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ELA Final Study Guide

Writing Skills
Commas
1. Use a comma before any coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet)
that links two independent clauses.
2. Use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.
3. Use commas to offset appositives from the rest of the sentence.
4. Use commas to separate items in a series.
5. Use a comma after introductory adverbs.
6. Use a comma when attributing quotes.
7. Also use a comma to separate the elements in a full date (weekday, month and
day, and year). Also separate a combination of those elements from the rest of
the sentence with commas.
8. Use a comma when the first word of the sentence is freestanding "yes" or "no."
9. Use a comma when directly addressing someone or something in a sentence.
10. Use a comma between two adjectives that modify the same noun
11. Use a comma to offset negation in a sentence.
12. Use commas before every sequence of three numbers when writing a number
larger than 999. (Two exceptions are writing years and house numbers.)
Semicolons
1. Used to separate clauses
Colons
1. Use only after statements that are complete sentences
Singular vs. Plural possession
o Singular
Singular possession is when ONE person owns something (Noun)
To demonstrate singular possession, we add an and a s to the end of
the owner
Ex: Its Evans study guide, but hell share it
Note: If the owners name ends in s, we only add an , and not the
s
Ex: It was Claudius plan to kill Hamlet
o Plural
Plural possession is when a group of people owns something (Noun)
To demonstrate plural possession we add a and a s at the end of the
owners name
Ex: Women -> Womens
Note: If the owners name ends in s, we only add an , and not the
s

Transitions
o Transitions

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Transitions
Accordingly

For this
reason

After

From that
moment

After all
After that

Furthermore
Hence

After which
Afterward
Also
And

Hereafter
However
In addition
In
comparison
In fact
Indeed
Initially
In the first
place
(second, etc)
In the
meantime
In the future
In
summation
Meanwhile
Moreover
Nevertheles
s
Next
One ... the
other
One ... and
another
Once ... now
On the
contrary
On the
occasion

Another
An additional
As a result
As soon as

At first
At last
At the same
moment
Before long
Besides
But
Conclusively
Conversely
Consequentl
y
Earlier
Even if
Even so

In
successio
n
In the next
place
(second,
etc)
In turn
To
continue
next

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Eventually
Finally
First (second,
etc)
For example
For instance

Also
Another
Besides
Consistent
with this
In addition

Note: more examples given on the transition handout Mrs. Kay gave us

Theme/thesis statement
In order to develop a theme/thesis statement for a piece of literature, you must
consider the conflicts and changes the character(s) undergoes throughout the
work.
A theme/thesis statement should be a general, universal statement that
addresses what the character(s) has encountered and learned throughout the
story. Written in general terms, avoiding I and/or you. Written in the positive,
not the negative.
Must contain When (event), then (consequence), which (result)
MLA style
Name
Teacher name
Class/course
Due Date
Ex:
Evan Amyotte
Mrs. Kay
ELA 8
June 17, 2015

Revision vs. Editing

o Editing
Is on a sentence level, addressing problems with spelling,
grammar, punctuation, or word choice.
Is one-sided. The editor writes comments and corrections on
the paper and returns the paper to the writer.

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Is hierarchical. An editor looks for "mistakes" and "fixes"

them. An editor places value on writing (such as a grade).
Focuses on the paper as a product.
o Revision
Deals with the paper as a whole, considering strengths and
weaknesses, arguments, focus and organization, support, and
voice, as well as mechanical issues.
Is dialogue-based. The purpose or revision is to ask questions,
expanding ideas and challenging arguments which require
discussion between the writer and the reader.
Is non-hierarchical. Offering questions and making observations
allow the writer and reader to hold separate and valid opinions. The
purpose of discussion is to expand and clarify ideas rather than
"correct" them.
Focuses on the writer in the process of writing and increasing the
writer's understanding of the paper's strengths and weaknesses.
Clarifies and focuses the writer's arguments by defining terms,
making concessions and counter-arguments, and using evidence.
This may involve moving or removing entire paragraphs, extending
or narrowing ideas, rewriting vague or confusing text, and adding to
existing paragraphs.

Poetic techniques
1.
2.
3.
4.

