Download My Language Arts Cheat Sheet Noun Pronoun Adverb Adjective

My Language Arts Cheat Sheet
Noun
Pronoun
Person, place, thing, idea
Commonschool, store, park
ProperOla Middle School,
Office Depot, Piedmont Park
Singularman, girl, party
Pluralmen, girls, parties
Collectivegroup, chorus, herd
Abstract (untouchable)love,
beauty, wisdom, hope, intellect
Concrete (touchable)house,
book, table, lady, desk, phone
Possessive(shows ownership)
girl’s, boy’s, car’s, dogs’,
children’s
Takes the place of a noun and
determines the POINT OF VIEW
in stories
Antecedentthe noun that the
pronoun replaces
Personal Pronouns
(subjective)I, you, he, she, it,
we, you, they
Personal Pronouns
(objective)me, you, him, her,
it, us, you, them
Possessive Pronounsmy, your,
his, her, its, mine, yours, our,
their, ours, theirs
Reflexive Pronouns (reflect back
to “self”)myself, yourself,
himself, herself, itself, ourselves,
yourselves, themselves
Relative Pronouns (start
dependent clauses)that,
which, who, whom, whose
Interrogative Pronouns (ask a
question)Which? Whose?
What? Whom? Who?
Demonstrative Pronoun
(demonstrate which one)this,
that, these, those
Indefinite Pronoun (don’t refer
to a definite person or
thing)each, either, neither, all,
most, several, few, many, none,
everybody, anybody, another,
both, any, other, etc.
Preposition
Conjunction
Shows relationship between a
noun or pronoun and some other
word in the sentence
Examples: above, across, against,
along, around, at, before,
behind, below, between, by,
down, except, for, from, in, of,
off, on, over, since, through, to,
under, until, up, with, etc.
Joins words, phrases, and clauses
CoordinatingFANBOYS
(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Subordinating (start dependent
clauses)after, since, before,
while, because, although, so
that, if, when, whenever, as,
even though, until, unless, etc.
Correlative
not only/but also
neither/nor
either/or
both/and
whether/or
NOTE: A simple subject, direct
object, indirect object, predicate
nominative, or predicate
adjective will NEVER be in a
prepositional phrase.
Adverb
Modifies adjectives, verbs, and
other adverbs
Answers How? When? Where?
To what extent?
Usually end is ly
Not is always an adverb.
Adjective
Modifies nouns or pronouns
Answers Which one? What kind?
How many?
Articles (special group of
adjectives) a, an, the
Comparative Adjectives are used
to compare two nouns.
Ex: My dog is bigger than my
neighbor’s dog.
Superlative Adjectives are used
to compare three or more
nouns.
Ex: He is the tallest student in
our class.
NOTE: NEVER use more and
the suffix er together. NEVER
use most and the suffix est
together.
Interjection
A word or expression typically
used in grammatical isolation to
show emotion.
Un-huh,
Wow!
Dang!
No,
Yes,
Oooh,
Man!
Ouch!
Aaah,
Whoa!
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Verb
Shows action or helps make a
statement
Action (shows action)
Linking (links two words
together)is, be, am, are, was,
were, been, being, appear,
become, feel, grow, look, seem,
smell, taste, etc.
Helping (helps an action verb or
linking verb)is, be, am, are,
was, were, been, being, will,
would, can, could, shall, should,
may, might, must, have, has,
had, do, does, did, ought, etc.
Verb Tense
Verbals
Subject/Predicate
Complements
Present (happening
now)jump, talk, eat, falling, is
falling, am falling
Past (happened
previously)jumped, talked,
ate, fell, was falling
Future (will happen in the
future)will jump, shall talk, will
be eating
Present Perfect (have or has
plus the past particle)have
jumped, has talked, have been
eating, has been falling
Past Perfect (had plus the past
participle)had jumped, had
talked, had been eating
Future Perfect (will have or shall
have plus the past
participle)will have jumped,
shall have talked, will have been
eating
Verb not behaving like a verb
Gerundverb acting like a noun
•Ends in ing
•Can function as a subject,
direct object, or object of the
preposition
Participleverb acting like an
adjective
•Ends in ing or ed (or other past
tense ending)
Infinitive to + verb
•Can function as a noun,
adjective, or adverb
Complete Subjectpart of
sentence about which something
is being said
Simple Subjectmain word (or
group of words) in the complete
subject
•must be a noun, pronoun,
gerund, or infinitive
•NEVER in a prepositional phrase
•can be an “understood you”
•There and here are never the
subject of a sentence
Completes the meaning of the
subject and verb
Direct Objectcomes AFTER an
ACTION VERB and answers the
questions What? or Whom?
