Literature · View all words

a person in a story, play, or film

“The main character changes throughout the novel.”

the main idea in a text or discussion

“Friendship is an important theme in the story.”

a serious disagreement or struggle

“The conflict between the two families drives the plot.”

the person who tells a story

“The narrator describes events from a child’s point of view.”

something that represents an idea

“The river is a symbol of freedom in the poem.”

a phrase that describes one thing as another

“The poem uses a metaphor for hope.”

the time and place of a story

“The setting is a quiet village by the sea.”

conversation between characters

“The dialogue reveals their friendship.”

the main events of a story

“The plot of the novel keeps readers guessing until the end.”

the main character in a story

“The protagonist struggles to overcome her fear throughout the novel.”

a character or force opposing the main character

“The antagonist in the story creates problems for the hero.”

one main section of a book

“I finished reading chapter five last night.”

a group of lines in a poem

“The first stanza of the poem describes a winter morning.”

a line or section of poetry

“Each verse in the poem has a different meaning.”

similar sounds at the ends of words

“The words 'cat' and 'hat' create a rhyme.”

a regular pattern of sounds in writing or speech

“The rhythm of the song makes it easy to dance to.”

the writer’s attitude or feeling

“The tone of her email seemed angry and serious.”

the feeling created for the reader

“The mood of the story changes from happy to mysterious.”

descriptive language that creates pictures in the mind

“The author uses vivid imagery to describe the sunset.”

a difference between what is expected and what happens

“The irony is that the lifeguard drowned in the pool.”

hints about what will happen later

“The dark clouds were foreshadowing of the storm that came later that night.”

the most exciting or important point of a story

“The climax of the novel happens when the hero finally confronts his rival.”

the part where a story problem is solved

“In the resolution, the two brothers finally forgive each other.”

a type or category of literature

“Science fiction is her favorite genre to read.”

writing about imagined events

“I enjoy reading fiction novels more than historical accounts.”

writing based on facts

“I'm reading a nonfiction book about the history of space exploration.”

literary writing arranged for sound and meaning

“She reads poetry every evening before bed.”

a story written to be performed

“We are performing a drama by Sophocles next month.”

to look at and understand written words

“I like to read a chapter or two before falling asleep each night.”

to repeat exact words from a text

“I quoted the opening line of the novel in my essay.”

to understand something not stated directly

“From her tone, I could infer that she was upset.”

to study parts of a text carefully

“We analyze Shakespeare's use of metaphor in class.”

to explain the meaning of a text

“I had to interpret what the author meant by that symbol.”

to say what someone or something is like

“Can you describe the character's appearance in the first chapter?”

to show similarities

“The poem seems to compare love to a fragile flower.”

to show differences

“The essay aims to contrast the two main characters' personalities.”

to show or explain with examples

“The author uses a childhood memory to illustrate the theme of loss.”

to judge the value or quality of something

“The teacher asked us to evaluate the author's argument.”

using the basic or exact meaning of words

“The literal meaning of the sentence is different from its intent.”

using imaginative language beyond the literal meaning

“The figurative language in the poem created vivid images.”

representing a deeper idea

“The white dove is symbolic of peace in the poem.”

exciting or connected with drama

“The final scene of the play was incredibly dramatic and left the audience in tears.”

related to telling a story

“The film used a narrative structure that jumped between past and present.”

related to poetry or beautiful expression

“Her description of the sunset was surprisingly poetic.”

giving details about what something is like

“Her descriptive writing made the old house feel almost alive.”

most important in a text

“The central conflict in the story involves two brothers.”

less important in a story

“The minor character plays an important role at the end of the story.”

having many connected parts

“The novel's complex plot kept me guessing until the end.”

seeming true to real life

“The movie had realistic dialogue that made the characters feel like real people.”

existing only in the imagination

“The dragon in the fantasy novel was imaginary but described in vivid detail.”