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AP Language Terms Flashcards

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10426201426active voicewhen the subject is doing the acting. ex: Clarke killed Finn.0
10426208199adagea traditional saying that conveys a common experience or observation. ex: The early bird gets the worm.1
10426217256ad hominemdirected against a person's character rather than the position they are maintaining (argument or reaction)2
10426229238allegorya literary work in which the characters and events represent a hidden meaning that relate to morals, religion, or politics.3
10426229239alliteration(used especially in poetry) the use of the same sound or sounds, usually consonants, at the beginning of several words that are close together.4
10426230327allusiona casual or indirect reference to something,5
10426230328ampersandthe sign & (standing for and)6
10426231456anadiplosisrepetition of the words or phrase at the end of a sentence or clause at the beginning of the next.7
10426307872analogya comparison between things that have similar features, often used to help explain a principle idea.8
10426309775anaphorathe repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses9
10426309776anectdotea short account of a specific incident or event, especially of an interesting nature10
10426310062antecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.11
10426310063antithesisthe direct opposite, a sharp contrast12
10426310064aphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.13
10426831977apostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.14
10426833201appositiveA word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun. ex: Raven, the smart engineer, was the best engineer in camp.15
10426833202archetypea very typical example of a certain person or thing.16
10426834392argumentationwriting that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation.17
10426835335assonancethe similarity of sounds.18
10426879527asyndetonomission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.19
10426890696auditory imagerysense of hearing20
10426891710balanced sentencea sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast.21
10426891711burlesquean absurd or comically exaggerated imitation of something, especially in a literary or dramatic work; a parody.22
10426891712cacophonyA harsh, discordant mixture of sounds23
10426892119caricaturea picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.24
10426892120chiasmusa rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form25
10426892876colloquialismspoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech.26
10426892877compound sentencea sentence composed of at least two coordinate independent clauses.27
10426892878complex sentencea sentence made up of at least one main clause and one subordinate clause.28
10426894156compound-complex sentencea sentence having two or more coordinate independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.29
10426894157connotationan idea that is implied or suggested30
10426894158consonancerepetition of consonants, usually at the ends of words.31
10426894159concessionsomething that is allowed or given up, in order to end a disagreement or the act of allowing or giving this.32
10426895571conditional statementa sentence in which one half expresses something which depends on the other half. (often starting with if or unless)33
10426895572counterargumentan argument offered in opposition to another argument.34
10426896735cumulative sentencesentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on (also known as a loose sentence)35
10426897096denotationthe literal meaning of a word.36
10427783544deductionthe act of subtracting from a whole.37
10427783545dictionthe choice of words and phrases used in a speech or writing38
10427783546discoursecommunication in speech or writing39
10427783547dramatic ironysituation in which the audience of a play knows something that the characters don't know.40
10427783792ellipsisthe omission of parts of words or sentences, but the sentence can still be understood.41
10427783793ethosset of ideas and attitudes that is associated with a particular group of people or a particular type of activity.42
10427783794epanalepsisthe repetition of a word or phrase at regular intervals.43
10427783960euphemisma word or phrase used to replace one that is considered offensive or too harsh.44
10427783961euphonyany agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds45
10427784536expositiona comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.46
10427838106extended metaphora metaphor introduced and then further developed.47
10427838885figurative languageLanguage that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or insights.48
10427838886foreshadowingproviding vague hints and advance indications; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.49
10427838887gustatory imagerysense of taste50
10427839124hyperbolea description that is exaggerated, usually not meant to be taken literally.51
10427839125hypophoraraising a question and immediately answers it.52
10427839548idioma phrase or expression that has a meaning in which differs from the literal meaning of its part taken together.53
10427839549inductionfrom specific to general54
10427839550inferenceA conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning55
10427839551inversionsituation in which something is changed so that it is the opposite of what it was before.56
10427839552isocolona figure of speech in which parallelism is reinforced by members that are of the same length, rhythm and structure.57
