AP Language Vocab 4/20/18 Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 9636176363 | Consonance | repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity, as in boost/best; it can also be seen within several compound words such as fulfill and ping-pong |  | 0 |
| 9636188009 | conundrum | a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; may also be a paradox or difficult problem |  | 1 |
| 9636190498 | didactic | writing whose purpose is to instruct or to teach. The work is usually formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns. This type of writing may be fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a mddl of correct behavior or thinking. |  | 2 |
| 9636198522 | Discourse | spoken or written language, including literary works; the four traditionally classified modes of discourse are description, exposition, narration and persuasion |  | 3 |
| 9636208082 | dissonance | harsh or grating sounds that do not go together |  | 4 |
| 9636210695 | Dramatic irony | when the reader is aware of an inconsistency between a fictional or nonfictional character's perception of a situation and the truth of that situation |  | 5 |
| 9636217609 | Epistrophe | repetition of words at the end of phrases. Ex. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. |  | 6 |
| 9636221743 | Euphemism | a more acceptable and more pleasant way of saying something. Ex. passed away=dead |  | 7 |
| 9636229498 | Explication | art of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text. |  | 8 |
| 9636231627 | extended metaphor | a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit. It is developed throughout a piece of writing. |  | 9 |
| 9636238941 | induction | reasoning that moves from small information or specific to a generalization |  | 10 |
| 9636247151 | Deduction | process of moving from a general rule to a specific example | | 11 |
Flashcards
AP Language Vocab (Lesson 8) Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 4969676651 | fop | an excessively fashion-conscious man | 0 | |
| 4969680085 | fortuitous | lucky; by chance | 1 | |
| 4969681557 | gambol | to frolic; to romp about playfully | 2 | |
| 4969683580 | garish | tastelessly gaudy | 3 | |
| 4969685079 | garner | to gather, to acquire | 4 | |
| 4969686822 | garrulous | talkative | 5 | |
| 4969686823 | germane | relevant; fitting | 6 | |
| 4969688919 | gibe | to scoff, to ridicule | 7 | |
| 4969691013 | gloat | to look at or think about with great satisfaction | 8 | |
| 4969693459 | glower | to stare angrily | 9 | |
| 4969696064 | grandiose | impressive, showy, magnificent | 10 | |
| 4969698505 | gratuitous | unnecessary or uncalled for | 11 | |
| 4969703080 | grotesque | absurd; distorted | 12 | |
| 4969705764 | gumption | courage and initiative; common sense | 13 | |
| 4969708476 | hackneyed | commonplace; overused | 14 |
Flashcards
AP language Unit 7 Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 6055143641 | Counterpart | a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement | 0 | |
| 6055146721 | Effrontery | shameless boldness, impudence, sass | 1 | |
| 6055150813 | Ephemeral | lasting only a short time, short lived, comes and goes | 2 | |
| 6055153550 | Felicitous | appropriate, apt, well chosen; marked by well being or good fortune, happy accident | 3 | |
| 6055157873 | Allay | to calm or pacify, set to rest; lesson or relieve | 4 | |
| 6055160968 | Furtive | done slyly or stealthily, sneaky, secret, shifty | 5 | |
| 6055166038 | Coterie | a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest | 6 | |
| 6055172750 | Embellish | to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details | 7 | |
| 6055177078 | Demur | to object or take exception to; a quiet objection | 8 | |
| 6055180027 | Convival | festive, sociable, having fun together | 9 | |
| 6055182721 | Bestial | beast like; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility | 10 | |
| 6055185091 | Raiment | clothing, garments | 11 | |
| 6055187500 | Garish | glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way | 12 | |
| 6055190354 | Indigent | needy, poor, impoverished | 13 | |
| 6055191980 | Misanthrope | a person who hates or despises people | 14 | |
| 6055194674 | Picayune | of little value or importance, measly, concerned with trifling matters, small minded | 15 | |
| 6055199898 | Pertinacious | very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied | 16 | |
| 6055205126 | Wraith | a ghostly apparition | 17 | |
| 6055210842 | Inordinate | far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive | 18 | |
| 6055215125 | Threshold | the place or point of entering or beginning, the board or stone that lies under a door | 19 | |
| 6055220811 | Illusory | misleading, deceptive; lacking or not based on reality | 20 | |
| 6055222517 | Jettison | to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome | 21 |
Flashcards
AP language and composition Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 7332105958 | Allegory | the device of using character and story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. usually deals with moral truth or generalization about human existence | 0 | |
| 7332105959 | Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. can be historical, literary, religious, topical, mythical. | 1 | |
| 7332105960 | Allusions | an indirect reference to a famous person, place, event, or literary work. can be historical , literary, religious, topical, mythical. can be multiple layers of allusion | 2 | |
| 7332105961 | Ambiguity | multiple meanings of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage | 3 | |
| 7332105962 | Analogy | A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with it's similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid imaginative or intellectually engaging. | 4 | |
| 7332105963 | Antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. | 5 | |
