th

10
10 Grade
th
Grade
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Worksheets
Worksheets
Table of Contents:
UNIT 1: Basic Grammar and Writing
Lesson 1: Nouns and Essays
Lesson 2: Verbs and Citations
Lesson 3: Parts of Sentences
Lesson 4: Types of Sentences

UNIT 2: Figurative Language

UNIT 3: Research and Writing

10th GRADE APPROVED VOCABULARY LIST

TEACHER ANSWER KEYS

Unit 1
LESSON 1: Nouns and Essays

active voice passive voice

common noun plagiarism
expository proper noun
grammar thesis
narrative usage

TERMS DEFINITIONS
1. active The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is a more direct and preferred style
voice of writing in most cases, but not all. (example: The boy grabbed his books and went to
school). See also, Passive Voice.
2. common The opposite of a proper noun. A common noun signifies a common name such as boy,
noun dog, girl, family, etc.
3. expository Exposition is a type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain, describe, give
information or inform. The creator of an expository text cannot assume that the reader or
listener has prior knowledge or prior understanding of the topic that is being discussed.
One important point to keep in mind for the author is to try to use words that clearly show
what they are talking about rather then blatantly telling the reader what is being discussed.
Since clarity requires strong organization, one of the most important mechanisms that can
be used to improve our skills in exposition is to provide directions to improve the
organization of the text.
Expository essays may include comparison/contrast, definition, description, or process
analysis essays.
4. grammar Involves the rules of speaking and writing in Standard English.
5. narrative Generally, writing about an event in a personal way. Good narration includes the following:
 Includes specific details to make the incident come alive for your reader
 Focuses on re-creating an incident that happened to you over a short period of time
(usually an emotional experience)
 Conveys a particular mood (feeling) - do you want to surprise your readers, make them
laugh, have them share in your sorrow or fear?
6. passive The subject of the sentence receives the action. The passive voice is often overused,
voice leaving writing to seem lifeless. When possible, focus on using active voice. (Example:
The books were grabbed by the boy on his way out the door.) See also, Active Voice.
7. plagiarism Stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own; using (another’s
production) without crediting the source. In essence, plagiarism means to steal someone
else’s work and lie about it by claiming it as your own. Therefore, by definition, a
plagiarizer is a thief and a liar.
According to Plagiarism.org, all of the following are considered plagiarism:
 turning in someone else's work as your own (duh!)
 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit (Even if it’s not
word-for-word!)
 failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving
credit (IMPORTANT: Do not forget this one!!)
 copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your
work, whether you give credit or not (Plagiarism.org, “What is Plagiarism?”)
8. proper Names of people, places or things. For example, a proper noun can be a person’s first or
noun last name, the name of a street, city, state, country, the title of magazine, or any other
specific thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized.
9. thesis The main idea of an essay or report. Often written as a single declarative sentence.
10. usage A general term covering all the mistakes students make in using words.
 LESSON 1: Nouns and Essays
1 2

10

Across Down
3. A general term covering all the mistakes students 1. Stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of
make in using words. another) as one’s own; using (another’s production)
without crediting the source.
4. Involves the rules of speaking and writing in Standard 2. The following sentence is an example of this type of
English. voice: "The books were grabbed by the boy on his way
out the door."
6. The main idea of an essay or report, Often written as 5. Proper names of people, places or things.
a single declarative sentence.
9. This type of noun signifies a common name such as 7. This describes a type of oral or written discourse that
boy, dog, girl, family, etc. is used to explain, describe, give information or inform.
10. The following sentence is an example of this type of 8. Generally, writing about an event in a personal way.
voice: "The boy grabbed his books and went to This type of writing includes specific details to make
school." the incident come alive for your reader
 LESSON 1: Nouns and Essays
Quiz

Written Questions: Writing the word that goes with the example or definition provided.
1. Names a particular person, place, thing or idea.
2. In a language, a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others.
3. The books were grabbed by the boy on his way out the door.
4. A type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform.

Multiple Choice Questions

5. A general term covering all the mistakes students make in using words.
a. narrative
b. grammar
c. thesis
d. usage
6. The main idea of an essay or report. Often written as a single declarative sentence.
a. usage
b. grammar
c. thesis
d. expository
7. Generally, writing about an event in a personal way.
a. usage
b. narrative
c. plagiarism
d. grammar

True/False Questions
8. Common noun—names a particular person, place, thing or idea.
true false
9. Plagiarism--Stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own; using
(another's production) without crediting the source.
true false
10. Active voice—The subject of the sentence performs the action.
true false

Short Answer
11. List three of the six different types of plagiarism.

