TSIA2 ELAR flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Theme vs. subject

Subject is the topic, stated as a word or phrase; theme is a full statement the work makes about that topic, such as a claim about human nature.

Dynamic vs. static character

A dynamic character changes in attitude or behavior by the story's end, while a static character remains essentially the same throughout the narrative.

Dramatic irony

A situation in which the reader or audience knows something a character does not, so the character's words or actions carry meaning they cannot perceive.

Third-person omniscient narrator

A narrator outside the story who reports the unspoken thoughts and feelings of multiple characters rather than remaining limited to one character's perspective.

Main idea

The central claim that an entire passage is built to support; unlike a topic, it is a complete sentence asserting something about the subject.

Too narrow vs. too broad

A main-idea choice is too narrow when it restates a single supporting detail and too broad when it claims more than the passage covers.

Supporting detail

Specific evidence such as an example, statistic, reason, definition, or anecdote that explains, illustrates, or proves the passage's main idea.

Summary requirement

A valid summary covers the entire passage, maintains a neutral tone, and introduces no new information or personal opinion.

Valid inference

A conclusion not stated directly but drawn from textual evidence; the best inference is the one requiring the fewest unstated assumptions.

Assumption in an argument

An unstated belief the author must hold for the stated conclusion to follow; identifying it reveals gaps or weaknesses in the reasoning.

Causal inference

Concluding that one event caused another requires evidence that the events occurred in sequence plus a reason to rule out other explanations.

Comparing two passages

Ask where the authors agree, where they conflict, and what each assumes; disagreement often lies in assumptions rather than in facts.

Connotation vs. denotation

Denotation is a word's dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association it carries, which strongly shapes an author's tone.

Rhetorical appeals

Ethos builds the writer's credibility, pathos stirs the audience's emotions, and logos relies on logic and evidence; authors often combine all three.

Syntax and pace

Short clipped sentences quicken pace and build tension, while long cumulative sentences with layered clauses slow the reader down.

Comma splice

An error that joins two independent clauses with only a comma; it is fixed with a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction.

Sentence fragment

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought, such as a lone dependent clause.

Compound sentence

A sentence containing two or more independent clauses joined by a comma plus a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon.

Conjunctive adverb punctuation

Adverbs such as however, therefore, and moreover require a semicolon before them and a comma after when they link two clauses.

Singular indefinite pronouns

Each, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anyone, someone, and nobody take singular verbs and singular pronouns in formal written English.

Or and nor agreement

When compound subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees in number with whichever subject appears nearer to it.

The number vs. a number

The phrase 'the number' is singular and takes a singular verb, whereas 'a number' is plural and takes a plural verb.

Collective nouns

Words such as team, group, committee, and jury take a singular verb when the group acts as a single unit.

Dangling modifier

An introductory descriptive phrase whose implied subject is not the sentence's actual subject, producing an illogical or unintentionally comic meaning.

Parallel structure

Items in a list, a comparison, or an either/or pair must share the same grammatical form to read logically and smoothly.

Correlative conjunction pairs

Fixed pairs such as either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, and both...and must be matched correctly and placed before parallel elements.

Revising wordiness

Replace padded phrases with concise equivalents, for example turning 'due to the fact that' into 'because' and 'in the event that' into 'if.'

Vague pronoun reference

When it, this, or they could point to more than one preceding noun, replace the pronoun with a specific noun.

Sentence combining

Merge short repetitive sentences using subordinate clauses, appositives, or participial phrases while preserving the original logical relationship between ideas.

Body paragraph structure

A topic sentence states the point, evidence supports it, analysis explains its relevance, and a closing link ties it to the thesis.

Persuasive rebuttal

Acknowledging a counterargument and then explaining why it is weaker or limited strengthens an essay's credibility and reasoning.

Essay thesis statement

A single sentence that states the essay's central claim and previews the reasoning the body paragraphs will develop.