To be successful in AP Language and Composition, students must have an understanding of many literary and rhetorical terms in order to fully analyze most assigned literature selections. You will be tested on all of these terms within the first nine weeks.
-DIRECTIONS- For each term from the list, record the definition and an example on flashcards.
*Students do not have to include the asterisked (*) Information on his/her cards. Asterisked information is provided simply for additional understanding.
Terms : Hide Images
| 6736562872 | Allegory | A story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself * The meaning of this term usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. | 0 | |
| 6736562873 | Alliteration | The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words * Although the term is not frequently in the multiple choice section, you can look for this term in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage. | 1 | |
| 6736562874 | Allusion | A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art * These can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of this term. | 2 | |
| 6736562875 | Ambiguity | The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage |  | 3 |
| 6736562876 | Analogy | A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them * This can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. These can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. | 4 | |
| 6736562877 | Antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun * The AP language exam occasionally asks a person to find examples of this term in a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences. A question from the 2001 AP test as an example follows: "But it is the grandeur of all truth which can occupy a very high place in human interests that it is never absolutely novel to the meanest of minds; it exists eternally, by way of germ of latent principle, in the lowest as in the highest, needing to be developed but never to be planted." | 5 | |
| 6736562878 | Antithesis | The opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite |  | 6 |
| 6736562879 | Aphorism | A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle * (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An example can be taken from a memorable summation of the author's point. | 7 | |
| 6736562880 | Apostrophe | A prayer like figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer * The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. Rarely on an AP exam, but important when there. ALWAYS Pathos | 8 | |
| 6736562881 | Atmosphere | The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described * Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the application of this term. Frequently this term foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create a mood. | 9 | |
| 6736562882 | Caricature | Aa verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics. | 10 | |
| 6736562883 | Clause | A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. * A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the author subordinates one element should also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing. | 11 | |
| 6736562885 | Literary Conceit | A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects * Displays intellectual cleverness through unusual comparisons that make good sense | 12 | |
| 6736562886 | Connotation | The implied, suggested meaning * This term may involve ideas, emotions or attitudes | 13 | |
| 6736562887 | Denotation | The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color | 14 | |
| 6736562888 | Diction | Related to style, refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness * FOR AP EXAMS, you should be able to describe the author's _____ and understand how it compliments his purpose (along with imagery syntax, literary devices, etc) | 15 | |
| 6736562889 | Didactic | This type of word has the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. | 16 | |
| 6736562890 | Euphemism | A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept - POLITICALLY CORRECT | 17 | |
| 6736562891 | Extended Metaphor | A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work | 18 | |
| 6736562892 | Figurative Language | Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid | 19 | |
| 6736562896 | Homily | This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice. | 20 | |
| 6736562897 | Hyperbole | A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement * These often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, _____ produces irony. The opposite of this is understatement. | 21 | |
| 6736562898 | Imagery | The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions * On a physical level, _____ uses terms related to the five senses: visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory. On a broader and deeper level, however, one ______ can represent more than one thing. In addition, this term can apply to the total of all the _____ in a work. On the AP language exam, pay attention to how an author creates _____ and to the effect of this _____. | 22 | |
| 6736562899 | Inference / Infer | To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented * When a multiple choice question asks for an _____ to be drawn from a passage, the most direct, most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice. If an _____ is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct answer. Note that if the answer choice is directly stated, it is not _____ and it is wrong. You must be careful to note the connotation - negative or positive - of the choices. | 23 | |
| 6736562900 | Invective | An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language | 24 | |
| 6736562901 | Irony / Ironic | The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true * Thhis is often used to create poignancy or humor. In general, there are three major types used in language: (1) verbal- when the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) meaning (2) situational- when events turn out the opposite of what was expected; when what the characters and readers think ought to happen is not what does happen (3) dramatic- when facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work. | 25 | |
