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7389026147ClichéA trite, overused, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse0
7389026148Colloquial/ColloquialismCharacteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal; use of slang1
7389026149ConceitA fanciful expression usually in the form of an extended metaphor or analogy; author is showing intellectual cleverness2
7389026150Concrete detail/Concrete languageDetailed information, facts, data, and specific knowledge offered to describe, explain, or justify something3
7389026151ConnotationThe associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning; nonliteral meaning4
7389026152SynecdocheTerm used to represent a part of a whole5
7389026153SyntaxThe setup of phrases and words that creates a well-formed sentence; word choice- grouping of words6
7389026154ThemeThe overall subject of a work of writing, a conversation, or someone's thoughts7
7389026155Abstract languageVocabulary that signifies a concept, quality, or abstract idea8
7389026156AllegoryA story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one9
7389026157AlliterationThe occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words10
7389026158AllusionAn expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference; a direct or indirect reference to something commonly known11
7389026159AmbiguityA word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning12
7389026160AnalogyComparison of two dissimilar things in which similarities are pointed out13
7389026161AnnotationA brief summary, evaluation, or explanation of a work of literature or text14
7389026162AntecedentThe word of which a pronoun refers to15
7389026163AntithesisA contrast or opposition of ideas by juxtaposition in balanced places16
7389026164AphorismA short, generally accepted statement of truth/opinion17
7389026165AppositiveA noun phrase or a noun that defines or explains another noun, which it follows (renaming the noun)18
7389026166ApostropheAs a literary device is when a speaker breaks off from addressing one party and instead addresses a third party; Third party can be an individual, inanimate object, or an abstract concept19
7389026167AtmosphereType of feelings that readers get from a narrative based on details such as settings, background, objects, and foreshadowing, etc.; entirety of a work20
7389026168AttitudeThe relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience21
7389026169ClauseAn 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 clause22
7389122171Ad hominemAttacking a person or opponent's personal traits rather than his argument23
7389122172Common knowledgeA system of shared beliefs or assumptions between a reader and an author; Does not need to be cited as a source24
7389122173EpigraphA short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme25
7389122174GrotesqueThe subject matter of a work characterized by exaggeration, deformity, freakishness, and disorder; Also can be a style or genre26
7389122175ParableA short story used to teach a moral, religious, or spiritual lesson27
7389122176DenotationStrict, literal dictionary definition of a word28
7389122177Dependent clauseA clause that modifies the principal clause or some part of it or that serves a noun function in the principal clause; can't stand alone29
7389122178DictionThe accent, inflection, intonation, and speech-sound quality manifested by an individual speaker; word choice- individual words, word arrangement; ex: formal or informal word choice, author's style30
7389122179DidacticInclined to teach or lecture others; morals or ethics31
7389122180EquivocationThe use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself32
7389122181EuphemismThe substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt33
7389891977Extended metaphorA metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a literary work; Occurs frequently throughout a work34
7389891978Figurative languageNon-literal meaning35
7389891979GenreMajor category into which a literary work fits; autobiography, biography, diaries, criticism, essays, journals, political, scientific, nature, fiction, poetry36
7389891980GerundVerb ending in -ing that functions as a noun (ex: walking, hiking)37
7389891981AnaphoraRepetition of a word or words at the beginning of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences38
7389891982Devices of soundResources used by poets to convey and reinforce the meaning or experience of poetry through the skillful use of sound39
7389891983Ethical appealA method of persuasion that is based on the author's credibility40
7389891984JargonThe language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group41
7389891985PersonaA person42
7389891986SimileA figure of speech comparing one subject to another using "like" or "as"43
7389891987Stream of consciousnessA literary style in which the narrator describes through the thoughts of characters in a continuous flow44
7389891988StyleThe way an author uses words in literature through word choice, connotation, and tone; Classification or genre45
7389891989Subordinate clauseA clause, followed by a conjunction, used to further describe the verb in the main clause46
7389891990SyllogismA conclusion assumed by two facts that share similar terms through an "if...and...then" statement; Major or minor premise that we draw conclusions from47
7389891991Symbol/SymbolismMark or character used as a representation of an idea, group, object, or function/ The use of symbols to represent ideas, groups, objects, or functions; Natural, conventional, literary48
7389891992ThesisA statement that is made with the intention of being further proven49
7389891993ToneDescribing author's attitude toward his/her material50
7389891994TransitionThe process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another; To undergo or cause to undergo a process or period of transition; Links51
7389891995UnderstatementThe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is52
7389891996VoiceRelationship between a sentence's subject and verb, active and passive style- sound of a writer's style53
7389891997WitElements in a literary work designed to make the audience laugh or feel amused54
7389891998TropeA figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression; To twist meaning55
