Language Arts First Semester Study Guide

Language Arts First Semester Study Guide

Hello Grade 6 Kirk. Please use the slides below to prepare for your upcoming Language Arts Semester Exam.

Remember to pause the videos where necessary as you review the concepts.

Please note the topics for study and refer to your notebook for additional information.

Topics to Study

• Types of Pronouns (Subject, Object & Possessive Pronouns)

• Central Idea of a Paragraph

• Text Structure: Cause/ Effect; Probelm/ Solution; Compare/ Contrast; Sequence; Description

• Central Idea or Theme of a Story

• Elements/ Components (parts) of a Plot or Story

• The Point of View in a Story ( Speaker/ Narrator, First Person, Third Person)

Multiple Choice

Which word in the following sentence is an antecedent for the pronoun “it”?

All afternoon, the phone rang, but Robert didn’t hear it.

• All

• phone

• Robert

• hear

Multiple Choice

What is an antecedent?

• a punctuation mark after a pronoun

• the verb directly before the pronoun

• the word a pronoun replaces or refers to

• an adjective that describes a noun

Multiple Choice

What type of pronoun is highlighted in blue in the sentence below?

Valery told them that she was sick yesterday.

• Subject

• Object

Multiple Choice

What type of pronoun is highlighted in blue in the sentence below?

John sold him a bicycle.

• Subject

• Object

Multiple Choice

What type of pronoun is highlighted in blue in the sentence below?

She baked a cake for the class.

• Subject

• Object

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Hunter told her to listen.

Does this sentence have a subject or object pronoun?

• Subject Pronoun

• Object Pronoun

Multiple Choice

We enjoyed ourselves at the National Museum of Art.

Identify the subject pronoun in the sentence.

• enjoyed

• we

• ourselves

• the

Multiple Choice

Subject pronouns can serve as the __________ of a sentence.

• subject
• punctuation

Multiple Choice

I want to go in ............. car

• your

• yours

Multiple Choice

This pencil case is Helen's. It's .................

• his

• hers

• her

• its

Multiple Choice

The book is _____________________ but you’re welcome to read it.

• mine

• yours

• my

Multiple Choice

The dog wagged _______________ tail to show how happy he was.

• its

• it's

• its'

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence below. Name the nouns.

Michael really wanted to visit his grandma in New York.

• really, wanted, grandma

• Michael, grandma, New York

• Michael, wanted, New York

• visit, grandma, New York

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence below. Name the verb.

The scruffy dog barked loudly.

• dog

• scruffy

• barked

• loudly

Multiple Select

Select the adjectives to describe this cat.

• cute

• soft

• striped

• whiskers

Multiple Choice

What is an adjective?

• an interrupting word

• a word that connects words, phrases, and clauses

• a word that is a person, place, thing or idea

• a word that desribes nouns and pronouns

Multiple Choice

Which part of speech expresses an action or a state of being?

• adverb

• verb

• interjection

• adjective

Points to Remember-Main Idea in Writing

• The Main Idea is the most important thought /point about the topic.

• It identifies the topic. The topic is the person, place or thing being written about.

• Supporting details explains, defines or proves the main idea.

• The Main Idea is mostly found in the first sentence, but can also be found in the middle or end of the paragraph.

• The Main Idea can also be referred to as the Central Idea.

Multiple Choice

Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.

Topic Sentence: My cat is afraid of everything.

• He hides under the couch when you turn the microwave on.

• He sleeps all day long.

• He runs away when you sweep the floor.

• He jumps every time the doorbell rings.

Multiple Choice

What are supporting details?

• Words, phrases, or sentences that tell more about the main idea.

• Words, phrases or sentences that tell you the main idea

• Descriptive words that provide imagery.

Multiple Choice

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?

Dora the Explorer is an educational show for kids.

• She has a really cute monkey named Boots.

• Dora's purple backpack holds all of her tools.

• Dora helps teach kids Spanish words.

• She usually stops Swiper from swiping.

Multiple Choice

Niagra Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America. It is on the Niagra River halfway between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Niagra Falls is located on the American and Canadian border. The American Falls is 167 feet high. On the Canadian side, the Horseshoe Falls is 161 feet high.

Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

• The American Falls is 167 feet high

• The Horseshoe Falls is 161 feet high

• Niagra Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America

• It is located between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie

Multiple Choice

Porpoises live in the earth's oceans and sometimes in bays and rivers near oceans. Porpoises are mammals. Their babies get their food from their mother's body. These animals live in the water, but they must come up for air. Porpoises are very interesting animals.

What is the main idea?

• Porpoises live in the ocean

• Porpoises are mammals

• Porpoises must come up for air

• Porpoises are very interesting animals

Multiple Choice

Dolphins are very smart animals. They even have their own language. They talk to each other with clicks, whistles, and grunts. Scientists have been studying this dolphin language. They hope that in the future, people and dolphins will be able to talk to each other.This paragraph mainly tells:

• How dolphins communicate with people

• How intelligent dolphins are

• How dolphins are like humans

• Which scientists study languages

Multiple Choice

Benjamin Franklin loved to write. When he was twenty-two, he set up his own printing shop and started a newspaper. He also printed a book called Poor Richard’s Almanac. It had funny stories, information about the weather, and wise sayings.

• Benjamin Franklin loved to write stories and books.

• Benjamin Franklin worked very hard when he was young.

• Benjamin Franklin knew a lot about the weather.

• Benjamin Franklin was very poor.

Multiple Choice

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe.

What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.

• It is also fun to look for shells.

