QUIA
Created by Nina Yang

Also called apposition; a grammatical construction in which 2
usually adjacent nouns having same reference stand next to one
another: often separated by commas
APPOSITIVE

Text and/or artifacts that tell or show a first-hand account of an
event; original works used when researching (letters, journals, etc.
PRIMARY SOURCE

A word or group of words in a literary work that appeals to one or
more of the senses
IMAGERY

The clear, easy, written, or spoken expression of words typically in
oral reading
FLUENCY

The good/positive character in a story
PROTAGONIST

Part of story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated,
leads to the climax
RISING ACTION

Made up story rather than a documented fact
FICTION

Conclusion drawn from specific information, that is used to make
a broad statement about a topic or person
GENERALIZATION

Words that have several meanings depending upon how they
are used in a sentence
MULTIPLE-MEANING WORDS

Group of letters that an be placed before a word to change its
meaning
PREFIX

To make clear by telling “how” or “why” within an essay
EXPLAIN

Meanings which, though unexpressed in the literal text, may be
understood by the reader; implied
IMPLICIT

Story about mythical or supernatural beings or events, often not
true
LEGENDS

The repetition of initial constant sounds in words
ALLITERATION

Identical or very similar recurring final sounds in words usually at
the end of lines of a poem
RHYME

An argument offered in opposition to another argument
COUNTERARGUMENT

Short stories featuring mythical beings, such as fairies, elves, and
sprites
FAIRY TALE

Expression can not be understood if taken literally
IDIOM

Type of writing that is not fictional and is designed to explain,
argue, instruct, or describe
NONFICTION

Type of story that is based on historical figures and events and
which is orally retold
FOLKTALES

Type or organizational structure in nonfiction texts, where the
author typically presents a problem and possible solution to it
PROBLEM/SOLUTION

Topic of discussion or writing; major idea broad enough to cover
entire scope of literary work
THEME

Vantage point of which the story is told
POINT OF VIEW

A list of sources found at the end of a written piece where other
people's work or ideas were used
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cause statements stem from actions and events, and effects are
from what happened as a result of the action or event
CAUSE/EFFECT

A newspaper or magazine article that gives the opinions of the
editors or publishers
EDITORIALS

The attitude of the author toward the audience and characters
TONE

A literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important
inner change, as a change in personality or attitude
DYNAMIC CHARACTER

A lyric poem of fourteen lines whose rhythm scheme is fixed
SONNET

Briefly state the main idea and the major details in an essay
SUMMARIZE

Structure and sequence of events in a story
PLOT

End part of a story where the conflict is resolved
RESOLUTION

When the speaker in a story is unable to know what is in any
character’s mind but his or her own mind
LIMITED VIEW

Time and place in which a story unfolds
SETTING

The story of a person’s life written by him or himself
AUTOBIOGRAPHY

To take ideas, writings, etc., from another and to pass them off as
one’s own work
PLAGIARISM

Essential parts that make up literature
LITERARY ELEMENTS

Story in which animals or inanimate objects are given human
characteristic in order to convey a moral
FABLE

An inquiry into a subject or problem in order to discover, verify, or
revise relevant facts or principles having to do with that subject or
problem
RESEARCH

Word composed of 2 or more smaller words
COMPOUND WORDS

Nonfiction, written primarily to convey factual info.
INFORMATIONAL TEXTS

Use of words whose sounds express or suggest its meaning
ONOMATOPOEIA

The fluency, rhythm, and liveliness in writing that make it unique
to the writer
VOICE

Make an answer clear pictures, charts, or diagrams within an
essay
ILLUSTRATE

Struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or
emotions in a story
CONFLICT/PROBLEM

Ending of the story or the summarization of ideas or closing
argument in nonfictional texts
CONCLUSION

The emotions of a work or of the author in his/her creation of the
work
MOOD

Diagram made up of two or more overlapping circles that is used
to show similarities and differences in characters, stories, poems,
events, and major ideas between two texts
VENN DIAGRAM

Recounting in a reader’s own words a story or article that has just
been read
RETELL

To examine in detail and then explain those details
ANALYZE/ANALYSIS

Author’s central thought; chief topic of a text expressed or
implied in a word or phrase; topic sentence if a paragraph
MAIN IDEA

To compare or show differences
CONTRAST

Makes an oversimplified statement about a group based on
limited info.
STEREOTYPING

