:
Text evidence #3 (optional):
Paragraph 5: Conclusion
“After weighing the evidence, it is clear that…”
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Part 2: Argument Essay
Common Mistakes
Ineffective use of evidence.
Make sure you understand the texts fully, and select the most significant evidence to
support your positions with 2-3 separate reasons.
How do we evaluate the strength of evidence?
Relevance: Does it directly address the question?
Trustworthiness: Is the source of information qualified? Could the source
be biased?
Validity: Is there supporting data? Does the collection or interpretation of
the data seem valid?
Lack of organization/ synthesis: You must organize your evidence by REASON, not by
text.
Make sure you:
-Understand the evidence well enough and look at the information as a whole.
-Identify 2-3 overarching reasons (topics) for why your position is correct.
-Select the most significant evidence to support those 2-3 reasons.
Ineffective addressing of the counterargument.
Make sure you:
-Explain why the other side believes that position (with textual evidence)
-Address the weakness in the other side’s position and provide textual evidence
to refute this position, then explain how that proves how that proves the other
side wrong.
-It is not sufficient to say “this position is flawed.” You must elaborate.
Regents Exam in ELA (Common Core) Rating Guide — June ’14
[53]
-demonstrate a superficial analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-demonstrate an appropriate analysis of
the author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-present ideas sufficiently, making
adequate use of relevant evidence to
support analysis
-exhibit acceptable organization of ideas
and information to create a coherent
response
-establish and maintain a formal style,
using appropriate language and structure
-demonstrate partial control of
conventions with occasional errors that
do not hinder comprehension
-demonstrate a thoughtful analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-present ideas clearly and consistently,
making effective use of specific and
relevant evidence to support analysis
-exhibit logical organization of ideas and
information to create a cohesive and
coherent response
-establish and maintain a formal style,
using precise language and sound
structure
-demonstrate control of the conventions
with infrequent errors
Command of Evidence: the
extent to which the response
presents evidence from the
provided text to support
analysis
Coherence, Organization,
and Style: the extent to which
the response logically
organizes complex ideas,
concepts, and information
using formal style and
precise language
!
!
!
-demonstrate emerging control of
conventions with some errors that hinder
comprehension
A response that is a personal response and makes little or no reference to the task or text can be scored no higher than a 1.
A response that is totally copied from the text with no original writing must be given a 0.
A response that is totally unrelated to the task, illegible, incoherent, blank, or unrecognizable as English must be scored as a 0.
Control of Conventions:
the extent to which the
response demonstrates
command of conventions of
standard English grammar,
usage, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
-lack a formal style, using language that
is basic, inappropriate, or imprecise
-exhibit inconsistent organization of ideas
and information, failing to create a
coherent response
-present ideas inconsistently,
inadequately, and/or inaccurately in an
attempt to support analysis, making use
of some evidence that may be irrelevant
-introduce a central idea and/or a writing
strategy
-introduce a clear central idea and a
writing strategy that establish the criteria
for analysis
-introduce a well-reasoned central idea
and a writing strategy that clearly
establish the criteria for analysis
Content and Analysis: the
extent to which the response
conveys complex ideas and
information clearly and
accurately in order to
respond to the task and
support an analysis of the
text
2
Responses at this Level:
4
Responses at this Level:
3
Responses at this Level:
Criteria
New York State Regents Examination in English Language Arts (Common Core)
Part 3 Rubric
Text Analysis: Exposition
1
Responses at this Level:
-are minimal, making assessment of
conventions unreliable
-are minimal, making assessment
unreliable
-demonstrate a lack of control of
conventions with frequent errors that
make comprehension difficult
-use language that is predominantly
incoherent, inappropriate, or copied
directly from the task or text
-exhibit little organization of ideas and
information
-present little or no evidence from the text
-demonstrate a minimal analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
and/or
-introduce a confused or incomplete
central idea or writing strategy
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
Part Three:
Text-Analysis
Response
Part 3
*DIRECTIONS PAGE*
Text-Analysis Response
Your Task: Closely read the text provided on pages 19 and 20 and write a well-developed, text-based response
of two to three paragraphs. In your response, identify a central idea in the text and analyze how the author’s use
of one writing strategy (literary element or literary technique or rhetorical device) develops this central idea.
