Nonfiction Terms
Four Types of NONFICTION:
1. monologue- a speech by one person with out interruption by other voices. A dramatic
monologue reveals the personality and experience of a person through a long speech.
2. autobiography- is a form of nonfiction in which a person relates his or her own life story
3. biography- is a form of nonfiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person.
4. information text- is writing that provides the knowledge to guide and educate you. (examples
magazines and newspaper articles on current topics, as well as instructional manuals and
textbooks)
5. audience- a writer’s readers or listeners
6. allusion- a reference to a historical or literary person, place, event, or aspect of culture
7. argument- speaking or writing that expresses a position or states an opinion with supporting
evidence. An argument often takes into account other points of view.
8. analysis- a way of thinking that involves taking apart, examining, and explaining a subject or
idea
9. anecdote- a brief story told as an example to illustrate a point
10. diction- is word choice, including the vocabulary used, the appropriateness of the words, and
the vividness of the language
11. denotation- the meaning of the word that is strictly literal, as found in the dictionary, as
opposed to the ideas and feelings the words carries
12. connotation- the meaning of a word that carries ideas and feelings, as opposed to the word’s
strictly literal definition
13. context- the setting or situation in which something happens; the parts of a statement that
occur just before and just after a specific word and help determine its meaning
14. dialogue- spoken conversation of fictional characters or actual persons. It is used to reveal
character and to advance action. In a story or novel, quotation marks are generally used to
indicate a speaker’s exact words. A new paragraph usually indicates a change in speaker.
15. tone- the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject----ex. Include detached, ironic,
serious, angry, and so on.
16. mood- the feeling about a scene or a subject created by the writer. The mood of a piece of
writing may be suspenseful, mysterious, peaceful, fearful, and so on.
17. summary- a brief restatement of the main idea of the passage
18. topic sentence- a sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph
19. metaphor- a figure of speech that is a comparison without using the word like or as. Ex. “All
the worlds a stage”
20. author’s purpose- the reason an author writes; what the author wants the reader to take with
him/her from the text.
21. anaphora- repetition of beginning phrases of sentences to create a dramatic effect. Anaphora
often will appear in speeches or in dramatic dialogues.
22. commentary- series of notes explaining or interpreting a written text
23. appeals- are how a writer/speaker tries to convince his or her intended audience
24. ethos- an ethical appeal is based on the nature of the person making the appeal. Think: is the
source credible?
25. pathos- an appeal to emotion. Think- is the writer simply “playing” me?
26. logos- an appeal to reason. Think- does the logic follow? Are the statistics skewed or
unrepresentative?
Nonfiction Terms
1. audience (Gram)
15. topic sentence (Gram)
2. allusion (both)
16. tone (both)
3. argument (both)
17. autobiography (both)
4. analysis (Gram)
18. biography (Lit)
5. anecdote (both)
19. information text (not in either text)
6. connotation (both)
20. purpose (not in either text)
7. context (Gram)
21. anaphora (not in either text)
8. diction (Lit)
22. appeals (not in either text)
9. dialogue (both)
23. ethos (not in either text)
10. denotation (both)
24. pathos (not in either text)
11. mood (both)
25. logos (not in either text)
12. monologue (both)
26. commentary (not in either text)
13. metaphor (both)
14. summary (Gram)