FAST ELA Reading Grade 6 key terms

The message or big idea about life that a story or poem communicates, usually stated as a general observation rather than a one-word topic such as friendship.

The sequence of events in a story, usually built around a conflict that rises, reaches a turning point, and then settles.

The struggle between opposing forces in a story, such as a character against another person, nature, society, or a problem inside the character.

The ways an author reveals what a character is like, including the character's own words and actions and what other characters say or think about them.

The vantage point from which a story is told, such as first person (I, we) or third person (he, she, they).

The feeling a text creates in the reader, such as suspense, sadness, or cheerfulness, built through word choice, setting, and events.

The voice that talks to the reader in a poem; the speaker is not necessarily the poet and may be a made-up character or narrator.

A group of lines in a poem separated from other groups by space, working much like a paragraph in prose.

Language that goes beyond literal meaning to create pictures or comparisons, such as similes, metaphors, and personification.

A figure of speech that compares two different things using like or as, such as quiet as a mouse, to make a description vivid.

A figure of speech that describes one thing as if it were another, without using like or as, such as the classroom was a zoo.

A figure of speech in which an animal, object, or idea is given human qualities, such as the wind whispered through the trees.

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to help readers picture and feel what is described.

An object, person, or event that stands for a larger idea beyond itself, such as a caged bird standing for lost freedom.

The most important point an informational text makes about its topic, supported throughout by details rather than stated in just one sentence.

The way an author organizes ideas in a text, such as cause and effect, comparison, chronological order, or problem and solution.

The reason an author writes a text, usually to inform, explain, persuade, entertain, or describe, which shapes the choices the author makes.

Parts of a text besides the main paragraphs that help readers find and understand information, such as headings, captions, bold words, diagrams, and sidebars.

To state the main ideas and key details of a text briefly in your own words, leaving out minor information and personal opinions.

A statement an author asks readers to accept as true, usually supported by reasons and evidence in an argument.

Facts, examples, statistics, quotations, or other details an author uses to support a claim or idea so readers can judge whether it is believable.

A fact can be proven true with evidence, while an opinion expresses a belief, feeling, or judgment that cannot be proven.

A conclusion readers draw by combining details in a text with what they already know, even when the text does not state it directly.

A category of writing, such as fiction, poetry, drama, or informational text, each with its own typical features and purposes.

To examine two or more texts or ideas by describing how they are alike and how they differ, often to understand each one better.

A person, document, website, or other place where information comes from, which readers evaluate for accuracy and usefulness.

The viewpoint from which a subject is presented, shaped by who is telling or writing and by that person's experiences and beliefs.

To combine ideas and information from more than one text or part of a text to build a new, fuller understanding.

A message about life that appears in stories and poems across many cultures and time periods, such as the importance of courage or loyalty.

The time period and events surrounding when a text was written or when its story takes place, which can shape its meaning.

Words, phrases, and sentences around an unfamiliar word that help readers figure out its meaning, including definitions, examples, synonyms, and contrasts.

A meaningful word part attached to the beginning of a base word that changes its meaning, such as un- in unhappy.

A meaningful word part attached to the end of a base word that changes its meaning or its part of speech, such as -less or -tion.

The basic part of a word that carries its core meaning and can stand alone or combine with prefixes and suffixes.

A word that means nearly the same thing as another word, such as happy and glad; synonyms are often interchangeable in a sentence.

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as hot and cold; antonyms can help readers understand a word through contrast.

The feelings and associations a word carries beyond its dictionary meaning, such as the warmth in home or the sting in cheap.

The exact dictionary meaning of a word, separate from the feelings or associations the word may suggest.

An expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal words, such as break the ice or hit the books.

A word with more than one dictionary meaning, such as bat (an animal or a stick); readers use context to choose the right meaning.