Nonfiction Essay UnitNonfiction Essay Unit

VocabularyVocabulary

39. Nonfiction Essay39. Nonfiction Essay

A brief discussion of a particular A brief discussion of a particular topic.topic.

The topic cannot be fictional.The topic cannot be fictional. There are four types of nonfiction There are four types of nonfiction

essays.essays.

Narrative EssayNarrative Essay

Tells a storyTells a story

Descriptive EssayDescriptive Essay

Describes a person, place, or objectDescribes a person, place, or object

Persuasive EssayPersuasive Essay

Presents information to convince the Presents information to convince the reader about somethingreader about something

Expository Essay (Explanatory)Expository Essay (Explanatory)

Gives information on a certain topic, Gives information on a certain topic, or explains somethingor explains something

40. Main Idea40. Main Idea

The theme or central idea in the The theme or central idea in the essay.essay.

41. Major Details41. Major Details

Important details in the essay that Important details in the essay that support the main idea.support the main idea.

Facts, Examples, Opinions, and Facts, Examples, Opinions, and Details can be used as Major Details. Details can be used as Major Details.

Facts are always true. Facts are always true. Opinions show the author's feelings, Opinions show the author's feelings,

or what they want you to believe. or what they want you to believe.

42. Proper Sequence42. Proper Sequence

Having things occur in the correct Having things occur in the correct order. order.

Putting Details from the story in the Putting Details from the story in the same order that they happened in.same order that they happened in.

43. Comparison and Contrast43. Comparison and Contrast

Look for Similarities and Differences Look for Similarities and Differences between two things. between two things.

Compare- Tell what is the same.Compare- Tell what is the same. Contrast- Tell what is different.Contrast- Tell what is different.

44. Personality Traits of a Major 44. Personality Traits of a Major CharacterCharacter

Tell What the Character's Personality Tell What the Character's Personality is like, and what makes them special is like, and what makes them special or different.or different.

45. Connotative and Denotative 45. Connotative and Denotative LanguageLanguage

The difference in meanings that a word or The difference in meanings that a word or phrase may have.phrase may have.

Denotative meaning: The "Dictionary" Denotative meaning: The "Dictionary" meaning of a word.meaning of a word.

Connotative: Other meanings that a word Connotative: Other meanings that a word may have.may have.

Examples:Examples: DenotativeDenotative= what the dictionary says about = what the dictionary says about

a worda wordConnotativeConnotative=what people think of when =what people think of when

they hear a word- “Street” meaningthey hear a word- “Street” meaning

46. Drawing Logical Inferences or 46. Drawing Logical Inferences or ConclusionsConclusions

To read an essay and make a guess To read an essay and make a guess or a decision about what it is saying.or a decision about what it is saying.

To “read between the lines”.To “read between the lines”. (Infer, Conclude, Deduce, Guess, (Infer, Conclude, Deduce, Guess,

Decide)Decide)