1. Word Meanings
Antonym – A word that means opposite of another word (ex: happy, sad)
Synonym – A word that means the same as another word (ex: car and automobile)
Homonym – A word that sounds or looks the same as another word, but has a different meaning, such as pool table and swimming pool.
Homophone – A word which is pronounced identically with another word, but is spelled differently and has a different meaning (ex: so/sew, bough/bow)

2. Figurative Language
(Language that is interpreted imaginatively rather than literally (ex: idiom, metaphor, and simile))
Idiom - A phrase that means something different from the literal meaning of the words in the phrase (ex: raining cats and dogs)
Metaphor – A figure of speech in which one thing is compared with another, sometimes in an unusual way (ex: Miss Wilson is a bear in the morning)
Simile – A figure of speech that uses like, as, or as if to directly compare two different things (ex: the dog sat as still as a stone)

3. Figurative Language
(Language that is interpreted imaginatively rather than literally (ex: idiom, metaphor, and simile))
Analogy – A comparison of two things that are similar in some way. Writers often use analogy to explain something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar (ex: a street light is like a star)
Alliteration – Repetition of an initial consonant.
Hyperbole – An exaggeration used for heightened or comic effect (ex: I’ve seen that a million times).

4. Figurative Language
(Language that is interpreted imaginatively rather than literally (ex: idiom, metaphor, and simile))
Onomatopoeia – Refers to the pronunciation of a word that imitates the sound associated with its object or action (ex: hiss or buzz)
Personification – A figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to animals, plants, objects, and ideas (ex: a smiling moon, a happy sun)

5. Point of View
Refers to the teller of the story
First Person – When a character from the story is narrating the story. The narrator talks directly to the reader using the pronoun I.
Third Person – When the narrator is an outside observer of the story. All of the characters are referred to by their names, and pronouns like she, he and they are used.

6. (Categories of literature)
Genre
(Categories of literature)
Biography – The story of a real person’s life.
Fable -- A short story that has mostly animal characters. The story teaches a lesson or moral.
Fairy Tale – A story that contains magical creatures (witches, dragons, giants) or events. Kings, queens, princes and princesses are also often in fairy tales. Usually has a happy ending.
Folktale – A tale that is passed down from generation to generation. These tales are used to types of characters, such as tricksters.

7. (Categories of literature)
Genre
(Categories of literature)
Myth -- A story about gods or goddesses. Used to explain how something in nature came to be, although not factually.
Legend – A story often based on a real hero that tells imaginary stories about the hero’s great deeds.
Science Fiction – A story set in the future or on some imaginary world that deals with technology and/or science.
Historical Fiction – A story set in the past. The setting of the story is based on a time or event in history. Characters may be actual figures from history or fictional.

8. Story Elements
Fictional stories all have the following elements.
Plot -- What happens in the story. It involves a problem and how it is solved.
Characters – The people (or animals) in the story.
Setting – When and where the story is taking place. The setting can contribute to the main problem in the story.
Theme – The message or moral that the story tries to communicate. The theme is often conveyed through the actions of the main characters.

9. Structural Patterns of Informational text
(When reading informational text look for the following keys to help you determine the text’s pattern.)
Sequence -- Words such as first, next, after, then, tomorrow, yesterday, later, etc., indicate time order of text.
Cause/effect – Look for words or phrases like because, due to, as a result of, and so.
Problem/solution – Look for something that needs changing and how it is then fixed.
Compare/Contrast – Key words or phrases like, same, but, like, unlike, on the other hand, and however, can signal a compare and contrast pattern.
Description – Look for lots of details instead of just general explanations.