FAST ELA Grade 4 cheat sheet

Reading comprehension items usually name the standard's skill: identify the main idea and supporting details, explain how a detail supports the main idea, or summarize a text so that the summary keeps the central idea and drops minor details.

Theme and central message are stated as a lesson or big idea about life or people; a topic is what the text is about, and a summary retells events in order without adding opinions.

For literary texts, character traits are inferred from what a character says, does, thinks, and how others react; feelings can change across a story, so track them scene by scene.

Story structure in Grade 4 includes setting, characters, plot (problem, rising events, climax, resolution), and how a character's choices drive later events; compare two texts by asking how each handles the same element.

Figurative language questions ask what a phrase means in context: simile (like/as), metaphor (direct comparison), personification (human qualities to nonhuman things), hyperbole (exaggeration), and idioms (meaning not literal).

For informational texts, text structure matters: chronological, comparison, cause-and-effect, problem-and-solution, and description; signal words such as because, therefore, first, unlike, and however reveal the structure.

Point of view: first person uses I/we and is told by a participant; third person uses he/she/they and is told by an outside narrator; a narrator's or author's opinion must be distinguished from facts stated in the text.

An argument or claim needs a reason plus evidence; a strong response names the claim, quotes or paraphrases the supporting evidence, and explains the link between evidence and claim rather than just restating it.

Vocabulary in context: use the surrounding sentence, a definition or example clue, an antonym clue, or a word-part clue (prefix, root, suffix) to decide meaning; the same word can shift meaning across texts, so check the sentence, not just the word.

Main idea of an informational text is the single most important point; supporting details answer who, what, when, where, why, or how and must connect back to that point, not just be interesting.

An inference is a conclusion built from text evidence plus background knowledge; a valid answer can point to the words in the text that led to it, while a guess cannot.

Text evidence questions expect a direct quote or a specific paraphrase plus an explanation of how that evidence supports the answer; citing evidence without explaining it is incomplete.

Summarizing rules: keep the central idea and key events or facts, put them in the order of the text, use your own words, and leave out minor details, repeated information, and personal opinions.

Comparing two texts on the same topic: look for what both texts state, where they differ (focus, details, purpose), and whether each text is meant to inform, persuade, or entertain.

Author's purpose is usually to inform, explain, persuade, or entertain; the purpose shapes word choice, and a persuasive text will include opinion words and calls to action that an informative text avoids.

When a question asks which detail best supports a statement, test each option: the correct detail must be in the text and must logically back the statement, not merely mention the same topic.

Sequence and chronology questions rely on time and order words (before, after, during, finally, meanwhile); if the text jumps in time, the order of events may not match the order of sentences.

Character motivation is the reason behind a character's action; it is inferred from the character's words, thoughts, and the situation, and it may be stated indirectly through other characters' reactions.

Theme is a message about life or human behavior that the whole story supports; it is not the topic and not a one-word label, and it must be supported by events rather than by a single sentence.

Setting affects plot and mood: a change of place or time can create conflict, explain a character's choices, or shift the tone; setting details are often sensory words about weather, light, sound, and place.

Poetry elements at Grade 4 include line, stanza, rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and imagery; a poem's meaning is built from both what the speaker says and how sound and line breaks shape it.

Drama elements include cast of characters, stage directions in brackets or italics, dialogue, and scenes; stage directions tell actors how to move or speak and are not spoken aloud.

Figurative language must be interpreted in context: a simile compares using like or as, a metaphor states one thing is another, and personification gives human traits to objects, animals, or ideas.

Word choice and tone: authors choose words to create a feeling; a word's connotation (the feeling it carries) can differ from its dictionary meaning, so two similar words may not be interchangeable.

When comparing a story and a poem on a similar topic, compare how each develops the same element, such as how each shows a character's feelings or how each uses repetition for emphasis.

Text features carry meaning: headings organize sections, captions explain images, bold words signal key terms, diagrams show parts, timelines show sequence, and a glossary defines terms; a question may ask what a feature adds to understanding.

Primary and secondary sources differ: a primary source is a firsthand account such as a diary, letter, photograph, or interview; a secondary source summarizes or interprets primary sources, such as a textbook or encyclopedia article.

A claim is what an author wants the reader to accept; evidence is the facts, examples, or statistics offered; reasoning is the explanation connecting evidence to claim, and all three are needed for a strong argument.

Evaluating an argument: check whether the evidence is relevant to the claim, whether it comes from a credible source, and whether the author addresses an opposing view or only one side.

Integrating information from two texts means combining facts to answer a question or form a new understanding, noting when sources agree, disagree, or supply complementary details.

Graphs, charts, and tables in informational texts should be read by checking the title, labels, units, and the direction of change; a question may ask what the data show that the words do not state directly.

Fact versus opinion: a fact can be checked or proven, while an opinion expresses a judgment or feeling; words such as best, worst, should, and amazing often signal opinion.

Research and vocabulary skills include using a dictionary or glossary entry (word, pronunciation, part of speech, meaning), using context to choose among multiple meanings, and recognizing common Greek and Latin roots and affixes to build word meaning.