12. List the three things that good narration includes.

LESSON 2: Verbs and Citations

direct quote persuasion

indirect quote/ paraphrase process analysis
inference/ infer verb
MLA verb tense

TERM DEFINITION
1. direct quote Tells a person’s exact words and is always put within quotation marks.
2. indirect quote/ A) When you tell what someone else said or wrote in your own words. You do not need
paraphrase quotation marks for an indirect quote. B)
3. inference/ infer To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. When a multiple
choice question asks for an inference to be drawn from the passage, the most direct,
most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice. If an inference is implausible,
it's unlikely to be the correct answer. NOTE THAT IF THE ANSWER CHOICE IS
DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT, IT IS NOT INFERRED, AND IS WRONG.
4. MLA (Modern Language Association) Widely used and accepted in most academic settings
and primarily used in the humanities, particularly in the disciplines of liberal arts, such
as language and literature. Academic institutions that primarily educate in the fields of
education, English literature, arts, social sciences, business and humanities deem that
MLA is the most appropriate writing style for those fields. Additionally, MLA guidelines
are widely accepted not only in the United States but in countries within North America
and in Brazil, China, India, Japan, Taiwan and other countries worldwide.
5. persuasion Good persuasion does the following:
 Takes a strong and definite position on an issue or advises a particular action.
 Gives logical reasons and supporting evidence to defend the position or recommend
action.
 Considers opposing views.
Has enthusiasm and energy from start to finish.
6. process Good process analysis:
analysis  Either helps readers perform the steps themselves or helps them understand how
something works
 Presents the essential steps in a process
 Explains steps in detail
 Presents steps in logical order (usually time order - chronological)
7. verb A word in a sentence that either shows action (action verbs) or shows existence with no
action (being verbs).
8. verb tense the form of the verb that indicates time. A verb tense not only indicates past, present,
and future action, but also indicates whether the action is ongoing or complete.
BENCHMARK VOCABULARY 10 TH GRADE:

