English 9H - Vocab Terms For Midterm

Plot -

The sequence of events in a story (beginning, middle, and end).

Theme -

The main message, lesson, or idea about life the author wants to communicate.

Characterization -

The way an author reveals a character's personality, traits, and motives (through actions, dialogue, thoughts, and description).

Foreshadowing -

Hints or clues that suggest what will happen later in the story.

Point of View -

The perspective from which a story is told.

First Person -

The narrator is a character in the story and uses "I" or "we."

Third Person Limited -

The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Third Person Omniscient -

The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Suspense -

The feeling of tension or excitement that keeps readers wanting to know what happens next.

Irony -

A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.

Verbal Irony -

Saying one thing but meaning another (sarcasm).

Dramatic Irony -

The audience knows something the characters do not.

Situational Irony -

The outcome is very different from what was expected.

Rhyme Scheme -

The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem (shown with letters like ABAB or AABB).

Alliteration -

The repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in nearby words. Example: "Peter Piper picked…"

Assonance -

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: "The light of the fire."

Consonance -

The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words. Example: "The stroke of luck."

Internal Rhyme -

Rhyming words within the same line of poetry.

External Rhyme -

Rhyming words at the ends of different lines of poetry.

Stanza -

A group of lines in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose.

Simile -

A comparison using like or as. Example: "Brave as a lion."

Metaphor -

A direct comparison without using like or as. Example: "Time is a thief."

Personification -

Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: "The wind whispered."

Imagery -

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).

Allegory -

A story where characters and events represent larger ideas or moral lessons.

Satire -

Writing that uses humor, exaggeration, or irony to criticize people, society, or ideas.

Haiku -

A three-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, often about nature.

Limerick -

A five-line humorous poem with a strong rhythm and an AABBA rhyme scheme.

Narrative Poem -

A poem that tells a story, with characters, plot, and setting.