6th Grade Reading PSSA Terms

73 terms by b_rossman

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Practice these words! Try quizzing yourself to see how many you know :)


a repetition of initial, or beginning, sounds in two or more consecutive or neighboring words
Ex. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.


a comparison based upon the resemblance in some particular ways between things that are otherwise unlike
Ex. Sock is to foot, as mitten is to hand.


the moment in a story when the action reaches its greatest conflict

cause and effect

the relationship in which one condition brings about another condition as a direct result
Ex. As a result of the storm, the power was out.

compare and contrast

to examine the likeness and differences of two people, ideas, or things


the main source of drama and tension in a literary work; the discord between two persons or forces that brings about dramatic action


the method used by the author to give readers information about a character; a description or representation of a person's qualities or peculiarities


the parets of a literary work that represents conversation.
Ex. "Please, hand me the rope!" Danny exhorted


a piece of information that can be proven
Ex. There are 50 states in the United States of America.

figurative language

description of one thing in terms usually used for something else
Ex. similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, pun, idiom

historical fiction

fiction represented in a setting true to the history of the time in which the story takes place
Ex. Little House on the Prairie Series, The American Girls Series.


the insertion of an earlier even into the normal chronological sequence of a narrative


language that appeals to the senses; the use of figures of speech or vivid descriptions to produce mental images
Ex. The snowcapped mountains were like giants gobs marshmallow peaks rising above the horizon.


the use of clues to give readers a hint of events that will occur later on


the use of words to express the opposite of their literal meaning


a sotry handed down from ealier times; its truth is probably accepted but cannot be verified

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told


a figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things without the use of like or as
Ex. The road was a ribbon of moonlight.

realistic fiction

true to life fiction; the people, places and happenings are similar to those in real life


the feeling the author creates for the reader


the part of the plot form the climax to the ending where the main dramatic conflict is worked out


the type of writing that tells a story


the placement of story events in the order of their occurence


teh character who tells the story


the time and place in which a story occurs


a personal point of view or belief


a figure of speech in which like or as are used to compare two unlike things
Ex. His face was as red as a cherry.


a figure of speech in which an inanimate object is given human characteristics


the quality or feeling conveyed by the work; manner of expression


words with opposite meanings
Ex. hot and cold


teh use of a thing, character, object or idea to represent something else


words with similar meanings
Ex. Difficult and hard


the use of words that mimic sounds. they appeal to our sense of hearing and they help bring descirption to life. a string of syllables the author has made up to represent the way a sound really sounds.
Ex. Caarackle! Boom! Zap! Zoink!


teh main idea of a literary work; the meassage the author wants to communicate, sometimes expressed as a generalization about life


an exaggerated statement used to heighten effect. it is not used to mislead the reader, but to emphasize a point
Ex. I have millions of firends calling my house every night!


a saying whose meaning can't be understood from the individual words in it.
Ex. He answered the question OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.


a word or phrase that has become overly familiar or common place


the story of a person's life written by himself or herself


the story of a person's life written by someone other than the subject of the work

compound word

a word composed of 2 or more smaller words
Ex. wallpaper, bookstore, hallway

context clues

information frome the reading that identifies a word or group of words


to examine or judge carefully


a narrative with animals that have human characteristic intended to convey a moral
Ex. The Tortoise and the Hare

fairy tale

short narratives featuring mythical beigns such as fairies, elves, and spirits
Ex. Princess and the Pea, Cinderella


any story that is the product of imagination rather than fact
Ex. Harry Potter Series

first person

events in a story that are told by a single character from their point of view
Ex. The true story of the Three Little Pigs (told from the wolf's point of view)


a story originating in oral tradition
Ex. legends, ghost stories, fairy tales, and fables


a conclusion drawn from specific information that is used to make a broad statement about a topic or person


a category used to classify literary works, usually by form, technique or content
Ex. fantasy, mystery, realistic fiction, poetry, biography

informational text

non-fiction text, written primarily to convey factual information
Ex. textbooks, newspapers, reports, directions, brochures

main idea

teh author's message about the topic. it is often expressed directly in teh first or last sentence of a paragraph, or it can be implied


the repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry


one of two or more words pronounced alike, but different in spelling or meaning
Ex. hair-hare, their-there-they're, witch-which


a judgment based on reasoning rather than on direct statement. A conclusion based on facts; understandings gained by "reading between the lines"


the prevailing emotions of a work or of the author in his or her creation of work


writing that is not fictional; designed primarily to explain, argue, or describe rather than entertain. For the most part, its the emphasis is factual.


restate text or passage in other words, often to clarify meaning or show understanding


present ideas and create an emotional experience in the reader through the use of meter, imagery, and rhythmic patterns. Relies on words and expressions that have several layers of meaning- strong appeal to the senses


a form of noun or pronoun that indicates "belonging to" for singular nouns, usually formed by the addition of an apostrophe and "s"


an affix put before a word to alter its meaning
Ex. dis (disbelief), un (unprepared), pre (preoccupied)


an obstacle or challenge the main character in a story needs to solve


when the main character overcomes obstacles or challenges in a story; solves the problem


a recount of a story that has just been read in your own words including details of character, plot, setting, conflict, and resolution


identical or very similar recurring final sounds in words usually at teh end of lines of a poem


the pattern or beat of a poem

rising action

the part of a story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated. Events leading up to the climax, or turning point

root word

a word to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to form different words
Ex. The root is help: helpful, unhelpful, helpless


groups of letters placed after a word to modify its meaning or change it into a different group
Ex. speechless (less), beautiful (ful), Kindness (ness


to capture all the most important parts of the original text (paragraph, story, poem) but express them in a much shorter space and in the readers own words


a device in literature where an object represents an idea


one of two or more words in a language that highly similar meanings
Ex. sorrow, grief, sadness

third person

a point of view that presents the events of a story from outside of any single character's perception; usually no special insight into characters' minds or motivations


the attitude of the author toward the audience and characters
Ex. serious or humorous

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