7389891999Causal relationshipA device used by writers to demonstrate the cause and effect relationship between two separate things56
7389892000EpigramA short saying or remark used to express an idea in a witty or enjoyable way57
7389892001Freight trainSentence consisting of three or more very short independent clauses joined by conjunctions58
7389892002OversimplificationWriter denies complexity of issue in an argument, author leaves out part of the issues59
7389892003Straw manAn illogical fallacy that is a form of argument based on refuting opponents' argument while refuting an argument that was not yet stated by that opponent; Diverts attention from real issues60
7389892004Parallelism/Parallel StructureUsing a similar sentence or structure to highlight similar levels of importance, usually conjoined with "and" or "or"; Lists of verbs will always end with the same suffix; "Beside one another", idea or grammatical framing61
7389892005ParodyA piece of writing that imitates the style of something else, usually in an intentionally humorous way62
7389892006PedanticWriting bordered on lecturing, and is very scholarly, often to the point of being difficult to read; Overly focused on literary accuracy63
7389892007Periodic sentencesHas the main predicate at the end of the sentence, and is used to provide emphasis, or even create suspense64
7389892008PersonificationThe attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman65
7389892009Point of viewThe narrator's position in relation to the story being told; 1st person narrative, 3rd person narrative- omniscient & limited omniscient66
7389892010PredicateThe part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject67
7389892011ProseWritten or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure68
7389892012RefuteTo prove false, or wring by argument or evidence69
7390520747RepetitionThe act of doing, or exercising the same thing over and over; Sometimes to put emphasis on70
7390520748RhetoricThe art of speaking or writing effectively, persuasively, and eloquently71
7390520749SarcasmA mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual; Greek meaning- "to tear flesh", intended to hurt72
7390520750SatireText that reveals a critical attitude toward some element of human behavior by portraying it in an extreme way73
7390520751SemanticsThe language used to achieve a desired effect on an audience especially through the use of words with novel or dual meanings; Branch of linguistics that studies a meaning of words74
7390520752Begging the questionA logical fallacy, in which the conclusion of the argument is included in the premise75
7390520753Emotional appealAn argument that draws on the emotions and interests of the audience so they will be inclined to accept the speaker's argument76
7390520754ExpositionThe part of the story that sets the stage for the drama to follow: introducing the theme, setting, characters, and circumstances at the story's beginning77
7390520755ObjectivityA lack of judgement, biased, or prejudice; Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices78
7390520756SoliloquyA speech in which a character, alone of stage, expressed his or her thoughts and feelings aloud for the benefit of the audience, often in a revealing way79
7390520757HyperboleExaggerated statements or claims not intended to be taken literally80
7390520758ImageryThe use of figurative language to represent objects, actions, and ideas in a way that appeals to one's physical senses81
7390520759Inference/InferA conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning / To conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements82
7390520760InvectiveAn emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language; Potty-mouth83
7390520761InversionLiterary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed in order to achieve a particular effect of emphasis or meter84
7390520762Irony/IronicThe contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is actually meant, or the difference in what appears to be and what is actually true; Verbal, situational, dramatic85
7390520763Loose sentenceThe sentence reveals the key information right away and unfolds loosely after that; The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is then followed by one or more subordinate clauses86
7390520764MetaphorA figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity; A figure of speech that compares two unlike things87
7390520765MoodThe prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work; Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader88
7390520766MotifA distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition; Reoccurring image or word that unifies a piece89
7390520767NarrativeA spoken or written account of connected events; A story90
7390520768Non sequiturA conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement91
7390520769OnamatopoeiaThe formation of a word by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent92
7390520770OxymoronA combination of contradictory or incongruous words93
7390520771ParadoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth94
7390520772AnecdoteA brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event95
7390520773DigressionA stylistic device authors employ to create a temporary departure from the main subject of the narrative to focus on apparently unrelated topics, explaining background topics96
7390520774ExplicationThe process of analyzing a literary work in order to reveal its meaning97
7390520775HomilyAny serious talk that is intended primarily for spiritual or moral edification rather than doctrinal instruction; Spiritual or moral advice98
7390520776Red herringSomething that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important issue99
7746349628Dramatic ironyA technique in which the author lets the audience or reader in on a character's situation while the character himself remains in the dark. When used in a tragedy, dramatic irony is called tragic irony100
7746349629Situational ironyA situation that is the opposite of what the reader expects101
7746428858Verbal ironyA discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words102

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