AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Language and Composition Stud Guide Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
9880925281rhetorical appealsRhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. The three major appeals are the ethos (character), logos (reason), and pathos (emotion).0
9880925282ethosGreek for "character." Speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic. Ethos is established by both who you are and what you say.1
9880925283counterargumentAn opposing argument to the one a writer is putting forward. Rather than ignoring a counterargument, a strong writer will usually address it through the process of concession and refutation.2
9880925284concession (concede)An acknowledgement that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable. In a strong argument, a concession is usually accompanied by a refutation challenging the validity of the opposing argument.3
9880925285refutation (refute)A denial of the validity of an opposing argument. In order to sound reasonable, refutations often follow a concession that acknowledges that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.4
9880925286logosGreek for "embodied thought." Speakers appeal to logos or reason, by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up.5
9880925287connotationMeanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition, or denotation. Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings in addition to their literal meanings or denotations. Connotations are usually positive or negative, and they can greatly affect the author's tone.6
9880925288pathosGreek for "suffering" or "experience." Speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally motivate their audience. More specific appeals to pathos might play on the audience's values, desires, and hopes, on the one hand, or fears and prejudices, on the other.7
9880925289Rhetorical TriangleA diagram that illustrates the interrelationship among the speaker, audience, and the subject in determining a text.8
9880925290audienceThe listener, viewer, or reader of a text. Most texts are likely to have multiple audiences9
9880925291contextThe circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text.10
9880925292occasionThe time and place a speech is given or a piece is written.11
9880925293personaGreek for "mask." The face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience.12
9880925294polemicGreek for "hostile." An aggressive argument that tries to establish the superiority of one opinion over all others. Polemics generally do not concede that opposing opinions have any merit.13
9880925295propagandaThe spread of ideas and information to further a cause. In its negative sense, propaganda is the use of rumors, lies, disinformation, and scare tactics in order to damage or promote a cause.14
9880925296purposeThe goal the speaker wants to achieve.15
9880925297rhetoricAs Aristotle defined the term, "The faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion." In other words, it is the art of finding ways to persuade an audience.16
9880925298SOAPSToneA mnemonic device that stands for Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, and Tone. It is a handy way to remember the various elements that make up the rhetorical situation.17
9880925299speakerThe person or group who creates a text. This might be a politician who delivers a speech, a commentator who writes an article, an artist who draws a political cartoon, or even a company that commissions an advertisement.18
9880925300subjectThe topic of a text; what the text is about.19
9880925301textWhile this terms generally means the written word, in the humanities it has come to mean any cultural product that can be "read"-meaning not just consumed and comprehended, but investigated. This includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, political cartoons, fine art, photography, performances, fashion, cultural trends, and much more.20
9880925302dictionThe speaker's choice of words. Writers choose words to create and convey a typical mood, tone and atmosphere to their readers. Diction or choice of words separates good writing from bad writing. It depends on a number of factors. Firstly, the word has to be right and accurate. Secondly, words should be appropriate to the context in which they are used. Lastly, the choice of words should be such that the listener or readers understand easily. Besides, proper diction or proper choice of words is important to get the message across. On the contrary, the wrong choice of words can easily divert listeners or readers which results in misinterpretation of the message intended to be conveyed.21
9880925303syntaxHow the words are arranged22
9880925304toneThe speaker's attitude toward's the subject as revealed by his or her choice of language23
9880925305moodHow the work makes the reader feel.24
9880925306metaphorFigure of speech that compares two things without using like or as; says one thing IS another.25
9880925307similesFigure of speech that compares two things using like or as.26
9880925308personificationAttribution of a human quality to an inanimate object or idea.27
9880925309hyperboleExaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken seriously28
9880925310parallelismSimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.29