TERM DEFINITION
1 Abstract Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or
Language places. The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language.
2 Act A major division in the action of a play.
3 Active Voice The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is a more direct and preferred style of
writing in most cases, but not all. (example: The boy grabbed his books and went to school). See
also, Passive Voice.
4 Ad hominem Latin for "against the man". When a writer personally attacks his or her opponents instead of
their arguments. It is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, feeling rather than
intellect.
5 Allegory A story, fictional or non fictional, in which characters, things, and events represent qualities or
concepts. The interaction of these characters, things, and events is meant to reveal an
abstraction or a truth. These characters, etc. may be symbolic of the ideas referred to. For
example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom.
6 Alliteration Occurs when the initial sounds of a word, beginning either with a consonant or a vowel, are
repeated in close succession.
7 Allusion A direct or indirect reference to another work of literature, art work, famous person, or event.
Writers use allusions as an appeal to the reader to share common knowledge. Three large
classes of allusions are religious (often Biblical), classical (often mythological), and historical,
though there are others. For instance, a writer may refer to Job in The Book of Job to represent
human suffering, to the Sirens in The Odyssey to represent danger, or to Hitler to represent
despotism. Use of allusions helps a writer layer and expand meaning for knowledgeable
readers.
8 Ambiguity An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way. Also, the manner of
expression of such an event or situation may be ambiguous. Artful language may be ambiguous.
Unintentional ambiguity is usually vagueness.
9 Analogy A stated likeness or comparison between two unlike things or the relationship that exists
between them. It also can be an inference that if things are alike in some respects, then they are
alike in others. For example, "I will be a mirror for virtue" implies that in all actions, the speaker
will reflect to others the most appropriate human conduct.
10 Anaphora Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This
is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent.
11 Anecdote A brief recounting of a relevant episode. Anecdotes are often inserted into fictional or non-
fictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.
12 Annotation Explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources or give bibliographical data.
13 Antecedent The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP language exam occasionally asks
for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences.
(Example: If I could command the wealth of all the world by lifting my finger, I would not pay
such a price for it. An AP question might read: "What is the antecedent for "it"?)
14 Antithesis Two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses, or even ideas. (example: "Bill's work in
school was the antithesis of his sister's. Her homework was tidy and on time, while Bill's was
sloppy and late." or " Darkness is the antithesis of light." or "New York is the antithesis of Nome
Alaska."
15 Aphorism A terse statement that expresses a general truth or moral principle. An aphorism can be a
memorable summation of the author's point. It's often equated as a synonym with "adage" or
"saying" or "proverb". Ben Franklin wrote many of these in Poor Richard's Almanac such as "
God helps them that help themselves" (Other examples: "A watched pot never boils." or "
Nothing comes to those who wait."
16 Apostrophe A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified
abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William
 Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton thou shouldst be living at this hour:
England hath need of thee."
17 Appositive A word or group of words placed beside a noun or noun substitute to supplement its meaning.
(Example: Bob, the lumber yard worker, spoke with Judy, an accountant from the city.)
18 Argumentation To prove the validity of an idea, or a point of view, by presenting good sound reasoning,
discussion and argument to convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation
having the additional aim of urging some form of action.
19 Article A nonfictional literary composition that forms an independent part of a publication, as of a
newspaper or magazine.
20 Assonance Occurs when the vowel sound within a word matches the same sound in a nearby word, but the
surrounding consonant sounds are different. "Tune" and "June" are rhymes; "tune" and "food"
21 Chapter One of the main divisions of a relatively lengthy piece of writing, such as a book.
22 Characterization Describes how the personality (strengths and weaknesses) of a character is represented in a
text and how the personal characteristics (behavior/actions) gradually evolve.
23 Clausal and Using verbal phrases (infinitives, gerunds, and participles), appositive phrases, and clauses
Phrasal Patterns (adverb, adjective, and noun) to make writing clear, concise, and varied.
24 Colloquialisms The use of informal expressions appropriate to everyday speech rather than to the formality of
writing, and differing in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar.
25 Common Noun The opposite of a proper noun. A common noun signifies a common name such as boy, dog, girl,
family, etc.
26 Concession Accepting at least part or all of an opposing viewpoint. It is futile to deny a solid point. Rather, a
concession is used to regroup and restate your position, taking the concession into account.
(see qualification).
27 Concrete Language that describes specific, observable things, people or places, rather than ideas or
Language qualities.
28 Conjunctions Joins different parts of a sentence together.
A. Correlative Conjunctions – used in pairs and also usually match up evenly matched parts
of the sentence. Common correlative conjunctions in English are 'both ... and', 'either ... or', and
'neither ... nor'.
B. Subordinating Conjunctions - apportion prominence to one part of the sentence over
another. Common examples are 'after', 'before', 'while', 'since', 'because', and 'until'.
29 Consonance The repetition of consonants (or consonant patterns) especially at the ends of words.
30 Coordination "Coordinating" or combining sentences/clauses into one single sentence. By doing so, the
author gives both clauses equal importance. Moreover, the two clauses should be related and
reinforce each other. (Example: Give me liberty or give me death! -Patrick Henry). DO NOT hook
together ideas which are superficially tied together, but are otherwise unrelated (Example:
President Clinton served in office for eight years, and Abraham Lincoln wore a stove pipe hat
when he was President.)
31 Cross- A reference from one part of a book, index, catalog, or file to another part containing related
Reference information.

