AHSGE: Language &
Reading
Study Guide
Ms. Terrie Brewer
Accelerated Language Art
And Reading
Alabama High School
Graduation Exam
Language
Objective 1-1 Identify
correct noun forms
• Nouns- a person, place, thing, or
idea
• Ex. The entire platoon reached the
summit before nightfall.
• Proper noun- names a particular
person, place, or thing
• Ex. Elizabeth Montgomery wrote a book
about her father.
• Common noun- names any general
person, place, thing, or idea
• Ex. The Amazon river has many
navigable tributaries.
Objective 1-1 Identify
correct noun forms
• Collective- names a
group or collection not
a single person or
object.
• Ex. Jury, herd, crew,
flock
• Abstract- names a
quality, action, state,
or idea (something that
can’t be touched,
tasted, etc.)
• Ex. Love, joy, freedom,
hopelessness
• Compound- a noun
formed by joining two
or more words
• Ex. Mother-in-law,
cupcakes, post office
• Concrete- opposite of
abstract (something
you can touch, taste,
feel, etc.)
• Ex. girl, desk, bird,
Monica
Objective 1-2 Identify
correct verb forms
• Verbs- words that express action or
state of being; linking verbs
• Action verbs- tell what someone or
something is doing
• Ex. He sings loudly.
• State of being verbs – are forms of
the be verb which can serve as main
verbs, helping verbs or linking verbs.
• Ex. Is, are, was, were, am, be, being
Objective 1-2 Identify
correct verb forms
• Linking verbs- joins the subject
with any modifiers
• Ex. She looks great.
• She
• She
• She
• She
is great.
sounds great.
smells great.
feels great.
Objective 1-2 Identify
correct verb forms
• Regular verbs- do not change the
root of the word to change the
tense.
• Ex. Talk , talks, talked, talking, talked
• Ex. Decline, declines, declined,
declining, declined
• Irregular verbs- changes the root of
the word to change the tense and
does not follow a pattern.
• Ex. Do, does, did, doing, done
• Ex. Lie, lies,
lay, lying, lain
http://classroom.jc-schools.net/la/activities/irregverbs.pdf
Objective 1-3 Recognize
subject-verb agreement
• Subjects and verbs must agree in
number
• Subject- who or what the sentence
is about
• Felicity is upset.
• Verb- what the subject does
• Felicity was given clean up detail.
• Felicity or Kenisha (is, are) absent.
Objective 1-4 Recognize
pronoun-antecedent
• Pronouns- take
the place of a
noun
• Antecedentthe noun that
the pronoun
takes the
place of
• Pronoun &
Antecedent
must agree in
number and
gender.
1st
I , me,
person my
We, us,
our
2nd
You,
person your,
yours
You,
your,
yours
3rd
He,
person she, it
they
Objective 1-4 Recognize
pronoun-antecedent
• Gender- masculine (male), feminine
(female), neuter (cannot determine)
• Ex. Monica gave (his, her) neighbor five
pair of shoes.
• Ex. Jim and Antony took (his, their)
sister to the dentist.
• Ex. The dog scratched (her, its) nose.
Objective 1-5 Identify
verb shifts
• General guideline: Do not shift from one
tense to another if the time frame for each
action or state is the same.
• Ex. The ocean contains rich minerals that
washed down from rivers and streams.
• Contains is present tense, referring to a
current state; washed down is past, but
should be present (wash down) because
the minerals are currently continuing to
wash down.
• Corrected: The ocean contains rich
minerals that wash down from rivers and
streams.
Objective 1-5 Identify
verb shifts
• General guideline: Do shift tense to
indicate a change in time frame from one
action or state to another.
• Examples: The children love their new tree
house, which they built themselves.
• Love is present tense, referring to a current state
(they still love it now;) built is past, referring to an
action completed before the current time frame
(they are not still building it.)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_tensec.html
Objective 1-6 Identify
correct pronoun case
• Pronoun cases are
nominative,
possessive, and
objective
• Nominative- serves
as the subject of
sentences
• Ex. I am your friend.
• Possessive- shows
ownership
• Ex. This is my child.
• Objectivegenerally come
after prepositions.
• Ex. Give the candy
to them.
