Plot Literary Terms

Plotthe series of events that

make up the story

Synonym: story line

Expositionintroduces the

characters, setting, and background

Synonym –

explanation or description

Narrative Hook

grabs the reader’s attention

Synonym – “catch”

Rising Action

the series of events that lead up to the

climax

Synonym – “up”

Climaxthe highest point of interest in the story

Synonym – turning point, peak

Falling Action

the series of events that lead to the end

of the story

Synonym – “down”

Resolution

the end of the story, loose ends

are tied up

Synonym – outcome

Cause and Effecteach event leads to or causes the next event

to happen

Synonym – domino effect; chain reaction

Suspensethe feeling of anxiety or uncertainty about the

outcome

Synonym – uncertainty; anticipation; nervousness

Foreshadowingclues that suggest what

will happen next

Synonym – foretell; forecast; predict