Mrs. Bassett's English Language Arts Grade 8: Test Prep & Practice

 Mrs. Bassett's  English Language Arts Grade 8: Test Prep & Practice

Ch 1.  Punctuation & Grammar

 Capitalization Rules in Writing

 Punctuation: Using Colons, Semicolons & Periods  

 Commas  

 Comma Usage: Avoid Confusion in Clauses & Contrasting Sentence Parts  

 Question Mark  

Exclamation Mark 

 Apostrophe 

 Parentheses and Dashes 

 Using Hyphens, Brackets, Ellipses & Quotation Marks  

 How to Use and Interpret Hyphenation Conventions

Ch 2.  Sentence Types & Components

 Exclamatory Sentence: Definition & Examples  

 Declarative Sentence: Definition & Examples  

 Interrogative Sentence: Definition & Examples  

 Imperative Sentence: Definition & Examples  

 Types of Sentences: Simple, Compound & Complex  

 Compound-Complex Sentence  

 Parts of a Sentence: Subject, Predicate, Object & Clauses  

 How to Identify the Subject of a Sentence  

 What are Predicates?  

 Compound Predicate  

 Sentence Fragments, Comma Splices and Run-on Sentences   

 Varied Sentence Structure in Writing  

 Parallelism: How to Write and Identify Parallel Sentences  

 What Are Misplaced Modifiers and Dangling Modifiers?

Ch 3.  Clauses & Phrases

 What is a Clause?  

 Types of Clauses: Noun, Adverbial, & Relative Clauses  

 Independent & Dependent Clauses: Subordination & Coordination   

 Restrictive Clause: Examples & Overview  

 What is a Phrase?  

 Types of Phrases: Gerund, Participial, Prepositional & More  

 Appositives & Appositive Phrases: Definition & Examples

Ch 4.  Pronoun Usage

 What Are Pronouns? - Types, Examples & Definition  

 What Are Personal Pronouns?  

 Possessive Pronouns & Contractions: Definition & Examples  

 Intensive Pronouns: Definition & Examples  

 What is an Antecedent? - Definition, Meaning & Examples  

 Compound Antecedents: Definition & Examples  

 Personal Pronouns and Antecedents: Number Agreement  

 Correcting Inappropriate Shifts in Pronouns

Ch 5.  Verbs, Tenses & Agreement

 Action, Linking and Auxiliary Verbs

 Verbs in Indicative, Imperative, Interrogative, Conditional & Subjunctive Moods

 Verb Tense & Subject-Verb Agreement  

 Subject-Verb Agreement 

 Using the Correct Verb with Compound Subjects  

 Identifying Errors of Verb Tense   

 Identifying Subject-Verb Agreement Errors  

 Identifying Errors with Indefinite Pronoun-Verb Agreement  

 Inappropriate Shifts in Verb Voice and Mood  

 Active and Passive Voice

Ch 6.  Analyzing & Interpreting Text

 How to Analyze a Literary Passage: A Step-by-Step Guide  

 What is Inference? - How to Infer Intended Meaning  

 Drawing Inferences in Fiction  

 How to Interpret Generalizations of a Passage  

 How to Draw Conclusions from a Passage  

 Citing Textual Evidence to Support Analysis of the Text   

 How to Restate an Idea and Summarize Take Quiz

 How to Explain the Main Point through Supporting Details   

 Influence of Dialogue or Incidents on Action, Character or Decisions   

 Analyzing the Fictional Portrayal of a Time, Place or Character   

 Comparing an Original Story to Its Film Version  

 Sources of Modern Fiction: Myths, Traditional Stories & Religious Works

 How Different Literary Genres Approach Similar Themes & Topics   

 How to Analyze Two Texts Related by Theme or Topic

Ch 7.  Craft & Structure

 Author's Purpose  

 Point of View in Fiction: First Person, Third Person & More   

 Narrators in Literature: Types and Definitions  

 How an Author Develops & Contrasts Points of View  

 How Point of View Creates Suspense and Humor  

 What is Structure in Writing and How Does it Affect Meaning?   

 How to Identify & Analyze Text Structure  

 How to Determine the Text Structure of a Passage Using Transitions   

 Determining the Sequence of Events or Steps in a Reading Selection   

 Analyzing Sequence of Events in an Informational Text  

 How to Determine the Cause and Effect of an Event in a Passage   

 Organizing and Categorizing Ideas, Concepts and Information   

 How to Analyze Graphic Information Inside a Text

Ch 8.  Word Choice & Tone

 What Are Connotation and Denotation? - Definitions & Examples   

 Understanding Tone and Mood in a Reading Passage  

 How to Interpret the Word Choice of a Writer  

 Impact of Word Choice on Meaning and Tone  

 How to Determine the Writer's Tone and Point-of-View  

 Interpreting Tone in Fiction  

 Constructing Meaning with Context Clues, Prior Knowledge & Word Structure

 How to Use Context to Determine the Meaning of Words   

 Understanding Words By Their Relationships  

 How to Determine the Meaning of Ambiguous Words   

 Using Affixes and Roots to Find the Meaning of Words  

 What is a Synonym?   

 What are Antonyms?   