Objective 1-7 Identify
effective use of voice
• The choice of active or passive voice
is not a grammatical error. For
effective expression your choice will
depend on the point of view you
want to emphasize.
• Active voice- The audience
applauded her performance.
• Passive voice- Her performance
was applauded by the audience.
Objective 1-8 Determine
correct use of modifiers
• Adjectives –are used to describe
nouns and pronouns
• Ex. My house, four cats, blue crayon,
London bridge
• Adverbs- are used to describe verbs,
adjectives, and other adverbs
• Ex. Move quickly, drove yesterday,
speaks too quickly
Objective 1-9 Identify
commonly confused words
• Words that sound similar or spell
similar can often be confused.
Knowing the meaning of the words is
a way to eliminate confusion.
• Ex. Accept/Except
• Accept is a verb that means to receive
willingly.
• Except is a preposition that means "but" or
"with the exception of."
•http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/words_commonly_confused.htm
Objective 2-1 Use clear,
vivid, precise language
• Concise LanguageA hallmark of
effective writers is
the ability to
express the
desired message in
as few words as
possible.
• Good writers, in
other words, use
language which is
straightforward
and to-the-point.
• Ex. Before making a
decision about whether
the person on trial is
guilty or innocent in this
case, the members of the
jury should be sure to
carefully think about,
ponder and reflect on all
of the important and
relevant testimony in the
case.
•
This sentence could be
improved by using only
one of the key phrases:
"...to reflect on..."
http://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/el.htm
Objective 2-2 Use formal
and informal language
• Formal language is a professional way of
speaking or writing.
• Contractions are not used in formal language.
• Ex. Do not complete the assignments until all
instructions have been read.
• Informal language is a way of speaking or
writing that is associated with writing or
talking to friends.
• I, you, we tend not to be used in more formal
writing (except in letters etc.). Instead the style
may be more impersonal . An introductory it or
there may begin sentences.
• Ex. We can’t come here today.
Objective 3-1 Demonstrate
correct sentence structure
• Simple sentence- 1
independent clause
• Ex. The baby is
crying.
• Compound sentence- 2
or more independent
clauses
• Ex. The baby is
crying, but no one
hears him.
• Complex sentence- 1
dependent clause plus
one independent
clause
• Ex. Although the
baby’s bottle is near
by, the baby is
crying.
• Compound complex
sentence- 1 or more
dependent clause plus
2 or more independent
clause.
• Ex. Although the
baby’s bottle is near
by, the baby is
crying, but no one
hears him.
Objective 3-2
Demonstrate parallelism
• Parallelism means repeating grammatical forms to
convey similar ideas. By grammatically balancing
words, phrases, and clauses a writer allows the
reader to navigate through an essay with
ease. Parallel structure creates pleasing rhythms
and make sentence and paragraphs flow.
• EXAMPLES
• Not Parallel: Joe likes driving, running, and to play
baseball.
• Parallel: Joe likes driving, running, and playing
baseball.
Objective 4-1 Demonstrate
correct use of
capitalization
• Capitalize the word I wherever
it appears.
• Capitalize the first word in a
sentence.
• Capitalize the first word in a
direct quote.
• Capitalize proper nouns.
Objective 4-2 Demonstrate
correct use of commas
• Use commas in dates and addresses
• Ex. Birmingham, AL
October 22, 2006
• Use commas with introductory
words and nouns of address
• Ex. Monica, your food is ready.
• Yes, I did see your eyeglasses.
• Use commas in series
• Ex. I ordered two burgers, one Sprite,
and six nuggets.
Objective 4-2 Demonstrate
correct use of commas
• Use commas in compound
sentences.
• Ex. The lady drove pass the car, and she
blew her horn.
• Use commas in with quotation
marks
• Ex. “Please give your sister some help,”
said mom.
• Use commas with appositives
• Ex. Ms. Pontoo, an English teacher, is
not at school today.
Objective 4-3 Demonstrate
semicolon and colon
usage
• Use semicolons to separate
independent clauses not joined by a
conjunction
• Ex. Monica sews dresses; she loves to
make outfits.
• Use semicolons to separate items in
a list or series.
