Grade 9 ELA Literary Terms
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Acronym: a tool created by using the first letter of a series of words to create a new
word or phrase
Allusion: a passing or casual reference
Antonym: a word that means the opposite of a given word
Assonance: a resemblance of sounds which is also called VOWEL RHYME. The same
vowel sounds are used with different consonants, for example, mastery and
mystery; time and light
Alliteration: a series of words that begin with the same letter or sound
 Analysis: determining the essential features of something; breaking something
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down into its most basic parts
Analogy: a comparison made between two things that have a similarity, for
example, a heart and a pump.
Anecdote: a short, usually amusing account of an experience, usually a personal one
Autobiography: the story of a person’s life, written by the individual
Biography: the story of a person’s life, written by someone else
Cliché: a much used expression that has lost its descriptive power and originality
 Colloquialism: an informal word or phrase, better suited to conversation than to
written work
 Connotation: emotions or associations that go with a word; an associated or second
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meaning to a word
Consonance: a resemblance or repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the end
of a word
 Denotation: the dictionary or literal meaning of a word
 Euphemism: an inoffensive word or phrase used in place of one considered hurtful
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or offensive, for example, “sugar”; passed away for died
Figurative Meaning: a deeper meaning, not based on the definition of the words,
but based on figurative language
Flashback: an event or scene that has taken place before the present time in the
narrative is inserted into the story.
Foreshadowing: an author provides a hint at what is to come.
Genre: a kind or type of artistic work, in the case of ELA, written work; for example,
a novel or a sonnet
Homonym: also called a homophone; a word that sounds the same, but is spelled
differently and has a different meaning than a given word
Hyperbole: an exaggeration, whose purpose is to make a point or impact. For
example, I have a million things to do tonight!
Idiom: a traditional/cultural way of saying something, which does not make sense if
it is taken literally; for example, “feeling under the weather” means to feel unwell.
McGeachie
2012-2013
Grade 9 ELA Literary Terms
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Illustration: a the use of language to make a point or create a mental picture; may
also be an actual picture to accompany text!
Imagery: creating a mental image/picture using figurative language
In context: based on how a word/phrase is used within a piece of writing, for
example, the definition of a word in context refers to the meaning of the word, based
on how it is used in the passage
Inference: the process of reaching a conclusion from given information; a deduction
or implication
Informational Text: writing whose purpose is to provide background or
information on a specific topic
Irony: humorous or mildly sarcastic use of words to imply the opposite of what they
normally (or literally) mean.
Jargon: a special language belonging exclusively to a group, which others outside
the group cannot understand
Literal Meaning: meaning based on the actual definition of the words
Metaphor: a comparison that does not use “like” or “as”, but suggests that
something “IS” something else
Metonymy: a figure of speech where the name of one thing is used in place of
another which is suggested by or associated with it, for example, the bottle = strong
drink; Kremlin = Russian government
Mythology: a set of stories, traditions or beliefs connected to a specific group; are
often used to explain basic aspects of existence (what causes seasons, how
mountains were created, etc); Greek myths are commonly known
Narrative Text: writing that tells a story
Narrator/Speaker: the person who is telling the story
Non-fiction: writing whose topic is true or real
Onomatopoeia: the formation of a word whose sound imitates the noise or action it
is describing, for example, hiss, buzz, or bang.
Oxymoron: the use of two contradictory words are used together for effect, for
example, “Poor little rich girl”
Paradox: a statement that seems contradictory or absurd, but is actually true or
valid, for example, you have to be cruel to be kind; I am lying (if we take that as true,
then the statement is false!)
Personification: giving human characteristics to non-humans
Prose: straight forward or direct speech/language; commonplace; matter of fact
Pun: a play on words that relies on a word having more than one meaning
Simile: a comparison of two things using “like” or “as”
McGeachie
2012-2013
Grade 9 ELA Literary Terms
 Symbolism: an object, person, idea, etc., used in a literary work to stand for or
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suggest something else with which it is associated (overtly, or in a more subtle way).
Synecdoche: a part is substituted for the whole, or the whole is used for the part,
for example, 50 HEAD of cattle = 50 cows; the ARMY = a soldier
Synonym: a word that means the same as a given
Understatement: representing something as less than it is, for example, Steve Jobs
made a bit of money with Apple.
McGeachie
2012-2013