OVERALL REVIEW OF CONCEPTS Sixth Grade ELA / Mr. Kelley / Northeast Middle School

TCAP Preparation: Making an inference involves using what you know to make a guess about what you don't know. AN EDUCATED GUESS The central idea in a piece of writing is the point that the author wants you to remember most. Characters change as the plot of a story develops. Point of view is the way the author allows you to “see” and “hear” what’s going on. First person = I Second person = YOU Third person = THEY

TCAP Preparation: Genre = Style of Writing Two main categories are fiction and non-fiction Fiction tells a story Non-Fiction gives facts When TCAP asks you to read two passages and then compare and contrast them, they want know how they are alike (compare) and how they are different (contrast). When we make a claim, we give three reasons to support it. The figurative meaning of a word is what it really means. The connotative meaning of a word is what emotions go along with it.

TCAP Preparation: Allusion is when you indirectly refer to another text or historical event. … Context clues are other words around the big word to help us figure out what the big word means. .. Denotation is what the word really means. Connotation is how the word makes me feel.  …. An analogy is a phrase that compares one concept to another. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE = conveys something different from the literal meaning.

TCAP Preparation: AN ESSAY Paragraph 1 = Introduction. Also contains the thesis statement. Thesis statement = If I could sum up the whole essay in one sentence, this is what I would say. Paragraph 2 = first reason I believe this (five sentences) Paragraph 3 = second reason I believe this (five sentences) Paragraph 4 = third reason I believe this (five sentences) Paragraph 5 = Conclusion (re-state the introduction)

TCAP Preparation: A narrative is a story. You may be asked to write a narrative. It will need characters and a plot. A pronoun takes the place of the noun. Make sure it matches the kind of word (antecedent) that it replaces. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause cannot stand alone. Simple sentence = one independent clause Compound sentence = two independent clauses Complex sentence = one independent + one dependent

TCAP Preparation: The first word of every sentence should be capitalized. Proper nouns (names) should be capitalized. .. PUNCTUATION Comma = pause or separate = , Semi-Colon = kind of like a period = ; Colon introduces a list = : End Punctuation = period, question mark, and exclamation point = . & ? & ! Quotation Marks = word for word, direct speech = “ “ Apostrophe shows missing letters or possession = ‘ Parentheses enclose a different (but related) thought = ( ) A dash signals a sudden change of thought = ---

TCAP Preparation LET’S PRACTICE!!