ELA Terms to Know

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Context Clues

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Words and phrases in a sentence that help you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

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Idiom

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An expression that is not to be taken literally, such as 'I'll give you a penny for your thoughts.'

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Central Idea

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The broad idea or message being conveyed to the reader in informational text.

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Propaganda

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An opinion where the truth is often twisted to influence people to believe, buy, or do something.

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Metaphor

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A comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as', e.g., 'Joe is a ferocious lion on the playing field.'

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Theme

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The underlying message or main idea of a literary work.

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Tone

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The author's attitude toward the subject, which can be conveyed through word choice and style.

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Bias

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A tendency to favor one side over another, often leading to a lack of impartiality.

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Simile

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A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as', e.g., 'as brave as a lion.'

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Hyperbole

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An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, e.g., 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'