9880925311juxtapositionTwo or more ideas, places, characters, and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem, for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts. ie: Paradise lost30
9880925312antithesisOpposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction.31
9880925313compound sentenceA sentence with more than one subject or predicate32
9880925314complex sentenceA sentence containing a subordinate clause or clauses33
9880925315periodic sentenceSentence whose main clause is withheld until the end.34
9880925316cumulative sentenceSentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on.35
9880925317imperative sentenceSentence used to command or enjoin.36
9880925318pacingHow fast a story unfolds. Does the author reveal details quickly or slowly? How does he or she build suspense?37
9880925319figures of speechA word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage38
9880925320zeugmaUse of two different words in a grammatically similar way that produces different, often incongruous meanings.39
9880925321satireThe use of irony or sarcasm to criticize40
9880925322hortative sentenceSentence that exhorts, urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action.41
9880925323allusionBrief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) or to a work of art.42
9880925324archaic dictionOld-fashioned or outdated choice of words. You can use archaic language for many purposes, such as to sound more official, authoritative, or magical. Think Shakespeare, the Bible, classic literature, etc.43
9880925325asyndetonOmission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.44
9880925326inversionInverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order). Hyperbaton refers to any departure from normal word order (sometimes called inverted word order). The unexpected arrangement of words calls sharp attention to the word(s) that are out of their expected place, thus emphasizing them. Displacing words to the end or beginning of a sentence (areas ofgreatest emphasis) further stresses them. Think Yoda.... Examples: Disturb me not! Books they have demanded and books they will get. Normal word order: You should attend first those who need medicine. Inverted word order: Those who need medicine you should attend first. Normal word order: After all the pressure against it, the law prevailed. Hyperbatonic word order: The law, after all the pressure against it, prevailed.45
9880925327oxymoronParadoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective proceeded by a noun with contrasting meanings, such as "cruel kindness," or "living death". It is important to understand the difference between an oxymoron and a paradox. A paradox may consist of a sentence, or even a group of sentences. An oxymoron, on the other hand, is a combination of two contradictory or opposite words. A paradox seems contradictory to the general truth, but it does contain an implied truth. An oxymoron, however, may produce a dramatic effect, but does not make literal sense.46
9880925328rhetorical questionFigure of speech in form of a question posed for the rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer.47
9880925329synecdocheFigure of speech that uses a part to represent a whole. May also use larger groups to refer to smaller groups, or vice versa. It may also call a thing by the name of the material it is made of, or it may refer to a thing in a container or packaging by the name of that container or packing. Example: The word "bread" refers to food or money, as in "Writing is my bread and butter," or "He is the sole breadwinner." The phrase "gray beard" refers to an old man. The word "sails" refers to a whole ship. The word "suit" refers to a businessman. The word "boots" usually refers to soldiers. The term "coke" is a common synecdoche for all carbonated drinks. "wheels" and "ride" are synecdoches for car The word "glasses" refers to spectacles.48
9880925330imageryWhen a writer describes something using language that appeals to our five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing)49
9880925331argumentA process of reasoned inquiry; a persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and considered movement from claim to conclusion.50
9880925332Rogerian ArgumentsDeveloped by psychiatrist Carl Rogers, Rogerian arguments are based on the assumption that having a understanding of an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating.51
9880925333claimAlso called an assertion or a proposition, a claim states the argument's main idea or position. A claim differs from a topic or subject in that a claim has to be arguable.52
9880925334claim of factA claim of fact asserts that something is true or not true.53
9880925335claim of valueA claim of value argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong.54
9880925336claim of policyA claim of policy proposes a change.55
9880925337closed thesisA closed thesis is a statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make.56
9880925338open thesisAn open thesis statement is one that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay.57
9880925339counterargument thesisa summary of the counterargument, usually qualified by although or but, precedes the writer's opinion58