Theme
Topic
Tone
Mood

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a. Colour
b. Negative vs. Positive
c. Rhythm and Sound effect
5. Imagery
6. Repetition
7. Personification
8. Symbolism
9. Simile
10. Metaphor
11. Allusion
12. Hyperbole
13. Rhetorical Question
14. Alliteration
15. Onomatopoeia
16. Assonance

Hamlet

Hamlet
o Tragic protagonist
o Fatal flaw
Note: every tragic protagonist has to have a fatal flaw
Inability to avenge his fathers murder
Ex: doesnt kill Claudius when hes (Claudius) praying

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Gertrude
o Caught in the middle of things
o Hamlet sees her marriage as betrayal
Claudius
o Corruption of power
Selfishness
o Others do the dirty work
Bribes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Indirectly kills Gertrude
Ophelia
o Dies
Insane
Fathers (Polonius) death
o Pawn in mens game
Laertes
o works with Claudius to stage fencing match
to kill Hamlet
o mad because Hamlet killed Polonius (father)
exchanges forgiveness before death
England (place, not person)
o Sends Hamlet there
With letter saying Kill Hamlet
England serves under Denmark

Plot events

Page Number
Pg 6-7
Pg 8-9
Pg 10-11
Pg 12-13
Pg 14-15

What Happened
Learn about Ghost of King Hamlet
(Hamlet sr)
Ghost says to bring him Prince Hamlet
King Claudius married
Gertrude/became king
Hamlet is in grief
Horatio takes Hamlet jr to Hamlet sr

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Pg 16-17

Pg 18-19
Pg 20-21
Pg 22-23
Pg 24-25

Pg 26-27
Pg 28-29
Pg 30-31
Pg 32-33
Pg 34-35
Pg 36-37
Pg 38-39
Pg 40-41
Pg 42-43
Pg 44-45
Pg 46-47
Pg 48-49
Pg 50-51
Pg 52-53
Pg 54-55
Pg 56-57
Pg 58-59
Pg 60-61
Pg 62-63

Laertes leaves for France. Hamlet

loves Ophelia. Polonius forbids Ophelia
to love Hamlet
Hamlet jr meets ghost and follows it
Ghost is Hamlet sr, tells story of his
death
Hamlet swears to avenge his father
Hamlet believed insane, Claudius
sends spies (Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern)
Polonius tries to find out why Hamlet is
crazy
Spies arrive. Hamlet hires actor
Plan for play, Polonius tries to prove
madness again
Prove madness failed
Hamlet is sent to England
Play (part 1)
Proves Claudius is a murderer (play
part 2)
Hamlet confronts Gertrude
King prays for forgiveness
Hamlet kills Polonius
Queen sees reason for Hamlets
madness
Hamlet to be killed
Laertes returns! (hes mad)
Hamlet returns! (hes not mad)
Ophelia dies! (Shes not going to
return)
Hamlet sees Ophelia buried
Duel arranged (Hamlet vs. Laertes)
King poisons drink. Laertes stabbed,
Hamlet stabbed, Gertrude dies
FINISH THEM (everybody dies)

The Giver

Utopian vs Dystopian society

o Utopian
A utopia is a community or society possessing highly desirable or near
perfect qualities
o Dystopian

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A dystopia is an imaginary community or society that is undesirable or

frightening. It is literally translated as "not-good place", an antonym of
utopia

Taboo
Something taboo is something forbidden or illegal
Character Traits
o Jonas
Protagonist
Born to Sameness
Community
Different
Eyes (book); birthmark (movie)
Capacity to see beyond
o Colors, occasionally (until given colors by Giver)
o Gabe
Baby
Different
Eyes (book; birthmark (movie)
Lovable
Jonas falls in love with Gabe, which is forbidden
o The Giver
Old receiver of memory
No longer the receiver so he is now the giver
Father like
Jonas looks up to him and thinks very highly of him
Different
Eyes (book); birthmark (movie)
Capacity to hear beyond
o Music/singing

Ceremony of Twelve
The Ceremony of Twelves is one of the Community's annual Ceremonies, and is
when the Elevens get their Assignments. Additionaly, this is considered the last
Ceremony, as there are no more ceremonies and age becomes unimportant, as
noted by several members of the Community. The Ceremony takes place on the
month of December and follows the Ceremony of Elevens. The Elevens are then
called up to receive their Assignments in a predesignated order. However, as
evidenced by Jonas receiving the Assignment of Receiver of Memory, there are

