AIMS 1Vocabulary, ENG 10

ADAGEA saying that states a general truth.

Example:

“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

AFFIXPrefixes and suffixes. Parts of words that change a

word’s meaning.

Examples:

-ing, ed, pre-, re-,

ALLUSIONA reference to a famous person, place, event or

literary work.

ANTAGONISTThe main character who is against the protagonist

or hero.

Example:

The Joker is the antagonist in the movie The Dark Knight because he is trying to destroy Batman.

ALLITERATIONThe repetition of consonant sounds

Example:

The glittering gold fell on the ground.

The snake slithered silently through the sand.

CONFLICTThe struggle between two characters or forces.

Internal conflict is a struggle a character has with himself; external conflict is with another character or force.

Example: George’s external conflict was with Curley, his internal conflict was whether or not he should kill Lennie.

CLIMAXThe main turning point in a story. The point of most

tension.

Example:

The climax in Of Mice & Men is when Lennie kills Curley’s wife.

CHARACTERIZATION

When the author shows us what a character is like.

Example: “Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes; he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little…”

CONNOTATIONThe secondary meaning of a word, or what is

suggests.

Example: “She is hot.”

The connotation is that she is very pretty.

DENOTATIONThe dictionary definition of a word.

Example: “She is hot.”