myPerspectives Unit 1: Childhood Study Guide

Vocabulary review flashcards covering literary elements, text structures, word study, grammar, and figurative language for the myPerspectives Unit 1 Childhood Study Guide.

Theme

The insight or message about life that the literary work expresses (e.g., Being different can be difficult).

Point of View

The perspective of which the story is told.

First-Person Point of View

Point of view where the narrator is in the story and uses the pronouns I, me, my.

Third-Person Point of View

Point of view where the narrator is not in the story and uses pronouns he, she, they.

Author's Purpose

The reason for writing.

Persuade

An author's purpose to convince the reader to think, feel, act some way.

Inform

An author's purpose to give factual information on a topic.

Entertain

An author's purpose to tell a story.

Biographical Writing

A form of writing where an author tells the story of another person's life, using direct quotations and describing other people's views of the subject.

Direct Quotations

The subject's exact words used to show his or her thoughts and feelings.

Central Idea

The main message or idea expressed in a nonfiction text.

Text Organization

How the information is presented in the text.

Compare/Contrast

Text organization that shows similarities and differences between subjects.

Problem/Solution

Text organization that presents a problem and possible solutions.

Cause/Effect

Text organization where one event happens and the results of the events are given.

Chronological

Text organization following the order of events as they occur.

Poetry

A piece of writing, often with words that rhyme and have a particular rhythm, usually featuring imaginative language that expresses strong feelings.

Prose

The ordinary language that people use in speaking or writing.

Stanza

A group of lines in a poem.

-ness

A word part meaning the condition, state, or quality of being.

-spec-

A word root meaning look or see.

-puls-

A word root meaning push, drive, or force.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sounds they make.

Synonym

Words that have similar meanings.

Antonyms

Words that have opposite meanings.

Common Noun

Any person, place, thing, or idea.

Proper Noun

A specific person, place, thing, or idea (will be capitalized).

Possessive Nouns

Nouns that show ownership.

Singular Nouns

Nouns representing one person, place, thing, or idea.

Plural Nouns

Nouns representing multiple people, places, things, or ideas.

Pronouns

Words that take the place of a noun.

Nominative Pronouns

Pronouns that name the subject of a verb or are used in the predicate after a linking verb.

Objective Pronouns

Pronouns that name the direct object of a verb, the indirect object of a verb, or the object of a preposition.

Possessive Pronouns

Pronouns that show ownership.

Reflexive Pronouns

Pronouns that reflect, or direct, the action of a verb back on its subject.

Intensive Pronouns

Pronouns that simply emphasize the noun or pronoun to which they refer.

Adjectives

Words that describe a person, place, thing, or idea.

Adverbs

Words that describe a verb, adjective, adverb.

Simile

Figurative language that compares two unlike things using like or as.

Metaphor

Figurative language that compares two unlike things without using like or as.

Personification

Giving a non-human object a human quality.