High school · English and writing
English: Literature and Composition
English: Literature and Composition develops close reading, thoughtful discussion, and evidence-based writing about literature.
What you will learn
- Read stories, poems, and plays closely.
- Analyze how language and structure shape meaning.
- Build interpretations supported by textual evidence.
- Plan, draft, and revise analytical essays.
- Discuss different readings respectfully.
Common challenges
Analysis instead of summary
After describing what happens, explain how a choice creates meaning. Ask why the writer used that detail, image, or structure.
Finding a defensible claim
A useful thesis is specific and open to discussion. Test whether several passages support it, then adjust the claim if needed.
Older or unfamiliar language
Read a short section twice and paraphrase it in plain language. Look up key words without stopping for every unfamiliar detail.
Key concepts
- Close reading
- Close reading studies precise details of language and form. Small patterns can support larger interpretations.
- Theme
- A theme is an idea a text develops about a subject, not just a one-word topic. A text may support several themes.
- Narrative perspective
- Who tells a story affects what readers know and how they judge events. A narrator is not automatically the author.
- Literary choices
- Imagery, figurative language, and structure shape a reader's experience. Analysis explains their effects in a particular passage.
- Argument
- A literary argument connects a debatable claim to textual evidence and reasoning. Quotations need explanation, not just placement.
- Revision
- Revision reconsiders ideas, organization, and evidence. Editing then improves sentence clarity and correctness.
How to prepare
- Read a short story and note three details that stand out.
- Write a paragraph explaining one detail with a short quotation.
- Review sentence boundaries and paragraph organization.
- Try a weekly reading schedule with manageable daily sections.
Study habits that help
- Annotate a few meaningful details rather than highlighting everything.
- Keep a reading log of patterns and questions.
- Read poems aloud to notice rhythm and emphasis.
- Revise one paragraph by strengthening the link between evidence and claim.
What to expect
- Typical workload
- Moderate
- Time outside class
- Typically about 3 to 6 hours outside class; reading lengths and school expectations vary.
- Pace
- Reading and discussion usually continue alongside essay planning and revision.
- How it is usually graded
- Essays, reading responses, discussions, quizzes, projects, and sometimes timed writing commonly contribute to grades.
Skills that help
- Sustained reading
- Text annotation
- Paragraph writing
- Respectful discussion
What teachers usually expect
- Read assigned passages before discussion.
- Support interpretations with the text.
- Submit original writing and credit sources.
Before you start
- Experience reading age-appropriate fiction and nonfiction
- Basic paragraph and essay writing
- Willingness to revise from feedback
These are general descriptions of a typical course. Workload, pace and prerequisites differ by school and instructor, so check with your counselor, advisor or the course catalog.
Where it can lead
- English
- Journalism
- Education
- Communications
- Law-related study
Flashcards
Card 1 of 10
Practice questions
Question 1 of 6
Which sentence uses a simile?
Vocabulary
- Diction
- A writer's word choices.
- Syntax
- The arrangement of words and phrases into sentences.
- Allusion
- A reference to another text, person, event, or cultural work.
- Motif
- A recurring detail or pattern that contributes to meaning.
- Conflict
- A struggle between opposing forces, within or outside a character.
- Characterization
- How a text develops a character's qualities.
- Enjambment
- A sentence or phrase continuing beyond a line break in poetry.
- Paraphrase
- A restatement of an idea in your own words, still credited when taken from a source.