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AP Language and Composition Flashcards

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7024048211AuthorityThe quality of a writer who seems to be both knowledgeable and confident in a subject.0
7024051029AudienceThe people that a message is targeted at.1
7024051030BackingThe support or explanation of a claim.2
7024051285AssertionA strong and confident claim made by the speaker as if it were true when it might not be.3
7024051924Logical FalliciesA false statement which weakens an argument by distorting an issue, drawing false conclusions, misusing evidence, or misusing language.4
7024053313GeneralizationA broad statement or idea that is applied to a large group of people or instances, is often untrue.5
7024053314Begging the questionA fallacy where the claim is based on the grounds that are being doubted or in dispute.6
7024053666Ad hominemFallacy where a claim is answered by irrelevant, personal attacks on the speaker.7
7024054128Either-or ReasoningFallacy where an issue is posed as only having two alternatives, one of which is much better than the other.8
7024054892Non-sequiturFallacy where claims, reasons, or warrants fail to connect to each other.9
7027200176Red herringFallacy where an irrelevant topic is put into an argument in order to distract the audience from the original issue. Ex: I know what I did was wrong, however, just imagine how much it would kill my parents if they found out.10
7027200177Post hocFallacy where one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier.11
7027200677False dilemmaA fallacy of oversimplification where an issue is posed as only having two solutions when in reality there are several alternatives.12
7027200678The Aristotelian Appeals"Ingredients for persuasion," also known as "appeals" they are the ways to persuade others to adopt a different point of view.13
7027201213LogosAppeals that use logic.14
7027201214EthosAppeals that use authority.15
7027201215PathosAppeals that use emotion.16
7027201219PurposeThe purpose behind a persuasive message.17
7027202225DescribeTo tell or depict in written or spoken word.18
7027202226ExplainAn explanation.19
7031298661InformTo give information.20
7031298662PersuadeTo use appeals to reason, values, beliefs, and emotions to get a person to think a certain way.21
7031298663EntertainTo provide someone with amusement or enjoyment.22
7031299907ToneAttitude of the writer toward a subject or audience.23
7031301727DidacticType of literature which is written in order to inform or instruct readers, especially in moral or political lessons.24
7031301728NostalgicSentimental longing for return to or of some past period.25
7031302728PedanticDescribes words, phrases, or general tone that sounds overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.26
7031302729TriteStale tone.27
7031303670ContemptuousTone expressing deep hatred.28
7031303671SardonicTone of being mocking or sarcastic.29
7036772200BenevolentWell meaning and kindly.30
7036772201EffusiveExpressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval.31
7036773573CompassionateShowing sympathy or concern for others.32
7036773574UrbanUtilizes language that is commonly used in cities.33
7036774572DictionStyle of writing or speaking that is based off choice of words.34
7036774573DenotationLiteral of dictionary meanings of words.35
7036775438ConnotationMeaning that is implied by a word.36
7036775439ColloquialUse of informal phrases or words in writing.37
7036777761FormalWriting that is done in accordance with etiquette.38
7036777762InformalWriting that is not done in accordance with etiquette.39
7042720447MetonymyFigure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else that is closely associated.40
7042723596MonosyllabicUse of one syllable words.41
7042724377PolysyllabicUse of multi-syllable words.42
7042725555ContrastiveSpeech that shows the difference between two things.43
7042725556SynecdocheFigure of speech when a part is used in place of the whole. Ex: Ten sail for ten ships44
7042726600ConcreteRefers to objects or events that can be felt through the senses.45
7042726601AbstractRefers to ideas or concepts.46
7042727329AmbiguousFallacy where a word, phrase, or statement has more that one meaning. Leads to confusion, vagueness, or unintentional humor.47
7042727330DetailIs a particular part of information which supports an idea or contributes to an overall impression of a passage.48
7042728874MoodLiteral element which evokes feelings from the reader.49
7046800662ImageryTo use figurative language to describe objects, ideas, or actions in a way that appeals to the senses.50
