| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | accessible | easy for many readers |
| 2. | acerbic | sharp and biting in tone |
| 3. | allusive | full of indirect references |
| 4. | ambitious | attempting something difficult |
| 5. | atmospheric | strongly creating mood |
| 6. | authentic | genuine and true to life |
| 7. | baggy | loose and overextended |
| 8. | bleak | grim and without hope |
| 9. | brisk | quick and energetic |
| 10. | cadence | the rhythmic flow of language |
| 11. | character | a person in the story |
| 12. | climax | the turning point of action |
| 13. | coherent | clear and logically connected |
| 14. | cohesive | forming a unified whole |
| 15. | compelling | powerfully holding attention |
| 16. | complex | not simple; many parts |
| 17. | conflict | the central struggle |
| 18. | dark | gloomy or disturbing |
| 19. | dense | closely packed and demanding |
| 20. | derivative | too closely imitative |
| 21. | dialogue | spoken exchanges between characters |
| 22. | diction | the author’s word choice |
| 23. | didactic | intended to teach morals |
| 24. | elegant | graceful and refined |
| 25. | elegiac | mournful and reflective |
| 26. | ending | the story’s final part |
| 27. | engaging | pleasantly interesting and involving |
| 28. | episodic | made of loosely linked parts |
| 29. | evocative | bringing strong images or feelings |
| 30. | expansive | broad in scope or style |
| 31. | first-person | narration using I or we |
| 32. | flat | lacking depth or energy |
| 33. | foreshadowing | hints of future events |
| 34. | formulaic | following a predictable pattern |
| 35. | fragmentary | broken into incomplete pieces |
| 36. | generic | lacking unique qualities |
| 37. | haunting | lingering in the mind |
| 38. | hook | an attention-grabbing opening |
| 39. | idiosyncratic | oddly individual in style |
| 40. | imagery | language creating vivid pictures |
| 41. | immersive | deeply absorbing the reader |
| 42. | intimate | closely personal and revealing |
| 43. | inventive | showing creative originality |
| 44. | ironic | expressing meaning by contrast |
| 45. | layered | having multiple levels of meaning |
| 46. | limited | restricted to one viewpoint |
| 47. | lucid | clear and easy to follow |
| 48. | meandering | wandering without clear direction |
| 49. | measured | carefully controlled and steady |
| 50. | meditative | deeply reflective and thoughtful |
| 51. | melodramatic | overly dramatic and emotional |
| 52. | motif | a recurring element or idea |
| 53. | moving | emotionally affecting |
| 54. | narrative | the act of telling |
| 55. | nuanced | showing fine distinctions |
| 56. | omniscient | knowing all characters’ thoughts |
| 57. | opaque | hard to understand |
| 58. | opening | the beginning section |
| 59. | original | fresh and not derivative |
| 60. | ornate | highly decorated in style |
| 61. | overwritten | too elaborate in wording |
| 62. | pacing | the speed of development |
| 63. | plot | the sequence of events |
| 64. | poignant | deeply touching and sad |
| 65. | premise | the basic situation or concept |
| 66. | pretentious | trying too hard to impress |
| 67. | prose | written language not verse |
| 68. | readable | easy and pleasant to read |
| 69. | register | level of formality in language |
| 70. | resolution | the conflict’s final outcome |
| 71. | resonant | rich with lasting meaning |
| 72. | rhythm | pattern of beats in language |
| 73. | rounded | fully developed and lifelike |
| 74. | scene | a unit of dramatic action |
| 75. | sentimental | excessively emotional |
| 76. | setting | the story’s time and place |
| 77. | structure | the work’s overall organization |
| 78. | style | the author’s distinctive manner |
| 79. | subtle | delicate and not obvious |
| 80. | symbolism | use of symbols for meaning |
| 81. | syntax | sentence arrangement and structure |
| 82. | taut | tightly controlled and tense |
| 83. | tense | the time frame of verbs |
| 84. | theme | the central underlying idea |
| 85. | third-person | narration using he she they |
| 86. | timeless | not limited by era |
| 87. | timely | relevant to current concerns |
| 88. | tone | the work’s emotional attitude |
| 89. | tragic | involving great suffering or loss |
| 90. | understated | deliberately restrained |
| 91. | underwritten | too sparse or undeveloped |
| 92. | uneven | inconsistent in quality |
| 93. | uplifting | inspiring hope or joy |
| 94. | verbose | using too many words |
| 95. | viewpoint | the perspective presented |
| 96. | visceral | felt deeply and physically |
| 97. | vivid | clear and striking |
| 98. | voice | the author’s unique expression |
| 99. | witty | cleverly funny |
| 100. | worldbuilding | creation of an imagined world |