9880925340logical fallacy (fallacy)Logical fallacies are potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument. They often arise from a failure to make a logical connection between the claim and the evidence used to support it.59
9880925341red herringWhen a speaker skips to a new and irrelevant topic in order to avoid the topic of discussion60
9880925342ad hominemLatin for "to the man," this fallacy refers to the specific diversionary tactic of switching the argument from the issue at hand to the character of the other speaker. If you argue that a park in your community should not be renovated because the person supporting it was arrested during a domestic dispute, then you are guilty of ad hominem.61
9880925343faulty analogyA fallacy that occurs when an analogy compares two things that are not comparable. For instance, to argue that because we put animals who are in irreversible pain out of their misery, we should do the same for people, asks the reader to ignore significant and profound differences between animals and people.62
9880925344straw manA fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea.63
9880925345either/or (false dilemma)A fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possible choices.64
9880925346hasty generalizationA fallacy in which conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence.65
9880925347circular reasoningA fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence.66
9880925348first-hand evidenceEvidence based on something that the writer knows, whether it's from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge of events.67
9880925349second-hand evidenceEvidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation. It includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative data.68
9880925350post hoc ergo propter hocThis fallacy is Latin for "after which therefore because of which," meaning that it is incorrect to always claim that something is a clause just because it happened earlier. One may loosely summarize this fallacy by saying that correlation does not simply imply causation.69
9880925351appeal to false authorityThis fallacy occurs when someone who has no expertise to speak on a issue is cited as an authority. A TV star, for instance, is not a medical expert, even though pharmaceutical advertisements often use celebrity endorsements.70
9880925352quantitative evidenceQuantitative evidence includes things that can be measured, cited, counted, or otherwise represented in numbers-for instance, statistics, surveys, polls, census information.71
9880925353ad populum (bandwagon appeal)This fallacy occurs when evidence boils down to "everybody's doing it, so it must be a good thing to do."72
9880925354introduction (exordium)Introduces the reader to the subject under discussion.73
9880925355narration (narratio)Provides factual information and background material on the subject at hand or establishes why the subject is a problem that needs addressing.74
9880925356confirmation (confirmatio)Usually the major part of the text, the confirmation includes the proof needed to make the writer's case.75
9880925357refutation (refutatio)Addresses the counterargument. It is a bridge between the writer's proof and conclusion.76
9880925358conclusion (peroratio)Brings the essay to a satisfying close.77
9880925359syllogismA logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion.78
9880925360inductionFrom the Latin inducere, "to lead into"; a logical process whereby the writer reasons from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called generalization.79
9880925361deductionDeduction is a logical process whereby one reaches a conclusion by starting with a general principal or universal truth (a major premise). The process of deduction usually demonstrated in the form of a syllogism.80
9880925362Toulmin modelAn approach to analyzing and constructing arguments created by British philosopher Stephen Toulmin in his book The Uses of Argument (1985). The Toulmin model can be stated as a template: Because (evidence as support), therefore (claim), since (warrant or assumption), on account of (backing), unless (reservation).81
9880925363warrantIn the Toulmin model, the warrant expresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.82
9880925364assumptionIn the Toulmin model, the warrant expresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.83
9880925365backingIn the Toulmin model, backing consists of further assurances or data without which the assumption lacks authority.84
9880925366qualifierIn the Toulmin model, the qualifier uses words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to temper the claim, making it less absolute.85
9880925367reservationIn the Toulmin model, a reservation explains the terms and conditions necessitated by the qualifier.86
9880925368rebuttalIn the Toulmin model, a rebuttal gives voice to possible objections.87
9880925369begging the questionA fallacy in which a claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. It "begs" a question whether the support itself is sound.88
9880925370the classical orationFive-part argument structure used by classical rhetoricians. The five parts are: -introduction (exordium) -narration (narratio) -confirmation (confirmatio) -refutation (refutatio) -conclusion (peroratio)89
9880925371syndetona sentence style in which words, phrases, or clauses are joined by conjunctions (usually and).90
