Terms+To+Know

Writers put special effects in their stories and essays in different ways. DIRECTIONS: study and KNOW these terms. Not only will quizzes be given, but you’ll need to find examples of these in your reading.
 * Learn Some Writing Techniques ** Reading Strategies

** Exaggeration/Overstatement/Hyperbole: ** an overstatement or a stretching of the truth used to make appoint or paint a clearer picture. [] //When he saw my grades, my dad hit the roof.//

** Irony ** : A technique that uses a word or phrase to mean the opposite of its normal meaning. //Marshall// //just loves cleaning his room//. (Also, “The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry)

** Metaphor ** : A figure of speech that directly compares two things. //In our community, high school football is king//.

** Onomatopoeia: ** A word capturing or approximating the sound of what it describes. “Buzz” is a good example. The purpose of these words is to make a passage more effective for the reader or listener. Bang! Smash! Wallop, bing, bong, boom. [] ** Oxymoron: ** Combination of opposites; the union of contradictory terms; as in “wise fool” or “jumbo shrimp.” Romeo’s line, “feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health” has four examples of the device. [] ** Personification ** : a figure of speech in which a nonhuman thing (an idea, object, or animal) is given human characteristics. //Rosie’s old car coughs and wheezes on cold days.// [] ** Simile ** : a figure of speech that compares two things using the word like or as. //Faye’s little brother darts around like a water bug. Yesterday the lake was as smooth as glass.// [] (Simile, personification, metaphor: [])

** Sarcasm: ** The use of praise to make fun of or ‘put down’ someone or something (The expression is not sincere and is actually intended to mean the opposite thing.    //Micah’s a real gourmet; he loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.//

** Sensory details: ** specific details that help the reader see, feel, smell, taste, and/or hear what is being described. //As Lee took his driver’s test, his heart thumped, his hands went cold, and his face began to sweat.//

** Flashback: ** interrupts what’s going on in a story to tell about something that happened in the past. They give information about a character to help you figure out his or her motives, or reasons, for doing things. // He remembered when…. She thought about that time last year when…. // ** Foreshadowing ** : Hints or clues that a writer uses to suggest what will happen next in a story. //Halfway home, Sarah wondered whether she had locked her locker.//

** Tone ** : a tone will convey a feeling of suspense, excitement, happiness, sadness, anger, mystery, humor, or annoyance. Choosing the right words can make a selection funny, sad, creepy, serious, mysterious, scary, or fanciful.
 * Style ** : an author’s distinctive way of connecting ideas. Ex. Dr. Seuss uses rhyming and made-up words.
 * Mood ** : the author’s tone & style create an overall mood: the feeling you get when you read the selection

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