• Some people simply like to sunbathe.

• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Points to Remember

• The Central Idea is also the MAIN IDEA of a paragraph or story.

• It has many supporting details that are important to understanding it better.

• The Central Idea can be summarised into a small number of words.

Multiple Choice

What is the central idea of the passage?

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. Many beautiful three-dimensional creations are made with this art. Starting with only one square of paper, you can fold and fold and fold, until you’ve created amazing models. With practice, you can learn to make abstract designs or recognizable animals such as cranes (a type of bird) or even dinosaurs.

• Origami is an interesting and beautiful art form

• The art of origami came from Japan

• Origami is three-dimensional art

• Origami is a good way to show creativity

Multiple Choice

What is the central idea of the passage?

The law was not exactly fair in the Middle Ages in Europe. Back then, you could blame someone in your town for committing a crime. The “criminal” could then challenge you to a fight to prove his guilt or innocence. If you lost the fight, you were charged as a liar and the criminal was believed to be innocent. If you won, the criminal was believed to be guilty.

• Laws were unfair in the Middle Ages

• Fighting is a good way to decide guilt or innocence.

• Most people lied about crime in the Middle Ages.

• Those who were innocent of crimes often won

Multiple Choice

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds just on the tongue alone. There are also taste buds on the roof of your mouth. You even have taste buds on the back of your throat.

What does the author want you to learn about the passage?

• Why we can taste only sweet things.

• that we taste through our nose

• Taste buds are found in different places.

Multiple Choice

Microchips provide the power for wristwatches. They are also the brains in our computers, and they control robots. These chips are used in video games and space shuttles. They make our cameras, radios, and televisions small and light.

What is the story mainly about?

• How computers work

• Why televisions are small

• How microchips are used

Multiple Choice

The main idea is supported by what?

• concluding sentences

• details

• a chair

• reliable resources

Multiple Choice

Most people think that gorillas are mean, but actually they are shy. It seems that such a huge animal with very large teeth would be aggressive. Hollywood movies help convey this image of the scary, ferocious gorilla. In fact, gorillas only attack if they are provoked.

This author belives that:

• Gorillas are misunderstood as vicious animals.

• Gorillas are mean animals

• Gorillas don't like other animals.

Multiple Choice

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the main idea?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What is one important detail?

• What point is the author trying to make?

Multiple Choice

What does the central idea of a story tell the reader?

• a specific detail from the story

• The conflict of the story

• What the story is about

• The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct text structure.

• compare and contrast

• problem and solution

• sequence

• description

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct text structure.

• compare and contrast

• problem and solution

• cause and effect

• description

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct text structure.

• compare and contrast

• problem and solution

• cause and effect

• description

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct text structure.

• compare and contrast

• problem and solution

• cause and effect

• sequence

Multiple Choice

The author's central message about life or how people behave

• Theme

• Rising Action

• Setting

• Resolution

Multiple Choice

A theme should be a statement, not just one word.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between THEME and MAIN IDEA.

• Theme is a universal lesson and main idea is what a story is about.

• Theme is what a story is about and main idea is the universal lesson it teaches.

Multiple Choice

In a piece of narrative text, what is the "theme"?

• What the story is about

• The topic of the text

• A message the author is trying to get across to the reader

• Where and when the story happens

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of this story?

• Slowly but surely wins the race.

• Don't be lazy.

• We are stronger together than we are apart.

• If you try to go on your own, you will get eaten by a big fish.

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of this story?

• Respect your elders.

• Don't steal.

• Don't be lazy.

• Help others because what goes around comes around.

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of this story?

• Don't be greedy.

• Work together.

• Respect your elders.

• Don't steal.

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of this story?

• Eat your vegetables.

• Don't brag. Be modest.

• Don't talk to strangers.

• Necessity is the mother of invention.

Multiple Choice

What is the point of view based off the passage below?

I couldn’t help but think something was going on. Beth was acting strange, making weird excuses why I needed to be out of the house. She had me run to the store for scissors. I knew we had scissors. When I returned to the house and walked through the door I had the biggest surprise of my life! All of my friends and family were in my house yelling “Surprise!” and “Happy birthday!”

• The passage is written in third person limited.

• The passage is written in second person point of view.

• The passage is written in third person objective.

• The passage is written in first person point of view.

Points to Remember

• Point of View: The perspective of the narrator in the story

• Third Person is a Narrator telling the Story: Speaker telling the story. Uses words like he, she, they.

• First Person Point of View/ Perspective: The narrator is a person or character in the story using words like I, Me or We.

• Second Person: The "You" Point of view /Perspective. It uses the word "You". You are the character in the story. Sounds as though the story is giving directions to you.

Multiple Choice

What is the essential question when trying to determine the POV of a text?

• Who is telling the story?

• Whose thoughts do we know?

• Which pronouns are being used?

• Is the main character the narrator?

Multiple Choice

What is the time and location where a story takes place?

• exposition

• setting

• rising action

• falling action

Multiple Choice

Complete the sentence.

A narrator is...

• who tells the story

• how they tell the story

• the story

Multiple Choice

Read the short story and tell which point of view it is.

You are going to a party with your friends. You're nervous because there is someone you like there. You never told your friend because you don't want them to tell your crush.

• Second person

• Third person

• First person

Multiple Choice

Read the short story below and tell which point of view it is.

James, Lisa, and Terrance have a party. James was so nervous to go because he has a crush on Lisa. He never told Terrance because he is afraid that Terrance will get angry at him.

• Third person

• Second person

• First person