9880925372qualitative evidenceDescriptive information, which often comes from interviews, focus groups or artistic depictions such as photographs.91
9880925373bias1. a prejudiced view (either for or against); a preference. 2. a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation92
9880925374Validity (or logically valid)the fact that the truth of the premises logically guarantees the truth of the conclusion. Whenever the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.93
9880925375scare tacticsusing fear to sway people by exaggerating possible dangers well beyond their statistical likelihood94
9880925376slippery slopeSuggest dire consequences from relatively minor causes95
9880925377dogmatismshuts down discussion by asserting that the writer's beliefs are the only acceptable ones96
9880925378equivocationthe use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself; it is a half truth97
9880925379non sequitura statement that does not follow logically from evidence98
9880925380undistributed middleis a formal fallacy that is committed when the middle term in a categorical syllogism is not distributed in either the minor premise or the major premise. Pattern: All Z is B All Y is B Therefore, all Y is Z B is the common term between the two premises (the middle term) but is never distributed, so this syllogism is invalid. eg: All students carry backpacks. My grandfather carries a backpack. Therefore, my grandfather is a student.99
9880925381isocolona rhetorical device that involves a succession of sentences, phrases, and clauses of grammatically equal length. In this figure of speech, a sentence has a parallel structure that is made up of words, clauses, or phrases of equal length, sound, meter, and rhythm. Isocolon is the repetition of similar grammatical forms.100
9880925382chiasmusa rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect.101
9880925383antimetabolea literary term or device that involves repeating a phrase in reverse order. For example: "You like it; it likes you." "Fair is foul and foul is fair."102
9880925384anaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines. This device produces a strong emotional effect, especially in speech. It also establishes a marked change in rhythm. a. "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island . . . we shall never surrender." (Winston Churchill, 1940) b. "Why should white people be running all the stores in our community? Why should white people be running the banks of our community? Why should the economy of our community be in the hands of the white man? Why?" (Malcolm X) c. "Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island." (Franklin Roosevelt, Pearl Harbor Address)103
9880925385epistropherepetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive phrases. Like anaphora, epistrophe produces a strong rhythm and emphasis. a. "But to all of those who would be tempted by weakness, let us leave no doubt that we will be as strong as we need to be for as long as we need to be." (Richard Nixon, First Inaugural Address) b. "...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address) c. "As long as the white man sent you to Korea, you bled. He sent you to Germany, you bled. He sent you to the South Pacific to fight the Japanese, you bled." (Speech by Malcolm X) d. "In a cake, nothing tastes like real butter, nothing moistens like real butter, nothing enriches like real butter, nothing satisfies like real butter." (Caption from a Pillsbury ad)104
9880925386epanalepsis(eh-puh-nuh-LEAP-siss) — repetition of the same word or words at both beginning and ending of a phrase, clause, or sentence. Like other schemes of repetition, epanalepsis often produces or expresses strong emotion. a. Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows:/ Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power. (William Shakespeare, King John) b. "Nothing is worse than doing nothing." c. "A minimum wage that is not a livable wage can never be a minimum wage." (Ralph Nader)105
9880925387anadiplosis(an-uh-dih-PLO-sis) — repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause. a. "The crime was common, common be the pain". (Alexander Pope, "Eloise to Abelard" b. "Aboard my ship, excellent performance is standard. Standard performance is sub-standard. Sub-standard performance is not permitted to exist." (Captain Queeg, Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny) c. "Somehow, with the benefit of little formal education, my grandparents recognized the inexorable downward spiral of conduct outside the guardrails: If you lie, you will cheat; if you cheat, you will steal; if you steal, you will kill." (Justice Clarence Thomas, 1993 Mercer Law School Address) d. "They call for you: The general who became a slave; the slave who became a gladiator; the gladiator who defied an Emperor. Striking story." (line delivered by Joaquin Phoenix, from the movie Gladiator)106
9880925388polyptoton(po-lyp-TO-ton) — repetition of words derived from the same root. a. "But in this desert country they may see the land being rendered useless by overuse." (Joseph Wood Krutch, The Voice of the Desert) b. "We would like to contain the uncontainable future in a glass." (Loren Eiseley, from an article in Harper's, March 1964) c. "With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder." (Shakespeare's Richard II 2.1.37) d. "Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 1933)107