| 7332105964 | Antithesis | The opposition or contrast of ideas, the direct opposite | 6 | |
| 7332105965 | Aphorism | A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. Can be a memorable summation of the authors point | 7 | |
| 7332105966 | Apostrophe | A figure of speech that directly addresses and absent or imaginary person or a person a fied abstraction. and addressed to someone or something that cannot answer and may add familiarity or emotional intensity | 8 | |
| 7332105967 | atmosphere | The emotional not created by the entirety of a literary work establish partly by the setting and partly by the authors choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere and frequently foreshadows | 9 | |
| 7332105968 | Caricature | A verbal description the purpose of which is to exaggerate or discomfort for comic effect a persons distinctive physical features or other characteristics | 10 | |
| 7332105969 | 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 could also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing | 11 | |
| 7332105970 | Colloquial | The use of slang or in for maladies in speech or writing. Not generally excepted for formal writing and give a conversational tone and include local or regional | 12 | |
| 7332105971 | Conceit | A fanciful expression usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between dissimilar objects | 13 | |
| 7332105972 | Connotation | the jon lit eral associative meaning of a word; the implied suggested meaning and can involve ideas emotions or attitudes | 14 | |
| 7332146080 | Denotation | The struct literal dictionary definition of the word devoid of any emotion attitude or color | 15 | |
| 7332146081 | Diction | related to style, dictionary definition refers to the writers word choices especially with regard to their correctness, clearness or effectiveness | 16 | |
| 7332146082 | Didactic | from the Greek it means teaching | 17 | |
| 7332146083 | Euphemism | good speech. More agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept | 18 | |
| 7332146084 | extended metaphor | A metaphor developed a great length occurring frequently in or out of work | 19 | |
| 7332146085 | figurative language | writing or speech that is not intended to carry a literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid | 20 | |
| 7332146086 | figure of speech | A device used to provide figurative language, many compared to similar things. includes', hyperbole, irony, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and an understatement | 21 | |
| 7332146087 | generic conventions | this term describes traditions for each genre. Please conventions help to define each genre | 22 | |
| 7332146088 | Genres | The major categories into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are pros, poetry, and drama | 23 | |
| 7332146089 | Homily | this term literally means sermon but more informally can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice | 24 | |
| 7332146090 | hyperbole | A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. The opposite is an understatement | 25 | |
| 7332146091 | imagery | The sensory details or figurative language used to describe arouse emotion or represent abstractions. On a physical level, Imgur uses terms related to the five senses | 26 | |
| 7332146092 | Inference | to draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. Most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice | 27 | |
| 7332146093 | Invective | An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language. | 28 | |
| 7332146094 | irony | The contrast between what is stated explicitly. and what is really meant for the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. Often used to create humor. three different types; verbal irony = when the words literally. State the opposite of the writers meaning. Situational ironing = when the events turn out the opposite of what was expected. Dramatic irony = when the events are unknown to a character in a play or piece but is known to the reader | 29 | |
| 7332146095 | loose sentence or non periodic sentence | A type of sentence in which the main idea comes first followed by the dependent grammatical units such as phrases or clauses. If the period is at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence | 30 | |
| 7332282199 | metaphor | A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other. Makes writing more vivid and thought-provoking and meaningful | 31 | |
| 7332282200 | Metonymy | A term from the Greek meaning changed label or substitute name. Figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it | 32 | |
| 7332282201 | mood | The prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of work. Setting tone and events can affect the mood and is similar to the tone and atmosphere | 33 | |
| 7332282202 | narrative | The telling of the story on account of an event | 34 | |
| 7332282203 | Onomatopoeia | A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words | 35 | |
| 7332282204 | Oxymoron | from the Greek meaning pointedly foolish. Figure of speech where the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox | 36 | |
| 7332282205 | Paradox | A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to the common sense but upon closer inspection contain some degree of truth or validity | 37 | |
| 7332282206 | Parallelism | "beside one another" refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words phrases sentences or paragraphs to give structural similarity. can involve repetition of a grammatical elements such as a preposition or verbal phrase. frequently act as an organizing force to attract to the readers attention, add emphasis and organization, or provide a musical rhythm | 38 | |
| 7332282207 | anaphora | A subtype of parallelism on the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences | 39 | |
| 7332282208 | parody | I work that closely imitates the style or content of another with a specific aim of comic effect. Exploited peculiarities of an author's expression | 40 | |
