Literary Terms & Techniques
1. Metaphor
Definition: A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating one is the other.
Example: "Time is a thief." (Time is compared to a thief, suggesting it steals moments from our lives.)
2. Simile
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: "Her smile was as bright as the sun." (The brightness of her smile is compared to the brightness of the sun.)
3. Symbolism
Definition: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Example: In The Great Gatsby, the green light symbolizes Gatsby's dreams and aspirations.
4. Irony
Definition: A literary technique where the intended meaning is opposite to the actual meaning.
Types of Irony:
Verbal Irony: Saying one thing but meaning another. (e.g., saying “Oh, great!” when something bad happens.)
Situational Irony: When the opposite of what you expect to happen occurs. (e.g., a fire station burns down.)
Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows something that the characters do not. (e.g., in Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not dead, but Romeo does not.)
5. Themes
Definition: The central ideas or messages in a literary work.
Examples:
Injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird
Love in Pride and Prejudice
Power and Corruption in Animal Farm
6. Narrative Styles
Definition: The method used by an author to tell a story.
Examples:
First-Person Narration: The narrator is a character in the story and uses "I" or "we."
Third-Person Limited Narration: The narrator is outside the story and knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.
Third-Person Omniscient Narration: The narrator knows everything about all characters and events.
1. What is the plural form of "commissioner general"?
- Answer: Commissioners General
- Explanation: The plural form of "commissioner general" is formed by pluralizing "commissioner" to "commissioners" while keeping "general" in its base form. In cases where titles or terms are used together as a single unit, the first word typically changes to its plural form, and the second word stays the same.
2. Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence: "The team of scientists ______ (is/are) preparing for the upcoming expedition."
- Answer: is
- Explanation: "The team" is a collective noun that is treated as a singular entity, so it takes the singular verb "is."
3. Which sentence is correct?
- a) She don’t like the new policy.
- b) She doesn’t like the new policy.
- c) She not like the new policy.
- Answer: b) She doesn’t like the new policy.
- Explanation: The correct form of the verb "to do" for third-person singular is "doesn't," so the sentence should be "She doesn’t like the new policy."
4. Identify the error in the following sentence: "Neither the teacher nor the students was aware of the change in schedule."
- Answer: "was" should be "were"
- Explanation: When using "neither/nor" with compound subjects, the verb should agree with the noun closest to it. In this case, "students" is plural, so the correct verb form is "were."
5. Choose the correct pronoun for the sentence: "Each of the students must bring ______ own lunch."
- Answer: his or her
- Explanation: "Each" is singular, so the pronoun must also be singular. The appropriate choice here is "his or her" to match the singular subject.
6. Correct the following sentence for punctuation: "My favorite colors are blue green and red."
- Answer: "My favorite colors are blue, green, and red."
- Explanation: Items in a series should be separated by commas.
7. Fill in the blank with the correct adjective form: "This is the ______ (good) book I have ever read."
- Answer: best
- Explanation: The superlative form of "good" is "best." When comparing more than two items, use the superlative form.
8. Select the correctly punctuated sentence:
- a) I will go to the store, and buy some milk.
- b) I will go to the store and buy some milk.
- c) I will go to the store and, buy some milk.
- Answer: b) I will go to the store and buy some milk.
- Explanation: There should be no comma before "and" when connecting two verbs or actions in a sentence.
9. Choose the correct form of the word to complete the sentence: "He is known for his ______ (generous) donations to charity."
- Answer: generous
- Explanation: The sentence requires the adjective form of "generous," not the noun or adverb form.
10. Identify the correct use of the apostrophe: "The cats' toys are scattered around the house."
- Answer: Correct
- Explanation: The apostrophe is used correctly here to show possession for multiple cats.
11. Choose the correct form of the word to fill in the blank: "If she ______ (study) harder, she would have passed the test."
- Answer: had studied
- Explanation: The correct form for the third conditional is "had studied," which is used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past.
12. Choose the correctly spelled word:
- a) accomodate
- b) accommodate
- c) acomadate
- Answer: b) accommodate
- Explanation: The correct spelling is "accommodate," with double "c" and double "m."
13. Identify the error in the sentence: "The dog wagged it’s tail happily."
- Answer: "it’s" should be "its"
- Explanation: "It’s" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has," while "its" is the possessive form of "it."
14. Fill in the blank with the correct preposition: "She is interested ______ learning new languages."
- Answer: in
- Explanation: The preposition "in" is used with the adjective "interested" to indicate the area of interest.
15. Choose the sentence with the correct subject-verb agreement:
- a) The data is being analyzed.
- b) The data are being analyzed.
- c) The data were being analyzed.
- Answer: b) The data are being analyzed.
- Explanation: Although "data" is often used as a singular collective noun, it is technically a plural noun and should be paired with a plural verb form. However, note that usage can vary between American and British English.
