NB G4 English Reading key terms

The most important point an author wants readers to understand about a paragraph, section, or whole text. It is often stated in one sentence and is supported by smaller details.

A specific fact, example, or piece of information that helps explain or prove the main idea of a text. Key details often answer who, what, when, where, why, or how questions.

A short retelling that states the main idea and only the most important details, in your own words and in a sensible order. It leaves out small details and personal opinions.

The larger message about life or people that a story or poem suggests, such as kindness matters or never give up. A theme is a big idea shown through events, not just the topic.

The events of a story in the order they happen, usually including a problem, rising action, a turning point, and a solution. The plot shows what characters do and how things change.

A person or animal that takes part in a story. Readers learn about characters from what they say, do, and think, and from how other characters treat them.

A word describing what a character is like inside, such as brave, honest, or curious. Traits are shown by the character's actions and words across the whole story.

A reasonable guess about something the author does not state directly. Readers make an inference by combining clues in the text with what they already know.

Words, sentences, or details taken from a text that support an answer, idea, or opinion. Strong answers point to evidence instead of guessing.

A part of a book or article, other than the main sentences, that helps readers find or understand information. Headings, captions, diagrams, labels, and bold print are examples.

A short title above a section of text that tells what the section is about. Headings help readers preview a topic and locate information quickly.

A short sentence placed next to a picture or diagram that explains what it shows. Captions often add details that the main text does not include.

A drawing with labels that shows the parts of something or how it works. A diagram can make information clearer than a paragraph of words alone.

A list, usually near the back of a book, that gives the meanings of important or difficult words from the text. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order.

The voice that tells a story, or the way an author thinks and feels about a topic. In stories, point of view tells who is speaking.

The voice or person who tells a story. A narrator may be a character inside the story or someone outside it who reports only what can be seen and heard.

A story told by a character who takes part in the events and uses words like I and we. Readers know only what this character notices, thinks, and feels.

A story told by a narrator outside the events, using words such as he, she, it, and they. Readers can learn about several characters instead of just one.

The order in which events or steps are arranged in a text. Words like first, next, then, and finally often signal the sequence.

A text structure that explains why something happened and what happened as a result. Words such as because, so, and as a result often signal this pattern.

To compare is to tell how two things are alike; to contrast is to tell how they are different. Readers compare texts to see which ideas or features they share.

The reason an author writes a text, such as to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to explain how to do something. Purpose shapes the words and details chosen.

What an author thinks or feels about a topic, and how strongly. Clue words such as important, best, or sadly show the author's attitude.

A statement that can be proved true by checking sources, measuring, or observing. Facts do not change just because someone disagrees with them.

A statement that tells what someone thinks, believes, or feels. Opinions cannot be proved true or false, though they can be supported with reasons.

An explanation or piece of support that shows why a claim or opinion makes sense. A reason often answers the question of why someone thinks that way.

The words, phrases, and sentences around an unknown word that help a reader figure out its meaning. Context clues can be examples, definitions, opposites, or hints in the sentence.

A word part added to the beginning of a base word that changes its meaning, as un- does in unhappy. Knowing common prefixes helps readers work out new words.

A word part added to the end of a base word that changes its meaning or its part of speech, such as -less in hopeless or -ful in helpful.

The main part of a word that carries its basic meaning and can stand alone or have word parts added to it. For example, help is the root of helpful.

A word that means almost the same as another word, such as big and large. Writers use synonyms to make meaning clear or to avoid repeating a word.

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as hot and cold. Antonyms help readers understand a word by contrast.

A word that has more than one dictionary meaning, such as bat, which can name an animal or a stick used in a game. Readers use the sentence around the word to choose the right meaning.

Language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words to create a picture or feeling, as in similes, metaphors, and idioms. It is not meant to be understood word for word.

A common phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from the single words in it, such as hit the books, which means to study hard.

The information a dictionary gives about a word, usually including spelling, pronunciation, part of speech, and meanings listed by number. Entries help readers confirm a word's exact meaning.