| 7332282209 | pedantic | and adjective that describes words phrases or general tone that is overly scholarly academic or bookish | 41 | |
| 7332282210 | periodic sentence | A sentence that presents at central meaning in a main clause at the end. Independent clauses proceeded by or phrase or clause I cannot stand alone. Affect is to add emphasis and structural variety | 42 | |
| 7332282211 | point of view | The perspective from which a story is told. two divisions of point of you. First person narrator=. tells the story with the first person pronoun and there's a character in the story. Can be the protagonist a secondary character or an observing character. third person narrator = relate the events with a third person pronouns he she and Ed. There are two main subdivisions to be aware of. Third person omniscient = The narrator with God like knowledge presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. Third person limited omniscient= The narrator presents the feelings and thoughts of only one presenting only the actions of all of the remaining characters | 43 | |
| 7332282212 | prose | refers to fiction and nonfiction. In prose, The printer determines the length of the line, and poetry the poet determines the length of line | 44 | |
| 7332282213 | Repetition | The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language such as sound word phrase clause sentence or grammatical pattern | 45 | |
| 7332282214 | Rhetoric | "orator" describes both governing the art of writing affectively eloquently and persuasively | 46 | |
| 7332282215 | rhetorical modes | describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. 1. The purpose of exposition is to explain analyze information by presenting an idea relevant evidence and appropriate discussion. 2. The purpose of argumentation is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning discussion and argument that the early convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation having an additional aim of urging some form of action. 3. The purpose of description as to re-create, and event, or visually present a person place or event or action so that the reader can picture that being described. 4. The purpose of narration is to tell a story or near write an event or series of events. | 47 | |
| 7332282216 | Sarcasm | "to tear flesh" involves better caustic language that is meant to hurt someone or something. It may use irony as a device | 48 | |
| 7332282217 | Satire | work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform. it can be recognized by the many devices used effectively = irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm | 49 | |
| 7332282218 | Semantics | The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words their historical and psychological development there connotations in relation to one another | 50 | |
| 7332282219 | style | 1. and a valuation of the sum of choice is an author makes and blending diction, syntax, figurative language and other literary devices 2. classification of authors to the group and comparison of an author to someone authors | 51 | |
| 7332282220 | subject complement | The word or clause the falls linking verb and complements or completes the subject of the sentence by either renaming it or describing it. 1. The predicate nominative= A noun group of nouns or noun clause that renames the subject. It follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence. 2. the predicate adjective = an adjective group of adjectives or adjective clause that follows a linking verb. In the predicate, the sentence and modifies or describes the subject | 52 | |
| 7332282221 | subordinate clause | Word group contains both the subject and a verb but cannot stand alone and doesn't express a complete thought | 53 | |
| 7332282222 | Syllogism | "reckoning together" deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (major and minor) that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion | 54 | |
| 7332282223 | Symbol | anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually something concrete. 1. natural symbols = objects and occurrences from nature to symbolize ideas commonly associated with them. 2. conventional symbols = those that have been invested with meaning by a group. 3. literary symbols = sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are generally recognized | 55 | |
| 7332282224 | syndecdoche | A figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent a whole or occasionally the whole is used to represent a part | 56 | |
| 7332282225 | Synesthesia | when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another | 57 | |
| 7332282226 | Syntax | The way and author chooses to join words into phrases clauses in sentences. Similar to diction but you can differentiate them by thinking of syntax as groups of words | 58 | |
| 7332282227 | Themes | The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. usually theme is understated and fictional works but in nonfiction it may be directly stated | 59 | |
| 7332282228 | Thesis | sentence or group of sentences that directly express the authors opinion purpose meaning or position | 60 | |
| 7332282229 | tone | describes the authors attitude toward his material the audience or both. Easier to determine and spoken language then in written language | 61 | |
| 7332282230 | Transition | A word or phrase that links different ideas. | 62 | |
| 7332282231 | Understatement | The ironic minimalize thing of fact, understatement present something as well significant than it is. A fact can frequently be humorous and emphatic | 63 | |
| 7332282232 | wit | intellectually I'm using language that surprises and delights. Statement as humorous while suggesting the speakers verbal power and creating perceptive remarks. | 64 |
