Literary Terms for Grade 11 & 12 English
Before the BC Provincial Exam discontinued, it posted an excellent list of literary terms and tools that are still applicable for any grade 11 & 12 English program throughout Canada. The following literary terms are those posted on the BC Ministry website and it also provides a useful list of keywords that relate to the functions of the exam. SD 43 gives an excellent vocabulary package for grade 12. It is in PDF form and gives a very complete indication of what terms and words are needed for not just the provincials but for the whole of grade 12. It divides up the study into Story & Novel Terms, Poetry Terms Drama Terms, Writing Terms, Tone Words and gives a College Vocabulary List and even an approach for memorizing the words called the Frayer Model.There are websites that give flashcard practice definitions and SD 83 gives a very good list of the terms with definitions
It is important to follow a process for committing them to long, as opposed to short-term memory
It is important to follow a process for committing them to long, as opposed to short-term memory
- Know its meaning
- See it used in context
- Make some decisions to categorize the word (cognitive processing)
- Think of some mnemonic trick to remember it
- Put it into a sentence
- Review it after 3 -4 days
Terms
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A
active voice allegory alliteration allusion analogy antagonist anti-climax antithesis apostrophe argumentative essay anecdotal evidence archaic language aside assonance atmosphere audience autobiography B ballad ballad stanza bias biography blank verse C cacophony caricature case study catastrophe cause and effect character characterization character foil chorus chronological order cliché climactic order climax colloquialism colloquial language comedy comic relief compare and contrast comparison conflict connotation consonance* contrast couplet D denotation dénouement descriptive essay dialect dialogue diary diction didactic dilemma direct presentation dissonance drama dramatic irony dramatic monologue dramatic form dynamic character E editorial elegy emotional appeal epic epilogue epiphany epigram epitaph euphemism euphony expert testimony exposition expository essay extended metaphor external conflict |
F fable falling action fantasy farce figurative language first person point of view flashback flat character foil foreshadowing form formal essay formal language frame story free verse G genre graphic text H hero historical reference hyperbole I iambic pentameter idiom image imagery indeterminate ending indirect presentation informal essay informal language interior monologue internal conflict internal rhyme irony J jargon juxtaposition L legend limited omniscient point of view literal language lyric M melodrama metaphor metre monologue mood mystery myth N narrative narration narrator O objective (language tone etc.) objective point of view octave ode omniscient point of view onomatopoeia oxymoron |
P paradox parallelism parody passive voice pastoral pathos personal essay personification persuasive essay persuasive technique plot point of view pro and con argument prologue propaganda protagonist proverb purpose pun Q quatrain question and answer R refrain repetition research resolution rhetorical question rhyme rhyme scheme rhythm rising action round character S sarcasm satire sestet setting simile slang soliloquy sonnet speaker stanza stream of consciousness statistical evidence static character stereotype stock / stereotyped character story within a story style stylistic technique subjective (language tone etc.) surprise ending suspense symbol symbolism T theme thesis thesis statement third person point of view tone tragedy U understatement V voice W wit |