Literary Terms and Concepts

Front

Central Idea

Back

What the passage is mostly about.

Front

Supporting detail

Back

A sentence or fact that explains or proves the central idea.

Front

Theme

Back

The big lesson or message the author wants you to learn.

Front

Summary

Back

A short retelling of the most important parts of a text.

Front

Author's purpose

Back

The reason the author wrote the text: to inform, entertain, or persuade.

Front

Infer

Back

To figure something out using clues from the text and what you already know.

Front

Evidence

Back

Proof from the text that supports your answer.

Front

Claim

Back

What the author says is true, usually needing evidence to support it.

Front

Point of view

Back

Who is telling the story and how they feel about what’s happening.

Front

First person

Back

The narrator is in the story and uses words like 'I' or 'we.'