English Quiz: Farce-Legend

hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis. Example: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

iambic pentameter

Poetic rhythm consisting of lines of five iambic feet (five pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables). The "u" indicates an unstressed syllable; the "/" indicates a stressed syllable. Example: u / u / u / u / u / u / u / Two households, both alike in dignity / u / u / u / u / u / u / u / u / In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.

idiom

The language or way of speaking that is typical of a particular group of people or region; a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language. Example: You are the apple of my eye.

image / imagery

A word or group of words in a story or poem that appeals to one or more of the senses: sight, taste, touch, hearing, and smell.

indeterminate ending

An ending in which the central conflict is left unresolved.

informal essay

A style of essay writing that takes a more relaxed, personal form of expression, often using humour for effect.

informal language

A language style that is conversational, relaxed, and "real-life."

legend

A story that has been passed down generation after generation. Although the story may seem unbelievable, there is usually some basis in history.

interior monologue

The internal thoughts or conversation of a character in a work of fiction to which only the reader or audience has access.

internal rhyme

Rhyme that occurs within a line of poetry rather than at the end of a line. Example: He walked with a cane down an old lane.

irony

The difference between what is said and what is meant, or what we expect to happen and what actually happens; sarcasm is a kind of irony, where the words said are not really what is meant. Irony can be divided into three types: Dramatic Irony—refers to a dramatic situation in which the audience knows something a character does not. Situational Irony—refers to a contrast between what a character or the reader expects to happen in a situation and what really happens. Verbal Irony—one thing is said while the opposite is meant.

jargon

Specialized language often characteristic of a particular subject. Using jargon should be avoided when writing for most audiences. Example: There is a lot of technical jargon when speaking of computers—"How many megs have you got?"

juxtaposition

The placement of two dissimilar things side by side to create a particular effect. For example, placing two distinctly different characters together in a scene can result in emphasizing the dissimilar qualities in each. The evil stepmother may seem more evil when presented alongside the innocent child.

foreshadowing

The method an author uses to build suspense by providing clues as to what might happen in a story. Example: In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo's expression of fear at the beginning of the play foreshadows the catastrophe and tragedy to come at the end of the play.

form

Can indicate literary type, short story, sonnet, ode, or can indicate patterns of metre, rhyme, and lines, such as free verse or iambic pentameter.

formal essay

A style of essay writing that tends to be impersonal, systematic, and expository, and often has a serious tone.

formal language

Language that is elevated or uses a high level of diction—commonly used in essays, lectures, and traditional poetry.

free verse

A kind of poem that has no clear rhyme or pattern. Free verse poetry is intended to imitate the spoken word.

genre

Means "type" or "kind," as in "what kind of novel do you like?" Example: Jules has two favourite genres of fiction—mystery and fantasy novels.

graphic text

Text that is primarily graphic in nature or text that relies on a visual dimension to present information (like a photo essay).

hero

The main character in a work of fiction, often the protagonist.

historical reference

A reference or allusion to an event that has taken place in the past.

farce

A form of fiction, usually drama, where humour is achieved through the creation of exaggerated or far-fetched situations or characters.

figurative language

A way of saying one thing and meaning something else; poets use figurative language when writing poetry; some common examples of figurative language are simile, metaphor, and personification.

flashback

This is where a writer presents information that happened before the story begins; a flashback might be a character's dream, memory of the past, or story of a past event.

flat character

A simple or one-sided character in a story; one who does not change or develop.

foil

A character who is used to contrast with another character. Example: In Cinderella, the ugly stepsisters are foils to Cinderella and their differences emphasize Cinderella's sweetness and virtue.