| 6736562902 | Loose Sentence / Non-Periodic Sentence | A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses * If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many _____ often seems informal, relaxed, or conversational. Generally, loose sentences create loose style. The opposite of a _____ is the periodic sentence. | 26 | |
| 6736562904 | Metonymy | A figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it | 27 | |
| 6736562908 | Oxymoron | A figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox * This term does not usually appear in the multiple-choice questions, but there is a chance that you might find it in an essay. Take note of the effect that the author achieves with the term. | 28 | |
| 6736562909 | Paradox | A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity | 29 | |
| 6736562910 | Parallelism | Refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity * This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal times. Frequently acts as an organizing force to attract the reader's attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. | 30 | |
| 6736562911 | Parody | A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. It exploits peculiarities of an author's expression. | 31 | |
| 6736562912 | Pedantic | An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish * (Language that might be described as "show-offy"; using big words for the sake of using big words). | 32 | |
| 6736562913 | Periodic sentence | The opposite of loose sentence, a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end. This independent clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone. * The effect is to add emphasis and structural variety. It is also a much stronger sentence than the loose sentence. | 33 | |
| 6736562918 | Rhetoric | From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively. | 34 | |
| 6736562920 | Sarcasm | Involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something * It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic (that is, intended to ridicule). When well done, _____ can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it is simply cruel. | 35 | |
| 6736562921 | Satire | A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule * Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform human behavior, this is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. | 36 | |
| 6736562925 | Syllogism | A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called "major" and the second called "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion | 37 | |
| 6736562926 | Symbol / Symbolism | Anything that represents itself and stands for something else * On the AP exam, try to determine what abstraction an object is a _____ for and to what extent it is successful in representing that abstraction. | 38 | |
| 6736562927 | Syntax | The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences * Similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of this term as groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words. ** In the multiple-choice section of the AP exam, expect to be asked some questions about how an author manipulates this term. In the essay section, you will need to analyze how this produces effects. | 39 | |
| 6736562930 | Tone | Describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both | 40 | |
| 6736562932 | Understatement | The ironic minimalizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. * The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic.; the opposite of hyperbole. | 41 | |
| 6736562933 | Wit | Intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker's verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. | 42 | |
| 6736562934 | Ad Hominem | An attack on the person rather than the issue at hand - a common fallacy - common in elections | 43 | |
| 6736562935 | Chisamus | 'Chi structure' unlike abab / language listed in an abba form * Ask not what your country Can do for you, But what you Can do for your country | 44 | |
| 6736562936 | Malapropism | A word humorously misused | 45 | |
| 6736562940 | Straw Man | When a writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak | 46 | |
| 6736562941 | Ethos | Basically an appeal to credibility. The writer is seeking to convince you that he or she has the background, history, skills, and/or expertise to speak on the issue. * Whenever you encounter this, always ask yourself is the credibility is substantiated and valid. An essay advocating policy changes on drug rehabilitation programs is more powerful is the person is a former addict or customer in a current rehab program. | 47 | |
| 6736562942 | Juxtaposition | Making an idea more dramatic by placing it next to its opposite | 48 | |
| 6736562943 | Logos | Occurs when a writer tries to convince you of the logic of his argument | 49 | |
| 6736562944 | Pathos | An appeal to emotion. * May use loaded words to make you feel guilty, lonely, worried, insecure, or confused. | 50 | |
| 6736562948 | rhetorical appeal | The persuasive devices by which a writer tries to sway an audience's attention and response to any given work. See logos, ethos, and pathos | 51 | |
| 6736562956 | Ad hominem argument | An argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue | 52 | |
| 6736562957 | Anadiplosis | Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or terms in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or phrase | 53 | |
| 6736562958 | Anaphora | Figure of repetition that occurs when the first word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases; repetition of the initial words over successive phrases or clauses | 54 | |
| 6736562960 | Anecdote | A brief story that illustrates or makes a point | 55 | |
| 6736562962 | Antimetabole | Figure of emphasis in which the words in one phrase or clause are replicated, exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order in the next phrase or clause; a chiasmus on the level of words (A-B, B-A) | 56 | |
| 6736562965 | Assonance | Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity | 57 | |
| 6736562966 | Asyndeton | A series of words separated by commas (with no conjunction). The parts of the sentence are emphasized equally; in addition, the use of commas with no intervening conjunction speeds up the flow of the sentence. | 58 | |
| 6736562970 | Begging the question | Often called circular reasoning, occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim | 59 |