AP English Language - Rhetorical devices Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 9834966352 | allegory | Device of using character and/or story symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. EX. In the book, "Lord Of The Flies", Piggy's glasses symbolize knowledge. |  | 0 |
| 9834966353 | alliteration | Repetition of sound, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. Repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage. EX. Sally Sold Sea Shells by the Sea Shore. |  | 1 |
| 9834966354 | allusion | Direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. May be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. EX. "Hey! Guess who the new Newton of our school is?" - "Newton", means a genius student, alludes to a famous scientist Isaac Newton. |  | 2 |
| 9834966355 | ambiguity | Multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of word, phrase, sentence, or passage EX. A good life depends on a liver - Liver may be an organ or simply a living person. |  | 3 |
| 9834966356 | analogy | A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. Can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with to pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. EX. Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer. |  | 4 |
| 9834966357 | antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. EX. David plays football in the courtyard. All the children have gathered there. |  | 5 |
| 9834966358 | antithesis | The opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite EX. Good and Evil |  | 6 |
| 9834966359 | 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 aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author's point. EX. The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. |  | 7 |
| 9834966360 | apostrophe | A 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. EX. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: / England hath need of thee." |  | 8 |
| 9834966361 | atmosphere | The emotional mood 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 atmosphere. Frequently atmosphere foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create a mood. EX. |  | 9 |
| 9834966362 | caricature | A verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics. EX. |  | 10 |
| 9834966363 | 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 to the other. You should also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing. EX. "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." |  | 11 |
| 9834966364 | colloquial/colloquialism | The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects. EX. "Sick, dude!" |  | 12 |
| 9834966366 | connotation | The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes. EX. Childlike, Youthful, Childish, Young Childish and childlike implies that someone is immature, but youthful infers that someone is lively and energetic. |  | 13 |
| 9834966367 | denotation | The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color. EX. If you search for the meaning of the word "dove" in a dictionary, you will see that its meaning is "a type of pigeon, a wild and domesticated bird having a heavy body and short legs." |  | 14 |
| 9834966368 | diction | Related to style, diction refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author's purpose. Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author's style. EX. formal or informal, ornate or plain |  | 15 |
| 9834966369 | didactic | From the Greek, didactic literally means "teaching." Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. EX. | | 16 |
| 9834966370 | euphemism | From the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept. The euphemism may be used to adhere to standards of social or political correctness or to add humor or ironic understatement. EX. Saying "earthly remains" rather than "corpse" |  | 17 |
| 9834966371 | extended metaphor | A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work. EX. "Life is a mountain, filled with switchbacks and rock slides and few straight paths to the top." |  | 18 |
| 9834966372 | figurative language | Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid. EX. The poorest man is the richest, and the rich are poor. |  | 19 |
| 9834966373 | figure of speech | A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. EX. Figures of speech include apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement. |  | 20 |
| 9834966375 | genre | The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. However, genre is a flexible term; within these broad boundaries exist many subdivisions that are often called genres themselves. For example, prose can be divided into fiction (novels and short stories) or nonfiction (essays, biographies, autobiographies, etc.). Poetry can be divided into lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic, etc. Drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, etc. EX. autobiography, biography, diaries, criticism, essays, and journalistic, political, scientific, and nature writing. |  | 21 |
| 9834966377 | hyperbole | A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, hyperbole produces irony. EX. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" |  | 22 |
| 9834966378 | imagery | The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, imagery uses terms related to the five senses; we refer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory imagery. On a broader and deeper level, however, one image can represent more than one thing. For example, a rose may present visual imagery while also representing the color in a woman's cheeks and/or symbolizing some degree of perfection (It is the highest flower on the Great Chain of Being). An author may use complex imagery while simultaneously employing other figures of speech, especially metaphor and simile. In addition, this term can apply to the total of all the images in a work. |  | 23 |