10427839553jargonvocabulary distinctive to a particular profession or group, difficult for others to understand.58
10427839971juxtapositionthe fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.59
10427839972kairosBuilding a sense of urgency for your cause60
10427840370kinesthetic imagerysense of touch, temperature, movement, and feelings.61
10427840597litotesthe use of a negative statement in order to emphasize the positive meaning.62
10427958676logical fallacyan error in reasoning proves an argument invalid.63
10427958677loose sentenceA complex sentence in which the main clause comes first and the subordinate clause follows (also known as a cumulative sentence)64
10427959042logosa way of persuading an audience with reason, using facts and figures.65
10427959569metaphorcomparison made without using like or as (different from a simile)66
10427959570metonymythe substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant ex: we need some new faces over here.67
10427959571moodHow the reader feels about the text while reading.68
10427959572motif(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design69
10427959722non-sequiturA statement that does not follow logically from evidence70
10427959723olfactory imagerysense of smell71
10427959724onomatopoeiathe formation of a word by imitation of the natural sounds of a thing.72
10427959916oxymorontwo opposite terms used together to create an effect.73
10427959917parablea short story that teaches or explains an idea, especially a moral or religious lesson.74
10427959918paradox75
10427959919parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses76
10427960166parodyan imitation of the original, making the features or qualities of the original more noticeable in a way that is humorous or exaggerated.77
10427960167passive voicethe subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb78
10427960168pathosa way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating emotional response to an impassioned plea or a convincing story.79
10431922609periodic sentencesentence whose main clause is withheld until the end80
10431925208personificationA figure of speech in which human behavior and qualities are given to an object or animal.81
10431925209point of viewthe perspective in which the story or situation is told82
10431925210first personA narrator who is a character in the story and tells the tale from his or her point of view.83
10431926141stream of consciousnessa style of writing that portrays the inner workings of a character's mind.84
10431926142omniscientknowing everything; having unlimited awareness or understanding85
10431926730limited omniscientA Third person narrator who generally reports only what one character sees, and who only reports the thoughts of that one privileged character.86
10431926731third personNarrator is outside of the story, more like an observer.87
10431926732polysyndetonthe use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural88
10431927179premisethe basis for a conclusion89
10431927180punthe humorous use of a word90
10431954417qualifiera word or phrase that clarifies, modifies, or limits the meaning of another word or phrase91
10431954418rebuttala falsification or contradiction92
10431954419rhetoricthe art of using language effectively and persuasively93
10431954528rhetorical modesThis flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing.94
10431985987expositionform of writing that explains what's happening or what has happened. (in a matter-of-fact way)95
10431954530descriptiona spoken or written representation or account of a person, object, or event96
10431954531narrationthe act of telling a story97
10431989030argumentationto convince others of an opinion or belief98
10431954713cause and effectthe reason for something to happen and the results of it happening.99
10431957452rhetorical questionquestion asked simply for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer100
10431957453sarcasmthe use of irony to mock or project contempt101
10431957454satirea way of criticizing ideas or people in a humorous way102
10431957455similea comparison using like/as (different from metaphor)103
10431957456situational ironyAn outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected (similar to a plot twist)104
10431957740syllogismlogical reasoning in which the conclusion is gotten from two linked premises.105
10431957741symbolismthe use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities106
10431957742synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa107
10431958040synesthesiadescribing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")108
10431958041syntaxSentence structure109
10431984104tactile imagerysense of touch110
10431984105telegraphic sentencea short sentence using five words or less.111
10431984106thermal imageryrelated to temperature or warmth112
10431984374thesis statementA statement of the central idea in a work113
10431984375toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter114
10431984376tricolonSentence consisting of three parts of equal importance and length, usually three independent clauses.115
10431984377understatementa statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said116
10431984615verbal ironysarcasm117
10431984616vernaculareveryday language commonly used118
10431984617visual imagerysense of sight119
10431984618warrantjustify or deserve120
10431985010zeugmausing one word to modify two other words, in two different ways.121

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