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AP Lit. Semester Exam Vocab. Flashcards

AP literature and composition; grammar, analysis, and literary devices

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5721036414PhraseA group of words0
5721036415ClauseA grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.1
5721036416Comma splice (run-on sentence)two sentences joined incorrectly with only a comma2
5721036417FragmentA word, phrase, or clause that does not form a full sentence3
5721036418Coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)join ideas that are similar; place a comma before you write sentences/clauses4
5721036419Clarityclearness in thought or expression5
5721036420StructureAn organized system that shows a clear pattern6
5721036421Word choice (Diction)The way the writer carefully selects words to give precise descriptions, create a particular mood, and increase the impact of their writing.7
5721036422Thesis StatementThe statement that presents the overall purpose of an essay8
5721036423ParaphrasingTaking someone else's thoughts and putting them into your own words as a way of summarizing them9
5721036424Authorial Intentauthors purpose of writing10
5721036425Historical Context/Historical CriticismAn approach to literature that uses history as a means of understanding a literary work more clearly; moves beyond both the facts of an author's personal life and the text itself to examine the social currents in which the author composed the work.11
5721036426FormalismEmphasizes the form of a literary text to determine its meaning, focusing on literary elements and how they work to create meaning inside the text12
5721036427Feminist Approachan approach that views gender as a defining characteristic in social interaction and life experiences; gender is seen as socially constructed, with men being more advantaged than women in society.13
5721036428Annotationa critical or explanatory note or comment; written responses while reading14
5721036429Dichotomya division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different15
5721036430Figurative LanguageLanguage that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary or literal meaning of the words.16
5721036431PersonificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes17
5721036432Unreliable Narratora narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted18
5721036433Malapropisma word humorously misused; ludicrous misuse of a word19
5721036434OnomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.20
5721036435OxymoronA figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction21
5721036436symbolismAn object, character, figure, or color that is used to represent an abstract idea or concept.22
5721036437Dramatic IronyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the literary work.23
5721036438ArchetypeA constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature, painting, or mythology. Example: Alice must pass a series of tests as she makes her way through24
5721036439FoilA character who illuminates the qualities of another character by means of contrast.25
5721036440AllusionA brief reference in a literary work to a person, place, thing, or passage in another literary work, usually for the purpose of associating the tone or theme of the one work with the other.26
5721036441ForeshadowingA warning or indication of a future event.27
5721036442Breaking Fourth WallSpeaking directly to or acknowledging the audience. The "fourth wall" refers to the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theater.28
5721036443AnagnorisisThe recognition or discovery by the protagonist of the identity of some character or the nature of his own predicament, which leads to the resolution of the plot.29
5721036444Poetic Justicevirtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished, often by an ironic twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct.30
5721036445Deus Ex MachinaAn unexpected power or event saving a hopeless situation, especially as a plot device in a play or novel, from the Latin "a god from a machine."31
5721036446DenounementThe final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are resolved.32
5721036447RepetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis33
5721036448Rhyme SchemeThe pattern of rhymes in a poem.34
5721036449Rhythm (Meter)Pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables35
5721036450Line breaksplaces where lines of poetry end, to add emphasis to certain words or phrases.36
5721036451CesuraA pause in a line or verse, not interrupting rhythm/meter; grand pause37
5721036452MetaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared. A comparison of two unlike things without using the word like or as.38
5721036453SimileA comparison using "like" or "as" A comparison of two unlike things using like or as39
5721036454HyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor40
5721036455ImageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)41
5721036456PersonificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes42
5721036457AlliterationRepetition of initial consonant sounds43
5721036458AssonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity44
5721036459MoodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader45
5721036460ToneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.46
5721036461ThemeA topic or a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work; central idea.47
5721036462StanzaA fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem48
5721036463CoupletA pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem.49
5721036464Free VersePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme50
5721036465Blank VersePoetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter51
5721036466Metric Foota group of 2 or 3 syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm.52
5721036467Iambduh DUM, unstressed-stressed53
5721036468TrocheeDUM duh, stressed-unstressed54
5721036469DactylDUM duh duh, stressed-unstressed-unstressed55
5721036470Anapestduh duh DUM, unstressed-unstressed-stressed56
5721036471SpondeeDUM DUM, stressed-stressed57
5721036472Pyrrhicduh duh, unstressed-unstressed58
5721036473ExpositionA narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.59
5721036474Rising ActionA series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.60
5721036475ClimaxThe turning point in the action (also known as the "crisis") and/or the highest point of interest or excitement.61
5721036476Falling ActionEvents after the climax, leading to the resolution62
5721036477ResolutionEnd of the story where loose ends are tied up63
5721036478ConflictA struggle between opposing forces; an inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more characters or forces.64
5721036479Inciting Incidentthe event that introduces the major struggle or conflict of the plot, eventually realized in the climax.65
5721036480Venacularthe native language or dialect of a country or region; everyday or informal language66
5721036481Chronologythe arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence.67

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