• Ex. The judging panel consists of: John,
a local pharmacist; Peter, the football
coach; and Amy, a choir member.
Objective 4-3 Demonstrate
semicolon and colon
usage
• Use colons in digital timing
• Ex. 8:25 p.m.
• Use colons to introduce a list,
but don’t use it after a verb.
• Ex. Please bring back the
following items from the store:
chicken, bread, sugar, and tea.
Objective 4-4 Demonstrate
quotation marks and
underlining
• Quotation marks should be used around a person’s
exact words
• Ex. “No, that is not my note,” said Katie.
• Use quotation marks around short works
•
Ex. a poem
• a song title
• a short story or a chapter title of a longer work
• a title of a newspaper or magazine article
• titles of television or radio programs
• Use quotation marks to emphasize words
• Ex. The “spoiled” baby yelled all day.
http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/3cc42a422514347a8
525671d0049f395/c228e09c050a31e5852569c300730791?OpenDocument
Objective 4-4 Demonstrate
quotation marks and
underlining
• Italics or underlining are used most often:
for titles of longer works: books,
magazines, newspapers, films, TV shows,
a complete symphony, plays, long poems,
albums:
• Albert Borgmann's book, Crossing the
Postmodern Divide
the TV show Frasier
the film It Happened One Night
the magazine Adirondack Life
the newspaper The Miami Herald
Longfellow's poem Evangeline
the Beatles album Abbey Road
http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/1f53
5da38d1d5ea8852569c30072b4b2?OpenDocument
Objective 4-5 Demonstrate
correct use of apostrophe
• Use apostrophes with
contractions
• Ex. He is– he’s
• Use apostrophes with possesive
nouns
• Ex. James’s house
Objective 5-1 Paragraph
progression and
completeness
• Paragraph should start
with a topic sentence,
have supporting
details, and close with
a concluding sentence
which summarizes.
• The information should
be presented in a
logical or sequential
order from start to
finish.
• A typical paragraph is
organized like this:
I. The Main Idea
Sentence:
A. Supporting Detail #1
B. Supporting Detail #2
C. Supporting Detail #3
II. Concluding (or
Summary) Sentence
Alabama High School
Graduation Exam
Reading
Objective 1-1 Identify
supporting details
• The supporting details give
more information about the
topic. They are not as general
as the main idea. Instead, they
help the reader understand
more about the main idea.
Objective 1-1 Identify
supporting details
•
Look at this example paragraph. Then look at how the details
are organized into an outline.
There are three main benefits from exercise: weight loss, muscle
tone, and cardiovascular improvement. First of all, a moderate
exercise program such as bicycling, walking, jogging or aerobics
for thirty minutes four days a week will result in weight loss for
the average person. An increase in activity means the body will
burn more calories, resulting in weight loss. Second, moderate
exercise helps develop and tone muscles in the arms, legs, back,
neck and shoulders. The body uses these muscles to exercise,
and the activity helps the muscles become stronger. The heart,
the most important muscle in the body, gets stronger with
exercise, which makes the heart work more efficiently. This
brings about the third benefit -- cardiovascular improvement.
Exercise causes the heart to pump blood throughout the body
more efficiently. The lungs deliver more oxygen to the cells, and
breathing is easier. All of these benefits are the result of
exercise, so start an exercise program today!
http://vclass.mtsac.edu:920/readroom/details.htm
Objective 1-1 Identify
supporting details
I. The Main Idea Sentence: There are three main benefits
from exercise: weight loss, muscle tone, and
cardiovascular improvement.
A. Supporting Detail #1: weight loss
B. Supporting Detail #2: muscle tone
C. Supporting Detail #3: cardiovascular improvement
II. Concluding Sentence: All of these benefits are the result
of exercise, so start an exercise program today!
•
Each of the details in the paragraph expands, or gives
more information about, the main idea. These details are
also called the paragraph's development. Ideas in a
paragraph must be developed logically. This means that
the writer must use details that the reader can expect to
read about after reading the main idea sentence.
Objective 1-2 Determine
sequence of events
• Chronological Order
• Sequencing information in order
from what happened first
• Ex. __4__ Tie your shoe laces.
• __2___ Put on your socks.
• __3___ Put on your shoes.