•Is a noun or pronoun
•To find it, say “subject, verb,
what?”
Indirect Objectusually comes
between the action verb and
direct object and answers the
questions to whom? for whom?
or to what?
• Is a noun or pronoun
•To find it, say, “subject, verb,
direct object, to/for whom or
what?”
Predicate Nominative
(noun)follows linking verb and
renames subject.
•To find, say, “subject, linking
verb, what?”
Predicate Adjectivefollows
linking verb and describes
subject
•To find, say, “subject, linking
verb, what?”
Transitive/Intransitive
Transitive Verbhas a direct
object
Intransitive Verbdoes NOT
have a direct object
NOTE: ALL linking verbs are
intransitive
Complete Predicatepart of the
sentence that says something
about the subject
Simple Predicateverb
•95% of the time the predicate
will begin with the verb
Appositives
Prepositional Phrase
Noun or pronoun that follows
and renames another noun or
pronoun
Essentialnecessary
information = NO COMMAS
Ex. My friend Jodi enjoys running.
Non-essentialextra
information = commas
Ex. My husband, Tom, plays
hockey.
Group of words beginning with
preposition and ending with a
noun or pronoun.
Can act as an adjective or
adverb.
Object of the
prepositionfollows preposition
and tells “what?”
NOTE: If there is no object, it’s
not a preposition.
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Clauses and Phrases
Phrasea group of words
without a subject and verb
Clausea group of words with a
subject and verb
Dependent Clausecontains a
subject and verb but does NOT
make a complete thought
•Starts with a relative pronoun
or a subordinating conjunction
Independent Clausecontains a
subject and verb and makes a
complete thought
Adjective Clausehas a subject
and verb. It acts like an
adjective. Usually begins with a
relative pronoun.
Adverb Clausehas a subject
and verb. It acts like an adverb.
Usually begins with a
subordinating conjunction.
Noun Clausehas a subject and
verb. It acts as a noun.
Sentence Types
Sentence Purposes
Italics vs. Quotation Marks
Fragmentan incomplete
thought
The fix add a subject,
predicate, or both.
Run-ontwo independent
clauses incorrectly joined.
The fix1. Make two
independent clauses 2. Add a
semi-colon between the clauses
3. And a comma and a
coordinating conjunction
between the clauses
Simpleone independent clause
Declarativemakes a statement
Compoundtwo or more
independent clauses
Interrogativeasks a question
Exclamatoryexpresses strong
feelings
Italics and underlining are the
same thing.
•Use italics for long works:
newspapers, magazines, CDs,
movies, novels, plays, etc.
•Use italics for names of ships,
planes, trains, artwork, and
foreign expressions.
•Use “quotation marks” for short
works: articles, songs, TV
episodes, short stories, poems,
etc.
•Use “quotation marks” for
dialogue and words copied from
other sources.
Commas
Types of Fiction
Plot Diagram
Types of Conflict
1.After a greeting & closing
2.After a direct address
3. Around a non-essential
appositive
4. Between items in a series (a
series is 3 or more)
5. After a dependent clause
6. After an introductory phrase
7. After a transition word
8. Between a city & state. Also
after the state 9. After the day of
the week in a date
10. Between the date and year
11. In dialogue to separate the
speaker from what is being
spoken
12. Before the coordinating
conjunction when joining two
independent clauses
13. Around a non-essential
adjective clause
14. After an introductory word
15. Around an interrupter
Realistic fictionstories with
situations that can happen in real
life
Historic fictionstories that
take place during past historical
times
Mysterystories involving
suspense, danger, and intrigue
Adventurerelatively realistic;
characters have many exciting
experiences
Fantasyimaginative stories;
characters & settings are
different from real world; often
dealing with magic, battles of
good vs. evil
Science fictiona type of
fantasy; stories generally set in a
future time or world in which
scientific advances have changed
society in important ways
Folktalestraditional stories
that reveal the values and beliefs
of a culture
Mytha traditional story;
usually of unknown authorship;
answers basic questions about
the world. Myths attempt to
explain such things as human
nature, the origin of the world,
mysteries of nature, and social
customs.
Fablea brief tale that teaches a
lesson about human nature.
Many fables feature animals.
Legenda story handed down
from the past about a specific
person—usually someone of
heroic achievement.
Expositionintroduces the
characters, setting, and tone of a
story
Sentence Errors
Imperativegives a command
Complexone independent
clause + one or more dependent
clauses.
Compound Complextwo
independent clauses + one or
more dependent clauses.
