ENGLISH 10 ANNOTATION GUIDE
(Keep this in your notebook all year)
Annotating allows you to have an active “dialogue” with a story. Reading is an active process. As you read a text, you should have questions,
predictions, and opinions about what you are reading. Annotating also helps you navigate the book again when you need to prepare for tests,
essays, and class discussions. Annotating is a selective process. You do not want to mark everything because then nothing would stand out.
EVERYONE MUST ANNOTATE IN HIS OR HER OWN WAY, but to help you determine what to mark, here are some suggestions:
BASIC ELEMENTS OF STYLE AND STRUCTURE
Setting - make notes about the time, place, etc. Characters- make note of each character’s name the first time you see it. Also mark the
passages that describe the character’s: Physical appearance Motivations behind his/her actions Relationships to other characters Personality
(especially changes in personality) Plot - events of rising action, climax, falling action and resolution Identify conflict types (Man vs. Man, Man vs.
Self, Man vs. Nature, etc.) Make notes periodically at the tops of pages to help you remember.
Vocabulary-Look up words you do not understand. When you find a definition for the word, you may want to write a synonym out to the side.
Tone – Tone is the attitude implied in a literary work toward the subject and the audience. The following figures of speech may help when
identifying tone in literature.
Metaphor -comparison between two otherwise unlike things (i.e. Love is a Rose, Life is a Roller Coaster, All the World’s a stage, etc.)
Simile –comparison of two things often using “like” or “as” (i.e. Brave as a lion, Fits like a glove, Moves like a snail, etc)
Diction – words with significant connotation (beyond the literal meaning) Imagery – appeals to any one of the five senses (taste, touch, smell, sight,
hearing)
Details – important and noteworthy facts Language – the sound of the text (formal, informal, colloquial/ geographical, etc.)
Syntax – basic sentence structure, punctuation, arrangement of words in a sentence, etc.
Point of View - The way the events of a story are communicated from the author to the reader. For further details look up the definitions for 1st,
2nd and 3rd person POV.
FOCUS ON QUOTES
Quotes can be any length, but try to be clear, concise, and focused in your selections. The following suggestions may be helpful in
identifying important quotes.
Important or Striking Passages - Make note of quotes that you find interesting, or that “speak” to you in some way.
Confusing Passages- If you find yourself baffled, offended, or puzzled, you may want to write a question in the margin to mark that passage/quote
for clarification or discussion at a later time.
Thought-Provoking Passages
- Look for passages that might provoke discussion about book. Make connections to movies, current issues, history, or other pieces of literature.
-Look for commentary on issues of a social, emotional, and ethical (moral), or spiritual nature.
- Examine human nature in general or how the book does/ does not hold true today.
Rhetorical Analysis: Critical Reading Guide
What is Rhetorical Devices? The word rhetoric refers to "the art of speaking or writing effectively." Device, according to Shakespeare, is "anything
fancifully conceived." So a rhetorical device is a fancy turn of phrase--a use of language that creates a literary effect and, ideally, prompts an
emotional response. Why are they useful? Rhetorical devices are useful. It is how something is said, not just what is said that leaves a lasting
impression. Having a good idea or something significant to say is certainly important, but it is not enough. One must also get the message across to
the intended recipient(s), and do it in such a way that both the message and its importance are received and understood. How do we see it in
Literature? Why was Shakespeare such a master of writing? Mainly, because he had an excellent understanding of rhetorical devices and used
them artfully to express his ideas and insights
**List of rhetorical devices can be found at the following website:
https://www.tracy.k12.ca.us/sites/khs/SiteCollectionDocuments/SummerAssignments/APEng3Glossary.pdf
http://teachers.sduhsd.net/ppennock/ap%20resource%20packet.pdf
Grammar Handbook
http://northshorehigh.stpsb.org/userfiles/nhsadmin/files/English%20Handbook%20Final2015.pdf