Use strong and thorough evidence from the text to support your analysis. Do not simply
summarize the text. You may use the margins to take notes as you read and scrap paper to plan your response.
Write your response in the spaces provided on pages 7 through 9 of your essay booklet.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Identify a central idea in the text
• Analyze how the author’s use of one writing strategy (literary element or literary technique or rhetorical
device) develops this central idea. Examples include: characterization, conflict, denotation/connotation,
metaphor, simile, irony, language use, point-of-view, setting, structure, symbolism, theme, tone, etc.
• Use strong and thorough evidence from the text to support your analysis
• Organize your ideas in a cohesive and coherent manner
• Maintain a formal style of writing
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
Regents Exam in ELA (Common Core) — June ’14
[18]
Regents Part 3: Text- Analysis Response
For part three of the regents, you will write a 2-3 paragraph response in which you identify the central
idea and a writing strategy used to convey that central idea.
1. The central idea:
What is a central idea?
➔ The main idea of a text.
➔ The point that the author wants you to remember the most.
➔ The central idea is NOT the theme.
➔ Some authors state the main idea, but it is often implied, which means the reader (YOU)
has to make inferences about it.
Subject + What the author says overall about the subject = Central Idea
2. Writing Strategies:
What is a writing strategy?
➔ Literary element, literary technique, or rhetorical device
➔ The tactics used to ensure the writer meets the goals (conveys their points) they’ve set
for a piece of writing.
What are examples of writing strategies?
➔ Characterization
➔ Conflict
➔ Denotation versus connotation
➔ Metaphor
➔ Simile
➔ Irony
➔ Language use
➔ Point-of-view
➔ Setting
➔ Symbolism
➔ Tone
➔ Mood
In other words….
1. Central idea (CI): an OVERARCHING lesson/ moral from the story-- nothing specific to the story itself.
2. ONE writing strategy (WS). Try to think past simile and metaphor. Think: Point-of-view, irony, characterization,
rhetorical appeals, tone, etc. (but be specific when identifying these-- what kind of tone? What kind of irony?)
3. Aim for THREE textual examples. These examples must connect the central idea and the writing strategy.
How does the writing strategy DEVELOP the central idea?
4. Write 2-3 paragraphs. Two is sufficient.
---An introduction: introduce the excerpt (the title and author will be at the end of the reading) and some outside
context/knowledge you have of the subject. Then, your thesis . "Author develops the central idea that --------through the use of ------." Three to four sentences is sufficient.
--- 1-2 body paragraphs with your example of the WS and how this strategy is used to develop the CI. The
second part, the analysis, is extremely important. You are connecting the CI and WS.
Literary Terms Review
★ Characterization: reveals details about a character
○ Direct: reveals details about a character by saying them explicitly
■ Example: Ms. Gilbert is my favorite teacher. She is so funny and nice.
○ Indirect: reveals details about a character without saying them explicitly.
■ Example: Ms. Gilbert tells great jokes and will always do anything she can to help
me.
★ Conflict: a struggle/ clash of interest, opinion, or principles.
○ Internal: when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs.
■ Example: Ms. Gilbert wants to give us another assignment to boost our grades,
but she is already behind on grading.
○ External: generally takes place between a person and someone or something else, such
as nature, another person or group, or an event or situation,,
■ Example: The boys in Ms. Gilbert’s classes always touch Ms. Greenberg’s things,
which she hates.
★ Denotation/ Connotation
○ Denotation: the actual definition of a term.
○ Connotation: the positive or negative feelings associated with a word.
■ Example: childlike (positive)/ childish (negative)
★ Metaphor: a comparison between two things that are otherwise unrelated.
○ Example: He is a shining star.
★ Simile: a comparison between two unlike things introduced by “like” or “as.”
○ Example: Ms. Gilbert’s students are as loud as a carnival.
★ Irony: the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite,
typically for humorous or dramatic effect.
○ Verbal irony: sarcasm; when someone says the opposite of what they actually mean.
■ Example: “I give you writing prompts because I LOVE grading, not because I want
you to improve your writing skills.”
○ Situational irony: when the outcome is the opposite or completely different from what
you expected.
■ Example: The police station getting robbed.
○ Dramatic irony: when the audience or reader knows something that the characters do
not, which often leads the characters to make poor decisions.