7046800663SettingTime and place where the story takes place.51
7046800664Figurative SpeechA phrase with a specialized meaning that is not based on the literal meaning of the phrase.52
7046803564AllusionA brief and indirect reference to something of cultural, historical, or political significance.53
7046804679SimileA figure of speech that makes a comparison showing similarities between two different things using the words, "like" or "as".54
7046804680MetaphorFigure of speech that refers to one thing by mentioning another thing.55
7046805421PersonificationFigure of speech where a thing, idea, or animal is given human attributes.56
7046805422HyperboleFigure of speech which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.57
7046806315UnderstatementFigure of speech where the writer purposefully makes a situation seem less important than it actually is.58
7046806316ParadoxStatement that seems to contradict itself, may include a latent truth.59
7052513159Dramatic IronyA plot device where the reader knows more about the situation than the characters do.60
7052513160Verbal IronyWhen someone uses words that are contrary to how they feel, sarcasm.61
7052513161AnalogyComparison between two things that are very similar in several ways, used to explain something difficult by comparing it to something that is already known.62
7052514029AnecdoteA short and interesting story/event that is often used to support or explain some point.63
7052514030AllegoryRhetorical device which conveys messages through symbols, actions, imagery, or events.64
7052514569OrganizationArrangement of ideas in speech.65
7052514570DeductiveMethod of reasoning from general to specific. A conclusion follows a set of stated premises.66
7052514571InductiveMethod of reasoning where speaker collects a number of instances and then forms a generalization that is meant to apply to them all,.67
7052515802Idea/ExampleRelation where speaker first gives an idea and then examples of instances which support it.68
7052516264Cause/EffectRelation where speaker gives an event and then explains the consequences of such event.69
7056275524DescriptionTo recreate a event to an audience through describing a picture that can be mentally seen.70
7056275525Process AnalysisType of expository/technical writing that is designed to show readers how a change occurs over a period of stages.71
7056275913NarrationTo tell a story or narrate a event or series of events.72
7056275914Comparison/ContrastContrast is to look for differences among two or more elements, compare is to look for similarities.73
7056276361ExpositionComprehensive description/explanation of an idea or theory.74
7056276362PersuasionAct of getting someone to believe or do something.75
7056276666RepititonRepeating something.76
7056276667SyllogismA conclusion that is drawn from two given or assumed propositions which each share a term with the conclusion. Ex: All dogs are animals; all animals have four legs; therefore all dogs have four legs.77
7056276956Point of ViewOne attitude or way to look at an issue.78
7056276957SubjectiveView based on opinion rather than fact which people can disagree with.79
7057555869ObjectivePurpose80
7057555870ParticipantA character in a secondary role.81
7057555871ObserverA character who just watches the action.82
7057556037SyntaxThe way an author chooses words to create a sentence.83
7057556038Sentence LengthHow long a sentence is.84
7057556399AnaphoraA device of repetition where the same expression is repeated at the beginning of 2 or more lines.85
7057556400AntithesisUse of two contrasting ideas in the same sentence.86
7057563433AsyndetonA structure where conjunctions are not used in a series in order to create a rapid phrase.87
7057563434PolysyndetonStructure where multiple conjunctions are used in a series.88
7057563722Parallel SentenceRepetition of a grammatical form in a sentence.89
7057563723Loose SentenceSentence where main idea comes first followed by phrases/clauses.90
7057563868Periodic SentenceSentence with main clause/predicate at the end to add emphasis.91
7057563869Rhetorical QuestionA question that is not meant to be answered.92
7057564164Inverted SyntaxA sentence with the order of object, subject, and verb.93
7057564165AlliterationRepetition of sounds in an sentence. Ex: as in she sells sea shells94
7057564169AssonanceRepetition of the sound of a vowel. Ex: penitence, reticence95
7057564523ConsonanceRepetitive sounds of consonance in a phrase. Ex: pitter, patter96

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