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| 7645572192 | Simple Sentence | A sentence that has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. | 0 | |
| 7645597046 | Complex Sentence | A sentence composed of at least one main clause and one subordinate clause. "He backed his car into an oak tree that had been planted by his aunt." | 1 | |
| 7645602853 | Compound Sentence | Contains at least two independent clauses but no dependent clauses. "The singer bowed to the audience, but she sang no encores." | 2 | |
| 7645609208 | Compound-Complex Sentence | Contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. "The singer bowed while the audience applauded, but she sang no encores." | 3 | |
| 7645615342 | Cumulative or Loose Sentence | The main idea is introduced at or near the beginning and then modified by less important elements. (Example: "He learned to fix cars from Alice McMahon, an elderly spinster who used to spend her spare time partying with Volvo mechanics.") A complex sentence in which the main clause comes first and the subordinate clause follows. Example: I do not wish to go to school, even though I might learn something interesting. | 4 | |
| 7645632076 | Coherence | The quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of a central idea, theme or organizing principle. | 5 | |
| 7645644015 | Connotation | Implied or suggested meaning of a word. The emotional shadings attached to a word beyond its literal definition. | 6 | |
| 7645647237 | Denotation | To signify or stand as a name for. The explicit meaning of a word (example: Policeman means Officer of the Law. If you referred to the Policeman as a Cop, it still carries the same literal meaning, but the word "cop" has a different Connotation). | 7 | |
| 7645651553 | Diction | Word choice, particularly as an element of style. Different types and arrangements of words have significant effects on meaning. An essay written in academic diction would be much less colorful, but perhaps more precise than street slang. You should be able to describe an author's diction. You SHOULDN'T write in your thesis, "The author uses diction...". This is essentially saying, "The author chooses words to write." Instead, describe the type of diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain). | 8 | |
| 7645658693 | Didactic | A term used to describe fiction, nonfiction or poetry that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking. | 9 | |
| 7645661600 | Discourse | Spoken or written language including literary works. The four modes of this are description, narration, exposition and argumentation. | 10 | |
| 7645707817 | Description | To recreate, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that being described. Good _______ writing creates a picture that involves the 5 senses. | 11 | |
| 7645713407 | Narration | The mode of writing that tells a story. An anecdote is a narrative, and so is a history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. It may, of course, include substantial exposition ("four possible motives must be considered") and description ("the horse was an old gray mare"), but the emphasis is on a sequence of happenings ("and then she says to me..."). | 12 | |
| 7645717883 | Exposition | One of the four major rhetorical categories of writing or modes of writing/discourse. The principal purpose of _______ prose is to "expose" ideas to your readers, and to explain, define, and interpret information through one or more of the following patterns: example, process analysis, division/classification, comparison/contrast, definition, and cause/effect. | 13 | |
| 7645731840 | Argumentation | To prove the validity of an idea, or a point of view, by presenting good sound reasoning, discussion and argument to convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of this having the additional aim of urging some form of action. | 14 | |
| 7645738293 | Epanalepsis | Repetition at the end of a clause or sentence of the word or phrase with which it began: A combination of anaphora and epistrophe. " Next time there won't be a next time. " (Phil Leotardo in The Sopranos) "Always Low Prices. Always." (Walmart slogan) | 15 | |
| 7645742889 | Epistrophe | the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences. "...of the people, By the people." | 16 | |
| 7645767223 | Euphemism | more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts. Sometimes they are used for political correctness ("physically challenged", instead of "crippled"). Sometimes they are used to exaggerate correctness to add humor (a person who is "vertically challenged" is often referred to as being "short") | 17 | |
| 7645768700 | Figurative Language | A word or words that are inaccurate literally but call to mind sensation or evoke reactions. Metaphors, similes. "All the world's a stage."... | 18 | |
| 7645770544 | Foreshadowing | The presentation of material in such a way that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work. | 19 | |
| 7645777354 | Genre | The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. However, they can be subdivided as well (poetry can be classified into lyric, dramatic, narrative, etc.). The AP Language exam deals primarily with the following divisions: autobiography, biography, diaries, criticism, essays, and journalistic, political, scientific, and nature writing. | 20 | |
| 7645793852 | Hyperbole | Figurative language that exaggerates. It is often used in comedy, or to create irony. (Example: "We saw a gas station every five feet when the tank was full, but when we finally needed gas, there wasn't a station for a thousand miles." | 21 | |
| 7645793853 | Metaphor | figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for another, suggesting some similarity. Usually identified by comparing objects directly, using words Like "was" or "is" (example: The wicked stepmother was evil. She was a cold-hearted snake.). | 22 | |
| 7645803216 | Extended Metaphor | sustained throughout a paragraph, a poem, and a longer work. These are often referred to as conceits. | 23 |