| 9834966379 | inference/infer | To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. When a multiple- choice question asks for an inference to be drawn from a passage, the most direct, most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice. If an inference is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct answer. Note that if the answer choice is directly stated, it is not inferred and is wrong. EX. |  | 24 |
| 9834966381 | irony/ironic | The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. In general, there are three major types of irony used in language; (1) In verbal irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning. EX. Looking at her son's messy room, Mom says, "Wow, you could win an award for cleanliness!" (2) In situational irony, events turn out the opposite of what was expected. What the characters and readers think ought to happen is not what does happen. EX. There are roaches infesting the office of a pest control service. (3) In dramatic irony, 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. Irony is used for many reasons, but frequently, it's used to create poignancy or humor. EX. The reader knows that a storm is coming, but the children playing on the playground do not. |  | 25 |
| 9834966383 | 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 loose sentences often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational. Generally loose sentences create loose style. EX. "The teacher considered him a good student, steady if not inspired, willing if not eager, responsive to instruction and conscientious about his work." |  | 26 |
| 9834966384 | metaphor | A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Metaphorical language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful. EX. "She is a walking dictionary." |  | 27 |
| 9834966385 | metonymy | A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. EX. A news release that claims "the White House declared" rather that "the President declared" is using metonymy. The substituted term generally carries a more potent emotional impact. |  | 28 |
| 9834966386 | mood | This term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker's attitude. The indicative mood is used only for factual sentences. EX. "Joe eats too quickly." The subjunctive mood is used to express conditions contrary to fact. EX. "If I were you, I'd get another job." The imperative mood is used for commands. EX. "Shut the door!" The second meaning of mood is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to tone and atmosphere. EX. "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents." |  | 29 |
| 9834966387 | narrative | The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events. EX. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas |  | 30 |
| 9834966388 | onomatopoeia | A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. If you note examples of onomatopoeia in an essay passage, note the effect. EX. buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. |  | 31 |
| 9834966389 | oxymoron | From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," an oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. EX. "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness." |  | 32 |
| 9834966390 | 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. EX. "To bring peace, we must war." |  | 33 |
| 9834966391 | parallelism | Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning "beside one another." It 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 phrase. The effects of parallelism are numerous, but frequently they act as an organizing force to attract the reader's attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. EX. A famous example of parallelism begins Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity . . . ." |  | 34 |
| 9834966392 | anaphora | A sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences. EX. "My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration." |  | 35 |
| 9834966393 | parody | A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. As comedy, parody distorts or exaggerates distinctive features of the original. As ridicule, it mimics the work by repeating and borrowing words, phrases, or characteristics in order to illuminate weaknesses in the original. Well-written parody offers enlightenment about the original, but poorly written parody offers only ineffectual imitation. Usually an audience must grasp literary allusion and understand the work being parodied in order to fully appreciate the nuances of the newer work. Occasionally, however, parodies take on a life of their own and don't require knowledge of the original. | 36 | |
| 9834966394 | pedantic | An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish. |  | 37 |
| 9834966395 | periodic 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. Adds emphasis and structural variety. It is also a much stronger sentence than the loose sentence. EX. "Ecstatic with my AP score, I let out a loud, joyful shout.!" |  | 38 |
| 9834966396 | personification | A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions. Personification is used to make these abstractions, animals, or objects appear more vivid to the reader. EX. The leaves danced around as they began falling from the trees. |  | 39 |
| 9834966397 | point of view | In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. There are two general divisions of point of view and many subdivision within those. (1) the first person narrator tells the story with the first person pronoun, "I," and is a character in the story. This narrator can be the protagonist, a participant (character in a secondary role), or an observer (a character who merely watches the action). (2) the third person narrator relates the events with the third person pronouns, "he," "she," and "it." There are two main subdivisions to be aware of: omniscient and limited omniscient. In the "third person omniscient" point of view, the narrator, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. This all-knowing narrator can reveal what each character feels and thinks at any given moment. The "third person limited omniscient" point of view, as its name implies, presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all remaining characters. |  | 40 |