9880925389alliterationrepetition in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series. Alliteration does not depend on letters but on sounds. So the phrase not knotty is alliterative, but cigarette chase is not. a. "The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free" Samuel Taylor Coolridge b. "It was the meanest moment of eternity". (Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God) c. "His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead." (James Joyce,The Dead) d. Names, logos, and ads are often alliterative because it helps you remember: Dunkin' Donuts PayPal; Best Buy;Coca-Cola; Lois Lane; Sammy Sosa; Ronald Reagan; Porky Pig; etc.108
9880925390assonancethe repetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and followed by different consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words. a. "Whales in the wake like capes and Alps/ Quaked the sick sea and snouted deep." (Dylan Thomas, "Ballad of the Long Legged Bait") b. "Refresh your zest for living." (advertisement for French Line Ships) c. "Strips of tinfoil winking like people." (Sylvia Plath) d. "The gloves didn't fit. If it doesn't fit, you must acquit." (Johnny Cochran, O.J.Simpson trial)109
9880925391consonanceThe use of a series of consonants in quick succession - used more in poetry than in prose. a. "The pitter patter of perpetual precipitation put me in a petulant mood". While there is alliteration in this sentence with the letter p being repeated in the beginning of words, the repeated p and t are consonant. b. "Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile Whether Jew or gentile, I rank top percentile Many styles, more powerful than gamma rays My grammar pays, like Carlos Santana plays."110
9880925392homoioptotonThe repetition of similar case endings in adjacent words or in words in parallel position. We commonly refer to this simply as "rhyme."111
9880925393ellipsisEllipsis is the omission of a word or series of words. There are two slightly different definitions of ellipsis which are pertinent to literature. The first definition of ellipsis is the commonly used series of three dots, which can be place at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence or clause. But more importantly, for AP purposes, the second is: a linguistically appropriate omission of words that are mutually understood and thus unnecessary. This type of ellipsis is usually used where the words omitted would be redundant. example: Gapping: I ordered the linguine, and he [ordered] the lobster. Stripping: I ordered the linguine, [I did] not [order] lobster. Verb phrase ellipsis: I'll order the linguine and you can [order the linguine], too. Answer ellipsis: Who ordered the linguine? I did [order the linguine]. Sluicing: I'll get something to drink, but I'm not sure what [I'll get to drink]. Nominal ellipsis: I ordered two drinks, and Bill [ordered] one.112
9880925394metonymya type of metaphor where the substitution of the name of an attribute for that of the thing meant. Examples: The pen is mightier than the sword. -Edward Bulwer-Lytton This land belongs to the crown. Flight simulators are valuable because you can die in software and still be around to fly another day. You cannot fight city hall. The orders came directly from the White House. After four years of reading and writing, I got my bachelor's degree and left college. After four years of filling in the bubbles on machine-scored answer sheets, I got my bachelor's degree and left college.113
9880925395parenthesisa stylistic device that comes from the Greek word meaning "to place," or "alongside." Parenthesis is a qualifying or explanatory sentence, clause, or word that writers insert into a paragraph or passage. However, if they leave it out, even then it does not grammatically affect the text, which is correct without it. Parenthesis makes the statements more convincing, as it puts the readers in a right form from the very beginning where they read it as an explanation. However, its main function is to give more explanation and add emphasis, while its repeated use can cause focus and thus makes parenthetical insertions a dominant feature of a sentence. Parenthesis also offers readers an insight into true feelings and opinions of characters and narrators, while they might tend to evade parenthetical information as unimportant. Doing this, parenthesis could leave them clueless to the actual purpose of a sentence. In addition, it often creates humorous effect by using hyperbole and understatements.114
9880925396paradoxan apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth. examples: Less is more You can save money by spending it. I know one thing; that I know nothing. This is the beginning of the end. Deep down, you're really shallow. I'm a compulsive liar. "Men work together whether they work together or apart." - Robert Frost "What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young." - George Bernard Shaw "I can resist anything but temptation." - Oscar Wilde Here are the rules: Ignore all rules. The second sentence is false. The first sentence is true.115

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!