Plot vocabulary

exposition- the beginning of the story

• main characters
• setting (where and when)
• problem

rising action- when things begin to get exciting

climax- the most exciting part of the story

falling action- the problem begins to get resolved, story is wrapping up

resolution- the problem is solved, the ending

plot- what happens in a story

Literary Terms

foreshadowing- hints to the future

flashback- hints to the past

fiction- not true

nonfiction- true

genre- categories of types of fiction or nonfiction

irony-something happens that is opposite of what should have happened, not the literal meaning, often humorous

point of view- who is telling the story (first person, third person, all knowing)

Poetry

• alliteration- repeating of a consonant sound
• onomatopoeia- a word that sounds like the sound
•  hyperbole- exaggeration (the mouse was the size of an elephant)
• rhyme- repeating of the ending sound (cat, bat, sat)
• theme- what the author is trying to teach you 
• symbol - something that represents something (a flag could represents freedom)
• metaphor- a comparison not using like or as (her eyes were diamonds)
• simile - a comparison using like or as (her eyes looked

Writing terms

introduction- introduces the main theme of the paragraph

body- the details and main points

conclusion- the concluding sentence that wraps up the paragraph or essay

thesis statement- states what the essay will be about

narrative- fiction writing

expository-nonfiction writing