■ Example: In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knew that Juliet wasn’t actually dead,
but Romeo never got the letter from Friar Lawrence. Because Romeo thought she
was actually dead, he killed himself.
★ Point-of-view: the narrator’s position in relation to a story being told.
○ First-person: when the story is being told from an individual by describing something
that is happening to them; uses “I,” “me,” “my.”
○ Second-person: when the POV is a narrative told from the reader; uses “you” and “your.”
uncommon in writing
○ Third-person: not told from the POV of the narrator or the reader; uses “they,” “them,”
“their,” “he/she/it,” “his/hers/theirs.”
○ Third-person omniscient: the narrative is told from the perspective of a narrator who
knows the thoughts and feelings of many characters in the story. One of the most
common
★ Setting: the time and place that the story takes place
○ Example: The Great Gatsby is set in the 1920s on Long Island, Queens, and Manhattan.
★ Symbols: characters, settings, images, or other motifs that stand in for bigger ideas. Usually a
physical object representing an abstract idea.
○ Example: In The Great Gatsby, the billboard of the eyes of TJ Eckleberg represents God.
★ Theme: the main idea a writer explorers in writing; usually one word
○ Example: Some themes in The Great Gatsby were money, love, relationships, and the
American Dream.
★ Tone: the author’s attitude toward a certain topic; author’s feelings
★ Mood: the general atmosphere or emotional complexion that the author evokes in the reader;
reader’s feelings
Regents Exam in ELA (Common Core) Rating Guide — June ’14
[53]
-demonstrate a superficial analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-demonstrate an appropriate analysis of
the author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-present ideas sufficiently, making
adequate use of relevant evidence to
support analysis
-exhibit acceptable organization of ideas
and information to create a coherent
response
-establish and maintain a formal style,
using appropriate language and structure
-demonstrate partial control of
conventions with occasional errors that
do not hinder comprehension
-demonstrate a thoughtful analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
-present ideas clearly and consistently,
making effective use of specific and
relevant evidence to support analysis
-exhibit logical organization of ideas and
information to create a cohesive and
coherent response
-establish and maintain a formal style,
using precise language and sound
structure
-demonstrate control of the conventions
with infrequent errors
Command of Evidence: the
extent to which the response
presents evidence from the
provided text to support
analysis
Coherence, Organization,
and Style: the extent to which
the response logically
organizes complex ideas,
concepts, and information
using formal style and
precise language
!
!
!
-demonstrate emerging control of
conventions with some errors that hinder
comprehension
A response that is a personal response and makes little or no reference to the task or text can be scored no higher than a 1.
A response that is totally copied from the text with no original writing must be given a 0.
A response that is totally unrelated to the task, illegible, incoherent, blank, or unrecognizable as English must be scored as a 0.
Control of Conventions:
the extent to which the
response demonstrates
command of conventions of
standard English grammar,
usage, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
-lack a formal style, using language that
is basic, inappropriate, or imprecise
-exhibit inconsistent organization of ideas
and information, failing to create a
coherent response
-present ideas inconsistently,
inadequately, and/or inaccurately in an
attempt to support analysis, making use
of some evidence that may be irrelevant
-introduce a central idea and/or a writing
strategy
-introduce a clear central idea and a
writing strategy that establish the criteria
for analysis
-introduce a well-reasoned central idea
and a writing strategy that clearly
establish the criteria for analysis
Content and Analysis: the
extent to which the response
conveys complex ideas and
information clearly and
accurately in order to
respond to the task and
support an analysis of the
text
2
Responses at this Level:
4
Responses at this Level:
3
Responses at this Level:
Criteria
New York State Regents Examination in English Language Arts (Common Core)
Part 3 Rubric
Text Analysis: Exposition
1
Responses at this Level:
-are minimal, making assessment of
conventions unreliable
-are minimal, making assessment
unreliable
-demonstrate a lack of control of
conventions with frequent errors that
make comprehension difficult
-use language that is predominantly
incoherent, inappropriate, or copied
directly from the task or text
-exhibit little organization of ideas and
information
-present little or no evidence from the text
-demonstrate a minimal analysis of the
author’s use of the writing strategy to
develop the central idea
and/or
-introduce a confused or incomplete
central idea or writing strategy
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234