Literary Terms Review

Front

What the passage or text is mainly about is called the _______.

Back

main idea/central idea

Front

A logical conclusion based on the reader's background knowledge plus clues from the text is

Back

inference

Front

The reason the author writes: to persuade, to inform, to entertain, or to describe.

Back

author's purpose

Front

The moral, life lesson, or message readers should learn from the text.

Back

Theme

Front

The main character who carries the action forward; usually the hero

Back

protagonist

Front

How the text makes the reader feel (e.g., peaceful, eerie, humorous, sad)?

Back

mood

Front

Words that may not literally mean what they say

Back

figurative language

Front

The story is told in time order (common in narrative stories or biographies)

Back

chronological

Front

The voice that tells the story

Back

narrator

Front

The problem the character must resolve

Back

conflict