| 9834966398 | prose | One of the major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms . In prose the printer determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line. |  | 41 |
| 9834966399 | repetition | The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. EX. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child". |  | 42 |
| 9834966400 | rhetoric | From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively. EX. "Smoking kills.... so why bother starting" poster |  | 43 |
| 9834966401 | rhetorical modes | This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. The four most common rhetorical modes and their purposes are as follows: (1) The purpose of exposition (or expository writing) is to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion. (2) The purpose of argumentation is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, discussion, and argument that thoroughly convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation having an additional aim of urging some form of action. (3) The purpose of description is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that being described. Sometimes an author engages all five senses in description; good descriptive writing can be sensuous and picturesque. Descriptive writing may be straightforward and objective or highly emotional and subjective. (4) The purpose of narration is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events. This writing mode frequently uses the tools of descriptive writing. These four writing modes are sometimes referred to as modes of discourse. |  | 44 |
| 9834966402 | sarcasm | From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," 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, sarcasm can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it's simply cruel. EX. As i fell down the stairs headfirst, I heard her say, "Look at that coordination." |  | 45 |
| 9834966403 | 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, satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. It can be recognized by the many devices used effectively by the satirist: irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm. The effects of satire are varied, depending on the writer's goal, but good satire, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition. EX. Saturday Night Live, Mad Magazine |  | 46 |
| 9834966404 | semantics | The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another. EX. Crash can mean auto accident, a drop in the Stock Market, to attend a party without being invited, ocean waves hitting the shore or the sound of a cymbals being struck together. |  | 47 |
| 9834966405 | style | The consideration of style has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices. Some authors' styles are so idiosyncratic that we can quickly recognize works by the same author (or a writer emulating that author's style). Compare, for example, Jonathan Swift to George Orwell or William Faulkner to Ernest Hemingway. We can analyze and describe an author's personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author's purpose. Styles can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, or laconic, to name only a few examples. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparison, we can see how an author's style reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental or realist movement. |  | 48 |
| 9834966407 | subordinate clause | Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, the subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. Also called a dependent clause, the subordinate clause depends on a main clause, sometimes called an independent clause, to complete its meaning. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses-- EX. although, because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as, while, who, when, where, how, and that. |  | 49 |
| 9834966408 | syllogism | From the Greek for "reckoning together," a syllogism (or syllogistic reasoning or syllogistic logic) is a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called "major" and the second, "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion. A frequently cited example proceeds as follows:EX. major Premise: All men are mortal. minor premise: Socrates is a man. conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal. A Syllogism's conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid. Syllogisms may also present the specific idea first ("Socrates") and the general second ("All men"). |  | 50 |
| 9834966409 | symbol/symbolism | Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually a symbol is something concrete--such as an object, action, character, or scene--that represents something more abstract. However, symbols and symbolism can be much more complex. One system classifies symbols in three categories: (1) Natural symbols are objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them EX. (dawn symbolizing hope or a new beginning, a rose symbolizing love, a tree symbolizing knowledge). (2) Conventional symbols are those that have been invested with meaning by a group. Ex. (religious symbols such as a cross or Star of David; national symbols, such as a flag or an eagle; or group symbols, such as a skull and crossbones for pirates or the scales of justice for lawyers). (3) Literary symbols are sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are generally recognized. However, a work's symbols may be more complicated as is the whale in Moby Dick and the jungle in Heart of Darkness. |  | 51 |
| 9834966410 | synecdoche | A figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole or, occasional, the whole is used to represent a part. EX. The phrase "gray beard" refers to an old man. |  | 52 |