1. Metaphor
Definition: A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating one is the other.
Example: "Time is a thief." (Time is compared to a thief, suggesting it steals moments from our lives.)
2. Simile
Definition: A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as."
Example: "Her smile was as bright as the sun." (The brightness of her smile is compared to the brightness of the sun.)
3. Symbolism
Definition: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Example: In The Great Gatsby, the green light symbolizes Gatsby's dreams and aspirations.
4. Irony
Definition: A literary technique where the intended meaning is opposite to the actual meaning.
Types of Irony:
Verbal Irony: Saying one thing but meaning another. (e.g., saying “Oh, great!” when something bad happens.)
Situational Irony: When the opposite of what you expect to happen occurs. (e.g., a fire station burns down.)
Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows something that the characters do not. (e.g., in Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not dead, but Romeo does not.)
5. Themes
Definition: The central ideas or messages in a literary work.
Examples:
Injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird
Love in Pride and Prejudice
Power and Corruption in Animal Farm
6. Narrative Styles
Definition: The method used by an author to tell a story.
Examples:
First-Person Narration: The narrator is a character in the story and uses "I" or "we."
Third-Person Limited Narration: The narrator is outside the story and knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.
Third-Person Omniscient Narration: The narrator knows everything about all characters and events.
1. What is the plural form of "commissioner general"?
- Answer: Commissioners General
- Explanation: The plural form of "commissioner general" is formed by pluralizing "commissioner" to "commissioners" while keeping "general" in its base form. In cases where titles or terms are used together as a single unit, the first word typically changes to its plural form, and the second word stays the same.
2. Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence: "The team of scientists ______ (is/are) preparing for the upcoming expedition."
- Answer: is
- Explanation: "The team" is a collective noun that is treated as a singular entity, so it takes the singular verb "is."
3. Which sentence is correct?
- a) She don’t like the new policy.
- b) She doesn’t like the new policy.
- c) She not like the new policy.
- Answer: b) She doesn’t like the new policy.
- Explanation: The correct form of the verb "to do" for third-person singular is "doesn't," so the sentence should be "She doesn’t like the new policy."
4. Identify the error in the following sentence: "Neither the teacher nor the students was aware of the change in schedule."
- Answer: "was" should be "were"
- Explanation: When using "neither/nor" with compound subjects, the verb should agree with the noun closest to it. In this case, "students" is plural, so the correct verb form is "were."
5. Choose the correct pronoun for the sentence: "Each of the students must bring ______ own lunch."
- Answer: his or her
- Explanation: "Each" is singular, so the pronoun must also be singular. The appropriate choice here is "his or her" to match the singular subject.
6. Correct the following sentence for punctuation: "My favorite colors are blue green and red."
- Answer: "My favorite colors are blue, green, and red."
- Explanation: Items in a series should be separated by commas.
7. Fill in the blank with the correct adjective form: "This is the ______ (good) book I have ever read."
- Answer: best
- Explanation: The superlative form of "good" is "best." When comparing more than two items, use the superlative form.
8. Select the correctly punctuated sentence:
- a) I will go to the store, and buy some milk.
- b) I will go to the store and buy some milk.
- c) I will go to the store and, buy some milk.
- Answer: b) I will go to the store and buy some milk.
- Explanation: There should be no comma before "and" when connecting two verbs or actions in a sentence.
9. Choose the correct form of the word to complete the sentence: "He is known for his ______ (generous) donations to charity."
- Answer: generous
- Explanation: The sentence requires the adjective form of "generous," not the noun or adverb form.
10. Identify the correct use of the apostrophe: "The cats' toys are scattered around the house."
- Answer: Correct
- Explanation: The apostrophe is used correctly here to show possession for multiple cats.
11. Choose the correct form of the word to fill in the blank: "If she ______ (study) harder, she would have passed the test."
- Answer: had studied
- Explanation: The correct form for the third conditional is "had studied," which is used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past.
12. Choose the correctly spelled word:
- a) accomodate
- b) accommodate
- c) acomadate
- Answer: b) accommodate
- Explanation: The correct spelling is "accommodate," with double "c" and double "m."
13. Identify the error in the sentence: "The dog wagged it’s tail happily."
- Answer: "it’s" should be "its"
- Explanation: "It’s" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has," while "its" is the possessive form of "it."
14. Fill in the blank with the correct preposition: "She is interested ______ learning new languages."
- Answer: in
- Explanation: The preposition "in" is used with the adjective "interested" to indicate the area of interest.
15. Choose the sentence with the correct subject-verb agreement:
- a) The data is being analyzed.
- b) The data are being analyzed.
- c) The data were being analyzed.
- Answer: b) The data are being analyzed.
- Explanation: Although "data" is often used as a singular collective noun, it is technically a plural noun and should be paired with a plural verb form. However, note that usage can vary between American and British English.
