Name: _______________________________________ Class: ___________ Date: _________________________

2018 ELA Midterm Study Guide

Completing this study guide will be a good review of the topics that will
be covered on your ELA midterm. The test will be 100 multiple choice
questions over the material we have covered during the first semester.

*There will be several reading passages with questions that address the
following topics. *

What is the definition of theme? What is the difference between a theme and a
subject?
A theme is the overall message of the story or the A theme is the message of a story, and the subject
lesson that a character(s) learn. is what the story is mostly about.

How do you determine the theme of a text?

After reading a story, reflect on the characters and the events that occurred. Try to determine the major
topics covered in the story, and then determine what message was sent or what lesson was learned in
relation to one of those topics. (Ex: Love → topic Love conquers all → theme)

What is direct characterization? What is indirect characterization?

Direct characterization is the method through Indirect characterization is used when information
which the author/narrator specifically provides about a character is revealed through other
information about a character. methods (STEAL: speech, thoughts, effects on
others, actions, looks).

What is the denotation of a word? What is the connotation of a word?

Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word. Connotation is the ideas or thoughts associated
with a word (can be positive or negative).

What is tone? What is mood?

Tone is the author’s attitude toward the subject. Mood is the atmosphere of the text or the feeling
the reader gets from a text.

What are the different types of figurative language we have discussed?

Simile Symbolism Personification Alliteration
Metaphor Foreshadowing Idiom
Hyperbole Flashback Allusion
How do you identify narration in a story? Can the narrator also be a character in the story?
Explain.
Identify who is telling the story (is the person a
part of the story or outside of the story?). If the Yes; the narrator can be a character in the story if
person is outside of the story, determine how many he/she is telling the story from his or her own
(if any) characters’ thoughts and feelings are perspective. This would be first person point of
revealed. view.

What is first person point of view? What is second person point of view?
The narrator is a character in the story and tells the The narrator is speaking to the audience (typically
story from his/her perspective. used in instruction manuals, choose your own
adventure books, etc.).

What is third person objective point of view? What is third person limited point of view?
The narrator tells the story as an outside observer; The narrator tells the story while revealing the
he/she does not reveal thoughts and feelings of thoughts and feelings of one character.
characters.

What is third person omniscient point of view?

The narrator tells the story while revealing thoughts and feelings of all characters.

What are the elements of plot (in the correct order)? Define them.
1. Exposition: the beginning of the story; provides background, introduces the setting and
characters.

2. Rising action: the events that lead up to the climax of the story; the conflict (internal or external)
is introduced.

3. Climax: the turning point in the story.

4. Falling action: the events leading to the resolution; characters begin to resolve conflicts.

5. Resolution: the end of the story; all conflicts are resolved/loose ends are tied up, and readers know
what happened with all characters/events.

What are the two main types or categories of How does conflict motivate a character and move
conflict? the plot along?

Internal (man vs self) Conflict helps to move the plot along because
characters’ actions and interactions are what drive
External (man vs man, man vs nature, man vs the story.
society)
What are some elements that are necessary for
narrative writing? REVIEW YOUR RULES FOR DIALOGUE.
Characters Figurative language There will be questions for which you have to
Setting Point of View choose the examples that are punctuated correctly.
Dialogue
Plot

How does an author’s purpose in nonfiction What are nonfiction text features?
writing differ from that of narrative writing?
Title, heading, subheadings, labels,
In nonfiction, an author is writing to inform. illustrations/graphics/maps, index, glossary, table of
Sometimes an author might also attempt to contents, bold/italicized/underlined words
persuade or entertain, but if it is nonfiction, the
information being shared must be true/based on
reality.

What are the various text structures for Identify some key words for each type of NF text
organization of NF information? structure?

Compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, Compare/contrast: similarly, however, unlike

question/answer, chronological, descriptive, Chronological: first, next, then, last
nonfiction narrative, memoir, biography, Cause/effect: because, therefore, as a result
autobiography Descriptive: characteristics, in addition, such as
Problem/solution: one reason for, so that, thus
Question/answer: who, what, how many, it could
be that

What is an objective summary and what should it include?

An objective summary is one that provides an overview of a text. The overview should include the main
idea and most important supporting details, and it should not include opinions of the author.

How do you determine the central idea of an informational passage?

Determine what the text is mostly about; read first sentences of each paragraph; look at the title and any
images/graphics that may be included, look at bold/underlined/italicized words
How do you recognize active voice in a sentence? How do you recognize passive voice in a sentence?

First: Identify the subject First: Identify the subject

Second: Identify the verb Second: Identify the verb
Ask: Is the subject performing the verb? Ask: Is the subject performing the verb?
If yes - the sentence is active. If no - the sentence is passive

How do you transition a sentence from passive voice to active voice?

The sentence should be rewritten so that the subject of the sentence is performing the action.

How do you recognize a shift in voice?

If a sentence has multiple clauses, identify the voice of each clause. If they are different, there is a shift.

Ex: The girl left her candy on the bus, and it was melted by the heat.
​(active) (passive)

What are the five verb moods? Define them, and provide an example of each.

Indicative​ → statement of fact or opinion → Rachel sat outside to do her homework because it was a
nice day.

Imperative​ → a command; tells someone to do something → Finish your homework before you have a
snack.

Interrogative​ → a question → Did you know that the test is on Monday?

Subjunctive​ → a wish, suggestion, doubt, or hypothetical situation; indicates something that is an

uncertainty
● I wish I had made the team. ​(wish)
● You should study for the test tomorrow.​ (suggestion)
● I doubt the team will win the game. ​(doubt)
● If I were Principal, I would abolish homework. ​(hypothetical)

Conditional​ → indicates a possibility; ​sometimes​ the conditions under which the possibility may occur
are listed, but sometimes they are not
● She might win the election. (​ indicates a possibility)
● She might win the election if most of her classmates vote for her. ​(also indicates a possibility)

How do you recognize a shift in verb mood?

If a sentence has multiple clauses, identify the verb mood of each clause. If they are different, there is a
shift.

Ex: Finish your dinner, and you should clean your room after.
​(imperative) (subjunctive)
Know how commas are used in a sentence. Know how colons are used in a sentence.

-Before and after when addressing someone by  - In a list, except when the list is in the flow of the 
name  sentence  
-Before and after an interrupting word or phrase   
-After each item in a series  - Between independent clauses when the 2nd 
-Before a conjunction in a compound sentence  explains the 1st  
-After an opening word or phrase   
-Between the city and state, and after the state for  - To emphasize a word or phrase at the end of a 
cities  sentence 
- Between the day and year and after the year in 
dates 
- Between coordinating adjectives (two or more  *List colon rules.
adjectives that modify the same noun) 
- Before and after a quote in dialogue (before the 
quote marks before, inside the quote marks after) 

*List comma rules.

Know how semicolons and colons are used.

- To connect independent clauses (instead of a period/comma & conjunction)  

- In lists with internal commas 
- To omit an understood, repeated part of a sentence 

*List rules.

Know how an ellipsis is used.

Ellipsis (set of 3 periods & there should be a space on both sides of the ellipsis unless at the end of a 
quotation) 
 

Ellipses are most commonly used to show omission.  

 

In informal writing, like a narrative, they can show hesitation or thoughts trailing off.   
 

In quotations, they are used to show omitted elements of the quote. 

*List rules.