32 Deductive Reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect).
Reasoning
33 Deduction Moving from general statements we accept as true, to an inevitable conclusion. Then the
general statements are true, and the reasoning valid, then the conclusion is certainly true.
(Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.)
34 Didactic A term used to describe fiction, nonfiction or poetry that teaches a specific lesson or moral or
provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.
35 Direct Quote Tells a person’s exact words and is always put within quotation marks.
36 Elliptical A clause in which some words have been left out. Because of the pattern or logic of the entire
Clauses sentence, it is clear what the missing words are. An elliptical clause may be either independent
or subordinate.
Example: Jessica had five dollars; Monica, three.
(The verb had was dropped from the second clause, but the meaning is still clear.)
37 Epigraph A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of theme.
38 ETHOS Ethical appeal; when a writer tries to persuade the audience to respect and believe him based
on presentation of image of self through the text. Appeal based on the character of the person.
39 Euphemism A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.
Sometimes they are used for political correctness ("physically challenged", instead of "crippled").
Sometimes they are used to exaggerate correctness to add humor (a person who is "vertically
challenged" is often referred to as being "short").
40 Explication The act of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text. Attention to close reading and
figurative language.
41 Expository Exposition is a type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain, describe, give information
or inform. The creator of an expository text can not assume that the reader or listener has prior
knowledge or prior understanding of the topic that is being discussed. One important point to
keep in mind for the author is to try to use words that clearly show what they are talking about
rather then blatantly telling the reader what is being discussed. Since clarity requires strong
organization, one of the most important mechanisms that can be used to improve our skills in
exposition is to provide directions to improve the organization of the text.
Expository essays may include comparison/contrast, definition, description, or process analysis
essays.
42 False Analogy When two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connection
between them.
43 Fiction Anything that is invented or imagined, especially a prose narrative.
44 Gender Bias Is separation of gender in a way which prefers one sex over the other
45 Genre A kind of literary or artistic work.
46 Grammar Involves the rules of speaking and writing in Standard English.
47 Homily This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech,
or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
48 Hyperbole A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in, “I could sleep for a
year” or “This book weighs a ton.”
49 Image Word or words that create a picture in the reader's mind. Usually this involves the 5 senses.
Authors often use imagery in conjunction with metaphors, similes, and figures of speech to
convey information about characters.
50 Induction The process of reasoning from premises that constitute good, but not absolutely certain, reasons
to a conclusion that is probably correct. It involved bringing together pieces of evidence, and
arriving at a conclusion. (Example: I want to buy new shoes. I've had five pairs of Nikes and
never had any foot problems. Reeboks gave me blisters, and Adidas made my ankles hurt.
Therefore, I probably should buy Nikes.")
51 Indigenous Words that are native to a region; innate; originating from a place.
Vocabulary
52 Indirect Quote/ A) When you tell what someone else said or wrote in your own words. You do not need quotation
Paraphrase marks for an indirect quote. B) To use the ideas or words of another person, but stating them in
your own words.
53 Inference/infer To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. When a multiple choice
question asks for an inference to be drawn from the passage, the most direct, most reasonable
inference is the safest answer choice. If an inference is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct
answer. NOTE THAT IF THE ANSWER CHOICE IS DIRECTLY STATED IN THE TEXT, IT IS
NOT INFERRED, AND IS WRONG.
54 Invective An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
55 Irony When the opposite of what you expect to happen does.
A. Verbal irony - When you say something and mean the opposite/something different. For
example, if your gym teacher wants you to run a mile in eight minutes or faster, but calls it a
"walk in the park" it would be verbal irony. If your voice tone is bitter, it's called sarcasm.
B. Dramatic irony - is when the audience of a drama, play, movie, etc. knows something that
the character doesn't and would be surprised to find out. For example, in many horror movies,
we (the audience) know who the killer is, which the victim-to-be has no idea who is doing the
slaying. Sometimes the character trusts the killer completely when (ironically) he/she shouldn't.
C. Situational irony - is found in the plot (or story line) of a book, story, or movie. Sometimes it
 makes you laugh because it's funny how things turn out. (Example: Johnny spent two hours
planning on sneaking into the movie theater and missed the movie. When he finally did manage
to sneak inside he found out that kids were admitted free that day).
56 Juxtaposition Placing things side by side for the purposes of comparison. Comparison of things or ideas.
Authors often use juxtaposition of ideas or examples in order to make a point.(For example, an
author my juxtapose the average day of a typical American with that of someone in the third
world in order to make a point of social commentary).
57 LOGOS Logical reasoning; reasoning based on logic or reasoning; reasoning based on Theoretical,
abstract language; Denotative meanings/reasons; Literal and historical analogies; Definitions;
Factual data and statistics; Quotations; Citations from experts and authorities; Informed
opinions.
58 Metaphor A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one