Rising Actiondevelops the
main conflict
Climaxthe “turning point” or
highest interest point of a story
Falling Actionloose ends are
being tied-up and the story is
headed towards a solution
Resolutionthe main conflict is
resolved or the story simply ends
Internal Conflict
Man vs. Selfa character fights
against his own personal beliefs
and values
External Conflict
Man vs. Man a conflict
between two characters in the
story
Man vs. Societya character is
an outcast or tries to break the
normal rules society has
established
Man vs. Naturea character
fights against the forces of
nature (ex: disease, tornado,
geographic location, a whale)
Man vs. Technology/Fantasy man
fights against technology
advances or aliens
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Author’s Purpose
(P.I.E.) &
Point of View
Author’s Purposeauthor’s
intent or reason for producing a
piece of writing
Genre Examples
To persuadeto use convincing
strategies and techniques to try
to get someone to agree or see
that your view is worth
considering
To informto give information
or news
To entertainto humor or
enlighten
To explainto discuss how
something works or how to do
something (to teach)
Point of View
•1ST Person: pronouns having to
do with “me” or “I”
•2nd Person: pronouns having to
with “you”
•3rd Person: pronouns having to
do with everyone else
•3rd Person omniscient: “allknowing” point of view; having
complete knowledge or
awareness
Figurative Language
Literary Terms
Organizational
Structures
Alliteration the repetition of
the initial (first) consonant.
There should be at least three
repetitions in a row. Ex. She sells
seashells by the seashore.
NOTE: If you use a vowel
rather than a consonant, it is
assonance.
Idioms Idioms are phrases or
expressions that have hidden
meanings. The expressions don't
literally (exactly) mean what the
words say. Ex: It’s raining cats
and dogs.
SymbolismObjects that stand
for something else. Ex. heart =
love, dove = peace, shamrock =
good luck
Imageryaddresses the senses
of a reader Ex. Hot, spicy, juicy,
well-seasoned chicken
Hyperbolean
exaaaaaaaggggerated expression
usually used for emphasis or
humorous effect Ex: You could
have knocked me over with a
feather.
Personification
Personification is giving human
qualities, feelings, action, or
characteristics to inanimate
(non-living) objects. Ex: The wind
breathes a chill into the air.
Metaphora comparison of two
things without using “like” or
“as” Ex: Her eyes were sparkling
diamonds.
Similea comparison of two
things using “like” or “as” Ex: His
eyes were as blue as the ocean.
Onomatopoeiause of words
that sound like their meaning;
sound words Ex: buzz, bang,
boom, zoom, ding
Allusion an implied or indirect
reference to a person, event, or
thing or to a part of another text
Ex: I was surprised his nose was
not growing like Pinocchio’s.
Ironyoutcome of events
contrary to what was, or might
have been expected
Themecentral subject of a
work; the life lesson learned
Main Ideacentral focus
Conflictthe problem in a story
Settingwhere and when a
story occurs
Characterspeople or animals
that experience the events of the
plot in a story
•Dynamic (round)characters
who change throughout the
story
•Static (flat)characters who do
not change at all
Characterizationused in
stories to give characters traits
and emotions; can be seen
through the character’s
thoughts, actions, looks, or
words.
Foreshadowinghints the
author gives the reader so that
he/she can make predictions
Flashbackliterary device in
which an earlier event is inserted
into the normal chronological
order of a narrative.
Ironywhen there is a
difference between what
appears to be happening and
what is actually happening
Tonethe writer’s attitude
about the subject; think of the
voice of the story (amused,
angry)
Moodthe feeling the reader
gets from the story (happiness,
sorrow)
Irrelevantnot important
Extraneousextra, unimportant
Transitionswords used to
connect thoughts and ideas and
to move from one paragraph or
sentence to the next. Ex: also,
certainly, as a result, in other
words, most importantly, etc.
Graphic Organizers text that is
put on a chart, time line, or other
graphic form
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Chronological Orderthe order
in which events occur (first, next,
finally)
Order of Importanceorganized
with the most important
facts/information first followed
by the least important
Comparison & Contrastshows
how two or more things are alike
and different (signal words
compare: like, also, too, all, and
the same
signal words contrast: different,
unlike, and however)
Cause & Effectdescribes an
event or condition that causes
other things to happen (signal
words cause: so, therefore, as a
result
signal words effect: because,
since, as a result)
Deductionbegins with a
general ideas and uses it to
support specific conclusions
Inductionbegins with specific
idea that leads to a general idea
Problem/solutiondescribes a
current problem and proposes a
solution, or shows how a past
problem was solved
Question/answerasks a
question (to a current problem)
and proposes or provides an
answer
Spatial Orderput things in
order based on their location in a
particular area