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some exceptions to the order. After the Ceremony, the Twelves begin the training
for their Assignment and their adult life.
Community Rituals
o Daily pills taken in the morning
o Morning dream sharing
o Supper time discussion (feelings about the day)
o Ceremony of Loss
If someone dies
o Ceremony of (ones, twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines,
tens, elevens, and twelves)
Qualities of the Receiver of Memory
Intelligence, integrity, courage, and wisdom (CHAP 8)
Rules for the Receiver of Memory
1. Go immediately at the end of school hours each day to the Annex entrance
behind the House of the Old and present yourself to the attendant.
2. Go immediately to your dwelling at the conclusion of Training Hours each
day.
3. From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. You
may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.
4. Do not discuss your training with any other member of the community,
including parents and Elders.
5. From this moment you are prohibited from dream-telling.
6. Except for illness or injury unrelated to your training, do not apply for any
medication.
7. You are prohibited to apply for release.
8. You may lie
Release
In The Giver, release is a form of euthanasia, intentionally ending ones life to
relieve pain or suffering, or for the good/wellbeing of others/community

Jonas training
Jonas training was to become the receiver of memory and, as the title states;
this means that the Giver had to give Jonas, the receiver, all of the memories of
the past. Its Jonas job, being the receiver of memory, to hold all the memories of
the past so that the others in the community wouldnt have to, and so that the
council of elders could call upon him in situations theyve never faced before so
he can try to find a memory that tells them what to do
LOI (Loss of Innocence)
A "loss of innocence" is a common theme in fiction, pop culture, and realism. It is
often seen as an integral part of coming of age. It is usually thought of as an

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experience or period in a child's life that widens their awareness of evil, pain or
suffering in the world around them

The Outsiders

Symbols
o Sunsets/Sunrises
Sunsets and sunrises in The Outsiders represent the beauty and
goodness in the world, particularly after Johnny compares the gold
in the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" to the gold of the sunrises
and sunsets Ponyboy enjoys. The sunset also stands for the
common humanity of all people, regardless of the gang to which
they belongin their first conversation at the drivein, Cherry and Ponyboy find common ground in their enjoyment of
the same sunset from opposite sides of town
o Greaser Hair

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Sunsets and sunrises in The Outsiders represent the beauty and

goodness in the world, particularly after Johnny compares the gold
in the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" to the gold of the sunrises
and sunsets Ponyboy enjoys. The sunset also stands for the
common humanity of all people, regardless of the gang to which
they belongin their first conversation at the drivein, Cherry and Ponyboy find common ground in their enjoyment of
the same sunset from opposite sides of town
o Blue Mustang
The blue Mustang represents the Socs wealth as well as the
danger they pose to greasers. When Ponyboy or another greaser
spots the Mustang, he knows trouble is coming. As the novel
progresses, however, and Ponyboy comes to understand and feel
compassion for the Socs, the Mustang loses some of its power to
intimidate. Ponyboy actually sits inside of it when Randy and he talk
about the church fire and the rumble
Major/minor characters
o Main gang (gang of protagonists)
Ponyboy Curtis
Sodapop Curtis
Darrel (Darry) Curtis
Johnny
Two-Bit
Steve
Dallis (Dally) Winston
o Other Greasers mentioned
Buck Meril
Curly Meril
o Main Socs mentioned
Cherry Valance
Marcia
Robert (Bob)
Randy
Socs vs. Greasers
o Socs
The Socs are the group of rich kids living in the West side of town. They all
drive fancy cars, have nice cloths, go to a nice school, and are spoiled
brats. For fun, they throw beer blasts, break windows, and jump Greasers.
They may fight because they have nothing better to do, being spoiled
gives them everything they want and the only people who really stand
against them are the Greasers, therefore giving them something to do.
Greasers

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The Greasers are the poorer group of kids living in the East side of town.
Contrary to the Socs, they drive whatever car they can afford, being poor as
they are, they cant afford lots. They have mediocre jobs, cars, and cloths,
and live in the constant fear of being jumped by a gang of Socs. They have a
tendency to form into gangs, and generally appear shady and hood-like.
Most often, the Greasers fight for self defence, as they are constantly
threatened by the Socs. Any fights they start are between fellow Greasers.
Conclusion
At the end of the novel, Johnny dies, and Pony falls into a state of grief. He
denies Johnnys death and even tells himself and others that he was the one who
killed Bob, not Johnny. Ponys grades drop tremendously, and he has a meeting
with his English teacher. His teacher tells him that if he does well on his final
essay, that he will pass Pony with a C. While searching for a topic, Pony
decides to write about his adventure with Johnny, bringing him out of his state of
depression, and back to reality. If you notice, the ending words of the novel are
the same as the starting ones, making it apparent that the novel is his essay.