for another, suggesting some similarity. Usually identified by comparing objects directly, using
words like "was" or "is"(example: The wicked stepmother was evil. She was a cold-hearted
snake.)
59 MLA (Modern Language Association) Widely used and accepted in most academic settings and
primarily used in the humanities, particularly in the disciplines of liberal arts, such as language
and literature. Academic institutions that primarily educate in the fields of education, English
literature, arts, social sciences, business and humanities deem that MLA is the most appropriate
writing style for those fields. Additionally, MLA guidelines are widely accepted not only in the
United States but in countries within North America and in Brazil, China, India, Japan, Taiwan
and other countries worldwide.
60 Mood The atmosphere created by the literature and accomplished through word choice (diction).
Syntax is often a creator of mood since word order, sentence length and strength and complexity
also affect pacing and therefore mood. Setting, tone, and events can all affect the mood.
61 Narrative Generally, writing about an event in a personal way. Good narration includes the following:
 Includes specific details to make the incident come alive for your reader
 Focuses on re-creating an incident that happened to you over a short period of time (usually
an emotional experience)
 Conveys a particular mood (feeling) - do you want to surprise your readers, make them
laugh, have them share in your sorrow or fear?
62 Nonfiction Any prose narrative that tells about things as they actually happen or that presents factual
information about something. Common forms: Autobiography, Biography, and many Essays.
63 Non-sequitur Statement that does not logically follow another.
64 Objectivity An author's stance that distances himself from personal involvement.
65 Onomatopoeia A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of the words. When the
word sounds like the idea it communicates: "murmur", "gurgle", "roar", "buzz". If you identify this
in a passage, make sure to explain WHY the author chose to use it...how does it impact the
passage.
66 Oversimplificatio When the writer denies the complexity of an idea.
n
67 Oxymoron A figure of speech with apparently contradictory words and meanings to highlight an ambiguous
situation.
68 Parallel In grammar, a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses. The application of
Structure/ parallelism in sentence construction improves writing style and readability. Parallelism may also
Parallelism be known as parallel structure or parallel construction. In English, parallelism of the predicate
provides for one of the few structural situations in which the subject for each verb does not need
restatement. Parallelism is often achieved in conjunction with other stylistic principles, such as
antithesis, anaphora, asyndeton, climax, epistrophe, and symploce. Parallelism strengthens
connections among ideas and actions or sequences described.
69 Parody An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes. It borrows words or phrases
from an original, and pokes fun at it. This is also a form of allusion, since it is referencing a
previous text, event, etc. The Simpsons often do parodies of Shakespeare plays. Saturday Night
Live also does parodies of famous persons and events.
70 Passive Voice The subject of the sentence receives the action. The passive voice is often overused, leaving
writing to seem lifeless. When possible, focus on using active voice. (Example: The books were
grabbed by the boy on his way out the door.) See also, Active Voice.
71 PATHOS Emotional appeal; when a writer appeals to an audience's emotions to excite and involve them
in the argument. Appeal based on emotions.
72 Persona The fictional mask or narrator that tells a story.
73 Personification A figure of speech in which an animal, an object, a natural force, or an idea is given personality,
or described s if it were human.
74 Persuasion Good persuasion does the following:
 Takes a strong and definite position on an issue or advises a particular action.
 Gives logical reasons and supporting evidence to defend the position or recommend action.
 Considers opposing views.
 Has enthusiasm and energy from start to finish.
75 Plagiarism Stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own; using (another’s
production) without crediting the source. In essence, plagiarism means to steal someone else’s
work and lie about it by claiming it as your own. Therefore, by definition, a plagiarizer is a thief
and a liar.
According to Plagiarism.org, all of the following are considered plagiarism:
 turning in someone else's work as your own (duh!)
 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit (Even if it’s not word-
for-word!)
 failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
(IMPORTANT: Do not forget this one!!)
 copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your
work, whether you give credit or not (Plagiarism.org, “What is Plagiarism?”)
76 Plot refers to the way in which the events in the narrative are linked by the author. A narrative may
record the events without linking them causally. The plot indicates connections or links between
the events, for example, causal links. A narrative is a record of what happened. The plot of a
narrative shows how the events are linked in human terms. It is the plot that is likely to have a
greater influence on readers.
77 Point of View The vantage point from which a narrative is told. Common points of view: First Person and Third
Person.
78 Predicate An adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb. It is in the
Adjective predicate of the sentence, and modifies the subject. (Example: "My dog is fat, slow, and shaggy."
The group of predicate adjectives (fat, slow, and shaggy) describes "my dog".
79 Predicate A noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. it follows a linking verb and is
Nominative located in the predicate of the sentence. (Example: " My dog is a mutt with character." IN this
case "mutt with character" is the predicate nominative since it renames "my dog".)
80 Primary Source A document, speech, or other sort of evidence written, created or otherwise produced during the
time under study.
81 Proper Nouns Names of people, places or things. For example, a proper noun can be a person’s first or last