• __1__ Find your socks.
Objective 1-2 Determine
Sequence of Events
• SPATIAL ORDERSpatial Order uses details to
describe things according to
their closeness to each other.
Ex. - A clown from head to toe - A
Mountain from top to bottom
- A room from side to side, the
ocean, the sky etc.
Objective 1-2 Determine
Sequence of Events
• Order of Importance
Order of Importance uses
reasons or details… in an order from
either least or greatest …or least
important to greatest importance.
Word Ex. Most Importantly, next, and
last. Then, first, next, and Least
important.
Objective 1-3 Follow
directions
• Do what is asked of you.
• Write your name first name on the last line of the paper at
the left-hand margin.
• On the first line on the paper write the numbers 1 through 9.
Start at the left and print the numbers. Leave a space
between each number.
• Circle the number 6.
• Draw a star in the upper left-hand corner of the page.
• Fold your paper in half the long way.
• Open up your paper, then fold it the opposite way.
• Use the tip of your pencil to poke a hole in the center of the
paper (the place where the two folds meet).
• Draw a heart around the hole you made in your paper.
• Write the first initial of your last name in the upper right-hand
corner of the page.
• On the last line on the page, write the word done near the
right margin.
Objective 2-1 Identify
main idea
• The main idea sentence (or
topic sentence) tells the reader
what the paragraph will be
about.
Objective 2-2 Draw
conclusions
The Lookout Mountain Tunnel
by Randy Newcomb
Read this story. Use it to complete the next page.
I don't know why Jimmy and I took Jesse Connor's dare to go through the Lookout
Mountain Tunnel. It sure wasn't easy to get to, especially in the middle of a cold
November night. We had to make it past Old Man Sylva's six hound dogs. Right behind
Old Man Sylva's yard was the old railway bridge that crossed Dillsboro Creek. When
you looked over the side of the bridge, all you could see was the dark, slimy water
about four feet below. We didn't even know for sure if trains still used this track. If one
did come, that water sure looked colder and slimier than either of us could stand to
think about. The bridge, though, was nothing compared to the tunnel. Five steps down
the track into the tunnel and you couldn't see your hand right in front of you. If we
turned back, Jesse would tell everyone we were chicken. He would know if we didn't
make it, too. We were to pick up something at the other end of the tunnel and bring it
to school.
We were trying to figure out what he had left there when we saw the light. It came right
down the middle of the track in our direction. Jimmy says he heard a train whistle, but
we found out later that the end of the tunnel had been blocked for years.
Well, guess what? That water was just as bad as we'd imagined. Worse still were the
chicken noises our friends made when we showed up at school without Jesse's proof.
But never fear. Jimmy and I are going to get even with Jesse. See, we've got this plan. .
.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/litp
lace/r980313e.htm
Objective 2-2 Draw
conclusions
• Draw Conclusions
Complete the chart
below after reading
"The Lookout
Mountain Tunnel."
Then create your
own chart on a
separate sheet of
paper. Draw
another conclusion
about a story
event, and find
supporting details.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/
lessonrepro/reproducibles/lit
place/r980313e2.htm
Conclusion: Jimmy
and the narrator
think there's a train,
so they jump into
the water.
Conclusion: It was
Jesse who used a
light to make it
seem as though
there was a train
coming.
Story clue: It is very
dark in the tunnel.
Story clue: The
tunnel was blocked
for years.
Story clue:
Story clue:
What I already know
about fear:
What I already know
about tricks:
Other conclusions I
can draw:
Other conclusions I
can draw:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/
lessonrepro/reproducibles/lit
place/r980313ex.htm
Objective 2-3 Determine
cause and effect
• Cause/Effect -- the writer tells
the reasons "why" something
happens (causes), or the writer
tells the results (effects) of
something.
Objective 2-4 Propaganda;
Fact from Opinion
• According to Webster's Dictionary a fact is
"anything that is done or happens; anything
actually existent; any statement strictly true; truth;
reality."
• The AHSGE consists of reading, language, math,
science, and social studies.
• An opinion is defined as "indicating a belief, view,
sentiment, conception.“
• The AHSGE is a waste of time.