Poetry that lacks regular material and rhyme patterns but that
tries to capture the cadences of everyday speech
FREE VERSE

Give you ideas about something in an essay
INTERPRET

The pattern or structure of word order in sentences, clauses, and
phrases
SYNTAX

Group of letters that can be placed after a word to change its
meaning
SUFFIX

Tries to persuade the reader to do, think or buy something
because it’s popular or because “everyone” is doing it
BANDWAGON

Tactic used to influence people to believe, buy, or do something.
PROPAGANDA

Information from the reading that identifies a word or group of
words.
CONTEXT CLUES

Placing together characters, situations or ideas to show common
or differing features in literary selections
COMPARE

Attempts to persuade the reader by using famous people to
endorse a product or idea
TESTIMONIAL

The bad/evil that is against the protagonist in a story
ANTAGONIST

Give the meaning of a word in a sentence or essay form
DEFINE

Tries to persuade the reader by using words that appeal to the
reader's emotions instead of his logic or reason
EMOTIONAL APPEAL

The use of a word or a phrase to mean the exact opposite of its
literal or usual meaning
IRONY

One of two or more words in a language that have highly similar
meanings
SYNONYM

A device used in literature to present action that occurred
before the beginning of the story
FLASHBACK

Method author uses to reveal characters and their various
personalities
CHARACTERIZATION

To list; to name one by one in an essay
ENUMERATE

Type of writing that gives ideas and which causes the reader to
experience emotion through the use of figurative language
POETRY

Events occur after the climax of the story
FALLING ACTION

Figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as
SIMILE

Text written to explain and convey information about a specific
topic
EXPOSITORY TEXT

Tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc. are better
than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly
BIAS

Tools used by the author to enliven and provide voice to the
writing
LITERARY DEVICES

Figure of speech that compares two unlike things not using like or
as
METAPHOR

Author’s method of organizing a text
TEXT STRUCTURE

Repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry
METER

A device in literature where an object represents an idea
SYMBOLISM

Long narrative poem about the advantages of a hero of great
historic or legendary importance
EPIC

The narrative point of view from which a literary work is presented
to the reader from a “godlike” perspective; the omniscient view
can see actions and look into the minds of the characters
OMNISCIENT

Type of text that tells a story
NARRATIVE

To tell about and recognize the differences between two or more
items
DIFFERENTIATE

Stories or texts that are true about people, places, or events
LITERARY NONFICTION

How an author writes; an author’s use of language
STYLE

Tell about something using words; to crate a picture with words in
an essay
DESCRIBE

Restate text or passage in other words, often to clarify meanings
or show understandings
PARAPHRASE

Word that is the opposite of another word
ANTONYM

Text and/or artifacts, used when researching and which are
derived from something original (biographies, magazine articles,
research papers)
SECONDARY SOURCE

A literary work using wit or sarcasm to make fun of something
SATIRE

Author’s intent either to inform or teach someone about
something, to entertain, or to persuade or convince their
audience to do or not do something
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

Device used in literature to give the reader a clue to something
that will happen later in a story
FORESHADOWING

Conversation between two people in a literary work
DIALOGUE

1 or more letters that are attached to the beginning or the end
AFFIX

An attack on a person instead of an issue.
NAME-CALLING

Diagram or pictorial device that shows relationship
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Referring to specific text that is included in the reading passage
or in the directions
EXPLICIT

A word to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to form
different words
ROOT WORD

Pattern or beat of a poem
RHYTHM

Attempts to persuade the reader by repeating a message over
and over again
REPETITION

Story of a persons life that written by someone else
BIOGRAPHY

Beginning part of plot where reader learns about characters and
setting of a story.
EXPOSITION

To give good points and bad points in an essay
EVALUATE

Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to
create a special effect or feeling.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

One of two or more words pronounced alike, but different in
spelling and meaning
HOMOPHONE

A reference in literature to a familiar person, place, event or
other artistic or literary work
ALLUSION

Allows reader to picture the scene or setting in which the action
of a story takes place
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Light of humorous verse form of five lines
LIMERICK

Category used to clarify literary works
GENRE

A literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner
change; a character who does not grow or develop
STATIC CHARACTER

Conclusion based on facts or circumstances; understandings
gained by “reading between the lines”
INFERENCE

The turning point of the story when the conflict is at most intense
CLIMAX

Exaggeration or overstatement
HYPERBOLE

An object or abstract idea given human qualities or human form
PERSONIFICATION