Spring Semester Exam Study Guide

Pre-AP English Spring Semester Exam Study Guide

1. Review rules for bellwork and word functions. Study the Determining Word Functions sheet and the Common Parts of Speech sheet. KNOW THE RED SHEET AND THE GREEN SHEET! Both are on my wiki at http://walkerenglish.pbworks.com/. You will have to identify word functions, including clauses and phrases. Be able to explain the process we use in class.

2. Study the information on verbal phrases: A. Gerunds are verbs that act as nouns. They always end in –ing. Because they act as nouns, they are essential sentence parts that usually can NOT be omitted. Examples: Holding his breath became normal for the deep sea diver Donna enjoys going to Wal-Mart. B. Infinitives or infinitive phrases are base forms of verbs that usually begin with the word to. Example: When the last bell rang, Mike jumped up to leave as quickly as he could. C. Participles or participial phrases are verbs formed by the present participle (ends in –ing) or past participle (usually ends in –ed) that act as adjectives. Because these are modifiers, they can be left out of the sentences without significantly changing the sentences’ meaning. They should be located immediately before or immediately after the word they describe. Examples: Thinking out loud, Matt worked the problem quickly. The cake decorated with pink icing belongs to Natalie.

3. Think about writing: writing process, organization of essays, thesis statements, introductions, conclusions, diction, etc.

4. Know these terms from Romeo and Juliet and the poetry unit: aside—character speaks to audience while other onstage characters pretend not to hear dramatic irony—audience knows something that a character does not know dramatic monologue—character makes long speech to other characters pun—play on words soliloquy—character alone on stage speaking thoughts to audience alliteration—repetition of beginning consonant sounds within words consonance—repetition of middle and end consonant sounds in words hyperbole—exaggeration or overstatement metaphor—direct comparison of two unlikes apostrophe—speaking to an inanimate object as if it were present oxymoron—opposite words placed beside each other personification—giving human qualities to non-humans rhyme—words that sound alike at their ends, like car and far rhythm—pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables; the beat simile—comparison using like or as

5. Recall Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. Think about author, themes, plots, irony, characters, settings, tragedy, and differences.

6. Recall Animal Farm. Know these characters and their symbolic counterparts: Mr. Jones = Tsar Nicholas II Squealer = the newspaper Pravda Old Major = Karl Marx Moses = the church Boxer = the working class the pigs = the Bolsheviks Napoleon = Joseph Stalin the farmhouse = the Kremlin Snowball = Leon Trotsky the windmill = Russia’s rush to industrialize Also, think about the characters, plot, commandments, and themes.