 Commonly Confused Words in English  

 Spelling: Words That Sound Alike (Homonyms & Homophones)

Ch 9.  Literary Elements & Devices

 How to Analyze Plot  

 Plot Techniques in American Fiction   

 Setting in Literature   

 How Setting Shapes the Characters & Plot  

 How to Analyze Characters in Literature  

 Characterization: Character Roles & Dialogue in Fiction  

 What is Theme in Literature?  

 How to Find the Theme or Central Idea  

 Analyzing Theme Development in a Text: Characters, Setting & Plot   

 How Story Elements Interact & Shape One Another  

 How to Compare and Contrast Elements of a Passage  

 Types of Irony  

 What is Foreshadowing?   

 What is a Flashback in Literature?  

Ch 10.  Drama Analysis

 What is Drama? - Terms, Time Periods and Styles  

 Elements of Drama: Characters, Plot, Setting & Symbolism  

 Drama Structure: Acts, Scenes, Prologue & Epilogue  

 Reading & Interpreting Dialogue from a Script or Play  

 Interpreting the Main Idea and Purpose of a Scene  

  The Use of Punctuation in Dramatic Dialogue  

 Identifying Stage Directions in a Drama  

 Inferring Mood in Drama  

 Character Dialogue & Nonverbal Communication in a Drama  

 Character Motivation in a Drama  

 Dramatic Comedy: History and Types  

 Tragedy in Drama: Classical to Modern  

 Dramatic Monologue  

 Soliloquy  

 Plot Elements in Drama: From Exposition to Resolution

Ch 11.  Poetry Analysis

 Glossary of Literary Terms: Poetry  

 Form & Meaning in Poetry  

 Poems with ABAB Rhyme Scheme   

 Elements of Poetry: Rhythm  

 Blank Verse  

 What Is Free Verse Poetry?   

 Consonance, Assonance, and Repetition   

 Alliteration  

 Elegy Poems  

 Narrative Poems  

 Odes  

 Sonnets  

 Petrarchan Sonnet   

 What is a Ballad Poem?   

 How the Structure of a Poem or Drama Contributes to Meaning

Ch 12.  Figurative Language

 Interpreting Figurative Language in Fiction  

 What Is a Figure of Speech?  

 Personification and Apostrophe  

 Cliches, Paradoxes & Equivocations  

 Similes in Literature   

 What is a Metaphor?  

 Synecdoche vs. Metonymy  

 Allegory in Literature  

 Symbolism & Imagery in Literature  

 Understatement & Litotes   

 Oxymoron in Literature  

 Pun in Literature  

 What is an Idiom?   

 Adages, Proverbs & Aphorisms 

Ch 13.   Informational Text Analysis

 Discerning Explicit Statements from Inferences in a Text   

 How Differing Authors Present Information  

 Understanding Topics Presented in Different Media or Formats   

 A Comparison Between Text & Other Mediums

Ch 14.  Essay Types

 Narrative Essay  

 Descriptive Essay  

 Informative Essay  

 Evaluative Essay 

Ch 15.  Writing Basics

 Effective Prewriting   

 Essay Organization and Outline Building   

 Writing: Main Idea, Thesis Statement & Topic Sentences  

 Introductions and Conclusions   

 What is a Conclusion Sentence?   

 How to Write Strong Transitions and Transitional Sentences   

 Structuring Paragraphs and Sentences   

 Supporting Your Writing with Examples and Evidence   

 Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing Your Research  

 How Word Choice and Language Sets the Tone of Your Essay   

 How to Avoid Redundancy in Your Writing  

 Writing Revision: How to Fix Mistakes in Your Writing   

 Writing for Your Audience  

 How to Establish and Maintain a Formal Writing Style  

 The Importance of Using Precise Language in Writing

Ch 16.  Using Source Materials

 What is a Dictionary?   

 What is a Thesaurus?  

 How to Use Sources to Write Essays and Evaluate Evidence  

 How to Use Reference Material in Your Writing   

 What Is a Bibliography and When Should I Write One?  

 How to Avoid Plagiarism: When to Cite Sources  

 How to Read Citations in Texts and Bibliographies  

 Journal Article Citations  

 Citations from Magazines  

 How to Cite Online Sources  

  How to Make In-Text Citations  

 What is MLA Format?  

 How to Make a Works Cited Page

Ch 17.  Argumentative Writing

 Parts of An Argument: Claims, Counterclaims, Reasons, and Evidence

 Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Sources  

 Evaluating Reasoning in an Essay or Article  

 How to Evaluate Reasoning  

 How to Analyze an Argument's Effectiveness & Validity  

 How to Analyze Two Texts with Opposing Arguments  

 How to Write a Great Argument  

 How to Structure an Argument in Your Essay  

 Determining Facts vs. Opinion in a Text   

 Recognizing Biases, Assumptions & Stereotypes in Written Works

Ch 18.  English Language Arts Grade 8 Flashcards

 Punctuation & Grammar

 Sentence Types & Components

 Clauses & Phrases

 Pronoun Usage

 Verbs, Tenses & Agreement

 Analyzing & Interpreting Text

 Craft & Structure

 Word Choice & Tone

 Literary Elements & Devices

 Drama Analysis

 Poetry Analysis

 Figurative Language

 Informational Text Analysis

 Essay Types

 Argumentative Writing