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AP Language and Composition Terms Flashcards

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14675159549Alliterationthe occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words ex: Slithering Snake0
14675159550Allusionan expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference. ex. "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her."1
14675159551Anadiplosisrepetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause ex. grief leads to ANGER, ANGER leads to grief2
14675159552Anaphorarepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines ex. I DO NOT KNOW who I am, I DO NOT KNOW where I am, I DO NOT KNOW what I am3
14675159553AnastropheInversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence ex. yoda! "you wish for life eternal"4
14675159554Antimetabolerepetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order ex. fair is foul and foul is fair5
14675159555Antithesisthe direct opposite, a sharp contrast (in ideas or actual things) ex. "you see with such color, yet your views are black and white"6
14675159556AphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life. ex. A barking dog never bites7
14675159557ApostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. ex. Mark Antony's address to the dead Caesar in Julius Caesar8
14675159558Appositiona word or phrase placed next to another word in order to define or identify it ex. "No one, not a SINGLE PERSON, comforted him"9
14675159559AssonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity ex. Men sell the wedding bells10
14675159560Asyndetonomission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words ex. I came, I saw, I conquered11
14675159561Circumlocutionan indirect way of expressing something; talking in circles ex. the elongated yellow fruit-banana12
14675159562ClimaxMost exciting moment of the story; turning point ex. Murder of Simon in Lord of the Flies13
14675159563ConsonanceRepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity ex. All's well that ends well14
14675159564Denotation and Connotationthe dictionary definition of a word/the associated feelings a word may call to mind ex. dalia- flower of Mexico or beauty15
14675159565DictionA writer's or speaker's choice of words ex. "casualties" vs "deaths"16
14675159566Ellipsisthe omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context ex. "I love coffee, my cat, and netflix"17
14675159567Epanalepsisdevice of repetition in which the same expression is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line ex. "COMMON sense is not so COMMON."18
14675159568EpistropheRepetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses ex. "I hate the feeling of ANGER, the sight of ANGER, and the consequences of ANGER"19
14675159569Euphemisman inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive ex. passed away vs died20
14675159570Extended metaphorA comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences or lines ex. "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts,"21
14675159571Figures of speechThe various uses of language that depart from customary construction, order, or significance ex. metaphors, similes, personification22
14675159572ForeshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader ex. killing of pigs in lotf hinted at piggy's death23
14675159573Hyperboleexaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally ex. "I could eat a horse"24
14675159574ImageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) ex. The apple pie that sat on the windowsill was crisp and golden, the smell of cinnamon and apples wafted through the air25
14675159575Verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant; sarcasm ex. "The rotten trash needs to go outside because it smells so unbelievably good."26
14675159576Situational ironyAn outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected ex. When a fire station burns down27
14675159577Dramatic ironyWhen a reader is aware of something that a character isn't ex. Two people are engaged to be married but the audience knows that the man is planning to run away with another woman28
14675159578Malapropismthe unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar "Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two AUSPICIOUS persons."29
14675159579MetaphorA comparison without using like or as ex. The snow is a white blanket30
14675159580MoodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader ex. Mysterious: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary"31
14675159581Motivationthe reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way ex. Bill Gates donates a lot of money to charity because hes nice and has a lot of money32
14675159582Narrationwriting that tells a story ex. Little Red Riding Hood33
14675159583OnomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents. ex. meow, woof, moo34
14675159584OxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase ex. deafening silence35
14675159585ParadoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. ex. he worked hard at being lazy36
14675159586Parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses ex. like father, like son37
14675159587Periphrasissubstitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name ex. In the TV show "Dinosaurs" the infant dino called his father, "Not-the-Mama."38
14675159588PersonificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes ex. Lightning danced across the sky39
14675159589PlotSequence of events in a story ex. exposition---rising action---climax---falling action---resolution40
14675159590Point of viewthe perspective from which a story is told ex. "I", "you", "she"41
14675159591PolysyndetonThe deliberate use of a series of conjunctions. ex. She ran AND ran AND ran42
14675159592ProsodyThe patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry ex. ABCB in Ballads43
14675159593ProtagonistThe main character ex. Scout in tkam44
14675159594Puna humorous play on words ex. "I know its cheesy, but I feel grate"45
14675159595RepetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis ex. "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."46
14675159596Rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer ex. "What business is it of yours?"47
14675159597RhymeRepetition of sounds at the end of words ex. Little Bo BEEP lost her SHEEP48
14675159598Sarcasmharsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule ex, "Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?"49
14675159599Satirethe use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues ex. almost any late night shows (SNL)50
14675159600SettingThe time and place of a story ex. lotf- on an island, in the middle of war51
14675159601Shift or Turna change or movement in a piece resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader ex. Luke Skywalker finds out thag Darth Vader is his dad52
14675159602SimileA comparison using "like" or "as" ex. She hung her head like a dying flower53
14675159603Sound Deviceselements of literature that emphasize sound ex. alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance54
14675159604Structurethe arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work ex, haiku- 5 7 555
14675159605Stylethe choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work ex. E.E. Cummings' literature56
14675159606Suspensea state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. ex. the clock ticked, continuously57
14675159607SymbolA thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract ex. Tim Johnson and racism58
14675159608Synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa ex. "all hands on deck"59
14675159609SyntaxThe arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language ex. sequence in sentences (Subject, Verb, Object)60
14675159610Themean underlying message about life or human nature that a writer wants the reader to understand ex. Tortoiseband the Rabbit- don't underestimate your opponents61
14675159611ToneAttitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character ex. playful :) , serious :| , frustration >:|62
14675159612Understatement (litotes)The presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is ex. "It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain"63

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