• Wikipedia defines - Propaganda as a specific type
of message presentation directly aimed at
influencing the opinions or behavior of people,
rather than impartially providing information.
http://www.auburn.edu/~murraba/fact.html
Objective 2-5 Recognize
summary statements
• Concluding sentence and
summary statement are the
same.
• Summary statement sums up
what the paragraph is about.
Objective 3-1 Recognize
logic and arguments
• Argument
-- the writer explains why his/her
reasons for an opinion are the best.
• A good argument will have, at the very least:
• a thesis that declares the writer's position on the
problem at hand;
• an acknowledgment of the opposition that nods to, or
quibbles with other points of view;
• a set of clearly defined premises that illustrate the
argument's line of reasoning;
• evidence that validates the argument's premises;
• a conclusion that convinces the reader that the
argument has been soundly and persuasively made.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/logic.shtml
Objective 3-1 Recognize
logic and arguments
• Logic—
It's important to understand that an argument can be
logical without necessarily being true. Consider, for
example, the following:
• All women are brilliant.
• I am a woman.
• Therefore, I am brilliant.
Is this argument logical? Indeed, it is. The test for
logic in this instance is not whether the statement
is reasonable, but whether the argument follows
the almost mathematical construction of the
syllogism.
Objective 3-2 Analyze
literary elements
• Analyze literary elements as they relate to the
comprehension of a passage, but not label or define
the elements.
• Drama terminology: structure, foreshadowing,
tragedy, tragic flaw, comedy, and soliloquy
• Plot, setting, character, point of view
• Methods of characterization
• Plot terminology: plot, exposition, complications,
climax, denouement, conflict, rising action, falling
action, and inciting force
• Aside, irony, mood, theme, tone, paradox, and in
medias res
• Allegory, ballad, dialect, epic, parody, point of view,
• Satire, sonnet forms
• Identify and interpret implied purpose
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/
Objective 3-3 Understand
figurative language
• Simile- a comparison of two unlike
things using like or as.
• Ex. She sings like a bird.
• Metaphor- a comparison of two
unlike things without using like or
as.
• Ex. She is a rose.
• Personification- giving human
characteristics to none human
objects
• Ex. The wind whistled.
http://www.kidskonnect.com/FigurativeLanguage/FigurativeLanguageHome.html
Objective 4-1 Determine
meaning of words
• Always remember that context clues come both
before and after the unknown vocabulary word.
• An unfamiliar word is often linked to a familiar
word, usually through the use of an appositive.
• Ex. The congressman worried about his constituents,
his voters, back home.
• Sometimes you can determine the meaning of an
unfamiliar word by looking at the examples that
accompany it.
• Ex. She was a collector of baseball memorabilia,
frequently purchasing rare trading cards, autographed
balls and signed uniforms.
Objective 4-1 Determine
meaning of words
• Words are frequently used with synonyms
that help to define them. Look for signal
words such as:
• Also
• And
• Besides
• Furthermore
• In addition
• Ex. The stranger appeared gaunt and very thin
for such a young man.
• Rudeness, in addition to surliness, will not be
tolerated.
Objective 4-1 Determine
meaning of words
• Conversely, an unfamiliar word can be
linked with an opposite definition. Watch
carefully for signal words such as:
• Although
• But
• Conversely
• On the contrary
• Rather than
• Ex. His voice was pleasant and clear, not
guttural at all.
• Rather than promote ultraism, she advocated
conservative viewpoints.
http://www.ocde.k12.ca.us/ctapread/2009.html
Objective 4-2 & 4-3
Preview; Predict; Discern
organizational patterns
• Preview text features to make a prediction about
the text content. Use graphic displays such as
charts, maps, graphs, and timelines to make a
prediction about the text content
• Determine the organizational pattern of a passage,
but not label the pattern
•
•
•
•
Chronological order
Spatial order
Order of importance
Discern comparison and contrast relationships in a
passage
• Discern cause and effect relationships in a passage
Objective 4-4 Demonstrate
reference material usage
•
•
•
•
•
Encyclopedia
Dictionaries
Library – card catalog
Table of content
Index
References
• All links to websites that have
been used in the organization of
this PowerPoint Presentation
are visible on the slide that the
information is recorded on.