Literature Sentence Stems

The key to developing the skill of restating other people’s ideas in your own words is to develop your own repertoire
of words that can be used in academic writing. Below is a list of some words that can be used to introduce an
author's ideas or purpose grouped by approximate meaning:

States Demonstrates Investigates Identifies Argues

articulates shows researches characterizes challenges
comments conveys experiments recognizes compares
mentions portrays conducts defines contradicts
maintains supports administers embodies contrasts
notes substantiates observes analyses differentiates debates
points out corroborates examines distinguishes defends
says verifies evaluates highlights refutes
suggests confirms scrutinizes specifies holds
indicates criticizes justifies
refers
acknowledges Relates
asserts Predicts connects
claims hypothesizes links
reports theorizes associates
concludes conceptualizes correlates
summarizes understands

Capturing Authorial Action and Introducing Direct Quotes from a text

 X acknowledges, “_________”  X refuses the claim that, “_________”

 X agrees, “_________”  X reminds us that “___________.”
 X argues, “_________”  X reports, “_________”
 X believes, “_________”  X suggests, “___________.”
 X denies/does not deny , “_________”  X urges Y to “___________.”
 X claims, “_________”  X celebrates the fact that , “_________”
 X complains, “_________”  X emphasizes , “_________”
 X concedes, “_________”  X insists , “_________”
 X demonstrates, “_________”  X observes , “_________”
 X questions, “_________”

Sentence starters to discuss author’s Point of View:

 Through X’s point of view, the author (reveals, exposes, divulges, conveys)…
 The author’s choice of narrator affects the work as a whole…
 The point of view of ________ affects the tone of the work because…
 The tone of _______affects the mood because…
 The tone/mood of ____________ identifies/demonstrates…
 The point of view affects of the credibility of the text because…
 The author uses _______ to develop the tone/mood…
 Sentence starters to discuss figurative language:
 This simile / metaphor represents…
 The author’s use of alliteration causes…
 This hyperbole creates…
 This allusion invokes…
 This oxymoron illustrates…
 This (onomatopoetic term) illustrates…
 This (object, color, person, place, action) symbolizes…
 This image evokes…
 This (object) personifies…
 The author uses _______ to demonstrate…

Sentence starters to discuss Ironies, Inconsistencies, and Ambiguities:

 The irony in this sentence / scene suggests…
 The (inconsistency/ambiguity/irony) reveals…
 The irony of the situation affects the work as a whole…
 The author’s use of irony demonstrates/identifies….
 Throughout the literary work, irony functions …
 The author uses _______ to demonstrate…

Sentence Starters to discuss the author’s development of plot/time:

 In the exposition, the author reveals…
 As the (plot/conflict/story) unfolds/unravels/develops…
 This flashback reveals…
 This scene foreshadows…
 The character’s epiphany reveals…
 The use of suspense causes
 ______ development of time illuminates…
 In the dénouement, the author resolves the conflict by…
 In the climax, the author conveys…
 The character’s (internal/external conflict) demonstrates…
 A possible explanation for the author’s _____ is…
 The plot begins to (unravel, unfold, illuminate)…
 The author uses _______ to demonstrate…

Sentence starters to discuss diction/syntax:

 The diction affects the tone of the passage…
 The author’s use of archaic /colloquial terms produces…
 The unusual syntax of this sentence _______ because…
 This rhetorical question denotes ___________ since…
 (Character) questions _________ because…
 The author’s use of (diction/punctuation/sentence structure) demonstrates or identifies...
 The term _____connotes _____ which indicates that…
 The term _____ denotes _____ which indicates that…
 Based on the author’s (diction, syntax—sentence structure, punctuation, etc.—rhetoric), it is evident…
 The author uses (repetition, commas, semi-colons, etc.) to demonstrate…
 Sentence Stems to Maintain or Develop a Claim
 Throughout the text, __________ acknowledges that...
 Through dialogue, __________ agrees that….
 Through direct characterization, ______argues that…
 As the story continues, it is evident that _____believes that…
 Initially, ________denies/does not deny that...
 However/Therefore/thus, _______urges people to...
 Evidently, __________ refutes the claim/idea that…
 Overall, __________ reminds us that…
 Throughout the work, ________ suggests that....
 Through the character’s __________, the author emphasizes,

Sentence stems to discuss Theme

 One question that this text answers is…
 One question that this text addresses is…
 Overall, the author uses ____ to demonstrate…
 The most important message learned from …
 The theme of the story…

Sentence Stems to Connect the Text to Real Life

 _____ contains important (relatable, provocative, etc.) conflicts because people relate to …
 _____ use imagery to evoke emotion in the reader by…
 The author develops characters that are credible/realistic to…
 The conflict allows the reader to connect with the feelings and actions of the characters because/since…
 The complexity of the (plot, conflict, theme, characters) directly impact(s) the audience because…
 The (plot, conflict, theme, characters) function as a form of rhetoric to teach people…
 The (plot, conflict, theme, characters) causes the reader to draw parallels between his or her experiences
and those of the protagonist by…
 The passage contains __________ that engage and hold the reader’s attention through the (complexity) of
_____ and (depth) of ______.
 This situation/action is contrary/similar to ____________. For example, Americans today tend to believe
that ___________.
 Conventional wisdom has it that ___________; however, ____________ uses (figurative language,
dialogue, imagery, etc.) to dispel __________________. For example…
 That standard way of thinking about topic X has it that ___________; nonetheless, _________challenges
this archaic discourse by ________________________.
 It is often said that ___________.
 As one reads this text, it is natural to believe/feel __________. The author…
 Many people assume that___________.

Sentence Stems for Commentary

 Essentially, X believes ___________ since...
 In other words, X deems _________ because...
 In making this comment, x argues that
___________since…
 X is insisting that ___________ because...
 X’s point is that ___________ since…
 This quote means . . .
 This discussion shows . . .
 This conflict illustrates . . .
 This situation reveals . . .
 This act highlights . . .
 This detail exemplifies . . .