| Term | Definition |
| text to world | relating writing to events around us |
| theme | universal idea illustrated in a written piece |
| third person (limited) | narrator outside story; seen mainly through one character's eyes |
| third person (objective) | no single character's viewpoint, but told through sensory "fly on the wall" |
| third person (omniscient) | narration through thoughts of several characters |
| understatement | form of speech in which a lesser expression is used than what would be expected. |
| tone | Author's attitude, stated or implied toward a subject and the audience |