Text Practice
Learn
In this lesson, you will apply the annotation and analysis strategies you learned in previous lessons to different types of texts. Close reading looks different depending on whether you are reading fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
Approaching Different Text Types
Fiction (Stories and Novels)
When close reading fiction, focus on:
- Character development: How do characters change? What motivates them?
- Setting details: How does the setting affect the mood and plot?
- Dialogue: What does conversation reveal about relationships and conflict?
- Figurative language: What metaphors, similes, and symbols does the author use?
- Narrative perspective: Who is telling the story and why does that matter?
Nonfiction (Articles, Essays, and Informational Text)
When close reading nonfiction, focus on:
- Main idea and thesis: What is the author's central argument or claim?
- Evidence and support: What facts, statistics, or examples support the main idea?
- Text structure: How is the information organized (cause/effect, compare/contrast, chronological)?
- Author's purpose: Is the author trying to inform, persuade, or entertain?
- Source credibility: Is this source reliable and trustworthy?
Poetry
When close reading poetry, focus on:
- Sound devices: Rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, and repetition
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the five senses
- Line breaks and stanzas: Why does the poet break lines where they do?
- Tone and mood: What emotions does the poem create?
- Deeper meaning: What theme or message lies beneath the surface?
The Three-Read Strategy
For any text type, use this three-read approach:
- First read: Read for general understanding. What is this text about?
- Second read: Read for details. Annotate key passages and unfamiliar words.
- Third read: Read for deeper meaning. Analyze craft, purpose, and connections.
Examples
Example 1: Close Reading Fiction
Read this excerpt and observe the annotations:
"The old house at the end of Maple Street had stood empty for as long as Maya could remember. [Setting creates mystery] Its windows were dark eyes staring out at the neighborhood, [Personification - house seems alive] and the overgrown garden whispered secrets to anyone brave enough to listen. [Foreshadowing - suggests secrets to discover] Maya had walked past it a thousand times, but today something was different. Today, a single light flickered in the upstairs window. [Conflict begins - change disrupts normal]"
Analysis: The author uses personification (windows as "dark eyes," garden "whispered secrets") to create an eerie, mysterious mood. The setting of the abandoned house establishes conflict and foreshadows a discovery. The shift from "a thousand times" to "today" signals that the story's action is about to begin.
Example 2: Close Reading Nonfiction
Read this excerpt and observe the annotations:
"According to the National Sleep Foundation, [Credible source cited] teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep per night, yet studies show that 73% of high school students regularly get less than 8 hours. [Statistics support claim] This sleep deficit doesn't just make students tired; it affects memory, concentration, and emotional regulation. [Cause and effect structure] Schools that have shifted to later start times report improved attendance, better grades, and fewer behavioral issues. [Evidence of solution]"
Analysis: The author uses a credible source (National Sleep Foundation) and specific statistics (73%, 8-10 hours) to establish the problem. The text follows a problem-solution structure, first explaining the issue and its effects, then presenting evidence that later start times help. The author's purpose is to persuade readers that school start times should change.
Example 3: Close Reading Poetry
Read this poem and observe the annotations:
The fog comes
on little cat feet. [Metaphor - fog compared to cat]
It sits looking [Personification - fog "sits" and "looks"]
over harbor and city
on silent haunches [Imagery - visual and auditory (silence)]
and then moves on. [Brief, like fog itself]- Carl Sandburg, "Fog"
Analysis: Sandburg uses an extended metaphor comparing fog to a cat. The fog arrives quietly ("little cat feet"), pauses to observe ("sits looking"), and departs without notice ("moves on"). The short lines and simple words mirror the quiet, fleeting nature of fog. The poem's brevity (only six lines) reflects how quickly fog comes and goes.
Practice
Apply your close reading skills to these passages. For each, identify key elements and explain their effect.
Practice 1: Fiction Passage
"Grandmother's hands told the story of her life. They were maps of wrinkles, each line a journey taken, each callus a burden carried. When she held my face between those hands, I felt the weight of all her years pressing gently against my cheeks."
Question: What figurative language does the author use, and what effect does it create?
Practice 2: Nonfiction Passage
"While many people believe that goldfish have a three-second memory, research from Plymouth University has proven this myth false. Scientists trained goldfish to push a lever for food, and the fish remembered how to do this even after a month without practice."
Question: How does the author use evidence to support their claim? What is the author's purpose?
Practice 3: Poetry Analysis
"I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us - don't tell!
They'd advertise - you know!"- Emily Dickinson
Question: What tone does the speaker establish? What might "nobody" represent?
Practice 4: Identify Text Type
"The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, transformed how goods were produced. Before this period, most items were made by hand in homes or small workshops. The invention of machines powered by steam changed everything."
Question: What type of text is this? What text structure does it use? What would you annotate on a second read?
Practice 5: Character Analysis
"'I don't need anyone's help,' Marcus said, even as his hands trembled over the math homework. He had been saying that for weeks now, ever since Dad left. Mom was too tired to argue anymore. She just nodded and went back to her second job's paperwork."
Question: What do we learn about Marcus through his words versus his actions? What can we infer about the family situation?
Practice 6: Author's Purpose
"Have you ever wondered why flamingos are pink? These fascinating birds are actually born gray or white! Their pink color comes from the food they eat - shrimp and algae containing pigments called carotenoids. The more carotenoids they consume, the pinker they become."
Question: What is the author's purpose? What text features help engage the reader?
Practice 7: Mood and Setting
"The carnival lights blinked erratically, casting strange shadows across the empty fairground. A lone Ferris wheel creaked in the wind, its gondolas swaying like warning fingers. Somewhere in the distance, a tinny melody played from a broken speaker."
Question: What mood does this setting create? Identify three specific word choices that contribute to this mood.
Practice 8: Evidence and Claims
"Video games are often blamed for decreased physical activity in children. However, a 2023 study in the Journal of Pediatric Health found that children who played active video games (like dancing or sports simulations) showed similar fitness levels to children who played traditional sports."
Question: What claim is the author making? How strong is the evidence? What questions might you still have?
Practice 9: Sound and Meaning in Poetry
"The buzz-saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood"- Robert Frost, "Out, Out-"
Question: How do the sounds of the words ("snarled," "rattled," "buzz") contribute to the poem's effect?
Practice 10: Compare Text Types
Consider how you would approach close reading for each of these openings:
A: "Once upon a time, in a kingdom by the sea..."
B: "The ocean covers approximately 71% of Earth's surface..."
C: "The sea is calm tonight. / The tide is full, the moon lies fair..."
Question: Identify each text type and explain what you would focus on during close reading for each.
Check Your Understanding
1. When close reading fiction, which element would you NOT typically focus on?
2. In the three-read strategy, what is the purpose of the second read?
3. When analyzing poetry, why are line breaks important to consider?
4. What distinguishes close reading nonfiction from close reading fiction?
Answer Key
1. B - Statistical evidence is primarily a nonfiction element
2. B - The second read focuses on details and annotation
3. B - Line breaks affect rhythm and emphasis
4. B - Nonfiction emphasizes evidence, claims, and structure
Next Steps
- Practice the three-read strategy with a text you choose (a magazine article, short story, or poem)
- Create a close reading annotation key with symbols for different elements
- Continue to the next lesson to learn how to apply close reading to your own writing