ELA Vocabulary Terms

Front

What the text is mostly about. The ____ helps us understand the structure.

Back

gist

Answer explanation

The gist is only about 1-2 sentences long.

Front

The message or main idea relevant to the real world that the author wants the reader to take away.

Back

theme

Front

A brief statement outlining the main points.

Back

summarize / summary

Answer explanation

A summary (or to summarize) is longer than a gist, but shorter than a retell.

Front

A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it

Back

Characteristics

Front

Chunks of lines in a poem

Back

Stanza

Answer explanation

A stanza is made up of groups of lines.

Front

Words and phrases that help the reader imagine with the senses

Back

Imagery

Front

When two words have similar ending sounds or sound the same

Back

Rhyme

Answer explanation

An example of rhyming words include: book - cook, loud - proud, drink - sink.

Front

Beat or rhythm of a poem

Back

Meter

Front

How a text is organized

Back

Structure

Front

Poems that don't rhyme or have a rhythm (beat) to it.

Back

Free verse