| 9834966411 | synesthesia | When one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another. EX. "Taste the Pain" |  | 53 |
| 9834966412 | syntax | The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of syntax as the groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words. Syntax is the way in which words and punctuation are used and arranged to form phrases, clauses and sentences. EX. Incorrect: To the mall we are going. Correct: We are going to the mall. |  | 54 |
| 9834966413 | theme | The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually theme is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing. EX. Money can't buy happiness |  | 55 |
| 9834966414 | thesis | In expository writing, the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position. Expository writing is usually judged by analyzing how accurately, effectively, and throughly a writer has proved the thesis. |  | 56 |
| 9834966415 | tone | Similar to mood, tone describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's tone. EX. playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, and somber. |  | 57 |
| 9834966416 | transition | A word or phrase that links different ideas. Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and argumentative writing, transitions effectively signal a shift from one idea to another. EX. furthermore, consequently, nevertheless, for example, in addition, likewise, similarly and on the contrary. More sophisticated writers use more subtle means of transition. |  | 58 |
| 9834966417 | understatement | The ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole. EX. your leg is broken in 3 places, so it is going to be a little sore for a while |  | 59 |
| 9834966418 | wit | In modern usage, 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. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. EX. "you can't be late until you show up" |  | 60 |
AP English Language Terms Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images
| 6723925086 | absolute | a word free from limitations or qualifications ("best," "all," "perfect") | 0 | |
| 6723931104 | adage | a familiar proverb or wise saying | 1 | |
| 6723933061 | ad hominem argument | attacking an individual's character rather than his/her position on an issue | 2 | |
| 6723936465 | analogy | a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way | 3 | |
| 6723937545 | anecdote | a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event | 4 | |
| 6723938686 | antecedent | the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers | 5 | |
| 6723939832 | antithesis | a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced | 6 | |
| 6723941041 | aphorism | a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance | 7 | |
| 6723943991 | colloquialism | informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing | 8 | |
| 6723947454 | complex sentence | a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause | 9 | |
| 6723948787 | compound sentence | a sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions | 10 | |
| 6723951522 | connotation | the implied or associative meaning of a word | 11 | |
| 6723954354 | didactic | having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing | 12 | |
| 6723955224 | ellipsis | the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context ("Some people prefer cats; others, dogs.") | 13 | |
| 6723960888 | euphemism | an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant | 14 | |
| 6723966225 | juxtaposition | placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast | 15 | |
| 6723970035 | paradox | an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth | 16 | |
| 6723973549 | satire | the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions | 17 | |
| 6723979159 | syllogism | a three-part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise ("All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal.") | 18 | |
| 6723982437 | thesis | the primary position taken by a writer or speaker | 19 | |
| 6723983554 | tone | the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience | 20 | |
| 6723985966 | mood | the emotional atmosphere of a work | 21 | |
| 6723989014 | turning point | the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs | 22 | |
| 6723993624 | imply | strongly suggest | 23 | |
| 6723994899 | chastise | rebuke or reprimand severely | 24 | |
| 6723998288 | affirm | state as a fact; assert strongly and publicly | 25 | |
| 6724001637 | passive voice | a form of a verb in which the subject undergoes the action of the verb ("They were killed.") | 26 | |
| 6724004197 | reiterate | say something again or a number of times | 27 | |
| 6724005478 | qualify | make a statement or assertion less absolute; add reservations to | 28 | |
| 6724008986 | generalization | a statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases | 29 | |
| 6724014157 | endorse | declare one's public approval or support of | 30 | |
| 6724019256 | evoke | bring or recall to the conscious mind | 31 | |
| 6724019257 | underline | emphasize something | 32 | |
| 6724027776 | contingent | subject to change | 33 | |
| 6724030098 | counterexample | an example that opposes or contradicts an idea or theory | 34 | |
| 6724033583 | query | ask a question about something, especially in order to express one's doubts about it or to check its validity or accuracy | 35 | |
| 6724034952 | digression | a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing | 36 | |
| 6724038355 | contextualize | place or study in context | 37 | |
| 6724044989 | refutation | the action of proving a statement or theory to be wrong or false | 38 | |
| 6724044990 | parody | produce a humorously exaggerated imitation | 39 |
Pages
Need Help?
We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.
If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.
Need Notes?
While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!