name, the name of a street, city, state, country, the title of magazine, or any other specific thing.
Proper nouns are always capitalized.
82 Process Good process analysis:
Analysis  Either helps readers perform the steps themselves or helps them understand how something
works
 Presents the essential steps in a process
 Explains steps in detail
 Presents steps in logical order (usually time order - chronological)
83 Qualification Redefining your argument so that it no longer conflicts with the valid claim of an opposing
viewpoint (see Concession). This is known as qualifying your argument.
84 Refutation When the writer musters relevant opposing arguments.
85 Repetition Reinforcing a point by repeating the point. Repetition can also involve simply repeating a word or
 series of words that are fundamental to the author's point.
86 Rhetoric The art of effective communication.
87 Rhetorical Question not asked for information but for effect (example: The angry parent asked the child,
Question "Are you done interrupting me?" In this case, the parent does not expect a reply, but simply
wants to draw the child's attention to the rudeness of interrupting.
88 Sarcasm A generally bitter comment that is ironically worded. However, not all ironic statements are
sarcastic. Sarcasm is usually a way to mock or ridicule something, while irony isn't.
89 Scene A division of a play or of an act of a play, usually representing what passes between certain of
the actors in one place, or a unit of action or a segment of a story in a play, motion picture, or
television show.
90 Secondary Any document that describes an event, person, place, or thing, usu. not created
Source contemporaneously. (Example: A biography is a secondary source and an autobiography is a
primary source.)
91 Setting Where and when the narrative takes place.
92 Sentence A group of words (including a subject and verb) that expresses a complete thought.
Simple sentence - Contains one independent clause.
Compound sentence - Contains at least two independent clauses but no dependent clauses.
Complex sentence - Contains only one independent clauses and at least one dependent
clause.
Compound-complex sentence - contains two or more independent clauses and at least one
dependent clause.
Imperative sentence - Issues a command (Example: Kick the ball now!)
Interrogative sentence - Sentences incorporating interrogative pronouns (what , which, who,
whom, and whose). (Example: What in the world are you doing hanging out with him?)
Loose Sentence: A complex sentence in which the main clause comes first and the
subordinate clause follows. Example: I do not wish to go to school, even though I might learn
something interesting.
Periodic Sentence - A sentence in which the main clause (or the main idea) comes last.
(notice this sentence is also parallel in construction) Example: If students are absorbed in their
own limited worlds, if they are disdainful of the work of their teachers, if they are scornful of the
lessons of the past, then the great cultural heritage which must be transmitted from generation
to generation will be lost.
93 Sentence To reduce a sentence to make it more concise and clear. In order to do this effectively, excellent
Reduction word choice must be employed.
94 Simile A figurative usage that compares. It usually uses the words such as "like", "as", or "if".
Comparing someone to a summer’s day is a simile.
95 Stanza Multiple lines in poetry that fit together by topic, like a paragraph in prose.
96 Style The choices in diction, tone, and syntax that a writer makes. Style may be conscious or
unconscious.
97 Subordination Taking less important ideas and placing them in dependent clauses, and focusing the readers
attention on the main important idea and placing it in the independent clause (example:
Although he was tired and wet, Bill was determined to get to school on time. In this example, the
most important piece of information to the reader is that Bill is determined to get to school on
time. The fact that he was tired and wet are subordinate to this main idea.)
98 Subordinate A word group that contains both a subject and a verb. but unlike the independent clause, the
Clause subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does note express a complete thought. Easily
recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses (although, because, unless, if,
even though, since, as soon, as, while, who, when, where how, and that.)
99 Summarize The act of preparing a summary (or an instance thereof); stating briefly and succinctly.
100 Syllogism A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises - the first one "major" the second
one "minor" that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion. Example: Major Premise: All men are
mortal. Minor Premise: Socrates is a man. Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal. A
syllogism's conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid.
101 Symbolism Used to stand for something larger than itself, such as a quality, an attitude, a belief, or value.
For example, a rose is often a symbol of love and beauty; a dove is generally symbolic of peace;
 spring symbolizes birth; and winter symbolizes death. In Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave", the
light of the sun symbolizes truth.
102 Theme The main idea or the basic meaning of a literary work.
Universal Theme - A message about life that can be understood by most cultures. Many
folktales and examples of classic literature address universal themes such as the importance of
courage, the effects of honesty, or the danger of greed.
103 Thesis The main idea of an essay or report, often written as a single declarative sentence.
104 Understatement The ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is.
The effect can frequently be humorous.
105 Usage A general term covering all the mistakes students make in using words.
106 Verb A word in a sentence that either shows action (action verbs) or shows existence with no action
(being verbs).
107 Verb Tense The form of the verb that indicates time. A verb tense not only indicates past, present, and future
action, but also indicates whether the action is ongoing or complete.
108 Vernacular 1. Language or dialect of a particular country. 2. Language or dialect of a clan or group. 3. Plain
everyday speech
109 Verse Metrical or rhymed composition as distinct from prose; poetry.