AP English Language and Composition Terms Flashcards

13947422820	Allegory	The device of using story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.	0
13947422821	Antecedent	Word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun - the noun the pronoun replaces.	1
13947422822	Antithesis	A rhetorical device in which two opposites are put close together to achieve a contrasting effect.	2
13947422823	Aphorism	A short statement of unknown authorship which expresses a general truth or moral in a witty or memorable way.	3
13947422824	Apostrophe	A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.	4
13947422825	Colloquial/Colloquialism	The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing - using local language	5
13947422826	Euphemism	Rephrasing with more agreeable or less offensive words to substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.	6
13947422827	Homily	This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.	7
13947422828	Metonymy	A figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it, for example, "The White House" stands in for the President and staff	8
13947422829	Anaphora	A sub-type of parallelism, with the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences.	9
13947422830	Prose	Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure - not poetry	10
13947422831	Syllogism	A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.	11
13947422832	Synecdoche	A figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole or, occasionally, the whole is used to represent a part, for example, "all hands on deck" uses "hands" a part to stand in for the whole person.	12
13947422833	Synesthesia	A figure of speech in which one sense is described using terms from another, for example: "she smelled the low notes in the sauce."	13
13947422834	Epigram	A brief witty statement.	14
13947422835	Digression	The use of material unrelated to the subject of a work - to write or speak off topic.	15
13947422836	Ellipsis	The omission of a word or several words necessary for a complete construction that is still understandable. This punctuation mark ...	16
13947422837	Anachronism	A person, scene, event or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era.	17
13947422838	Didactic	Having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information to teach a lesson usually in a dry, pompous manner.	18
13947422839	Fallacy	An incorrect belief or supposition based on faulty data, defective evidence, or false information.	19
13947422840	Non Sequitur	A statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before. An abrupt illogical jump.	20
13947422841	Anecdote	A short and amusing or interesting story usually about a real incident or person.	21
13947422842	Jargon	Special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.	22
13947422843	Exhort	Strongly encourage or urge someone to do something.	23
13947422844	Metaphor	A figure of speech making a comparison by referring to one thing as another.	24
13947422845	Simile	A figure of speech making a comparison using "like" or "as"	25
13947422846	Parallel Structure	The repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures	26
13947422847	Chiasmus	A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed	27
13947422848	Syntax	The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language - word order	28
13947422849	Diction	A writer's or speaker's choice of words	29
13947422850	Tone	The attitude a writer takes toward an audience, a subject, or a character; includes the level of formality in the wording	30
13947422851	Hyperbole	Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.	31
13947422852	Alliteration	Repetition of initial consonant sounds in close proximity	32
13947422853	Consonance	Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity - it could be anywhere in the word	33
13947422854	Oxymoron	A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.	34
13947422855	Paradox	An apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth	35
13947422856	Imagery	Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)	36
13947422857	Connotation	All the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests rather than the literal definition	37
13947422858	Denotation	The dictionary definition of a word	38
13947422859	Personification	A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes	39
13947422860	Onomatopeia	Words that imitate sounds, for example: oink, oink	40
13947422861	Cacophony	A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds	41
13947422862	Assonance	Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity	42
13947422863	Periodic Sentence	A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.	43
13947422864	Polysyndeton	the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural	44
13947422865	Irony	the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning	45
13947422866	Allusion	A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, work of art, etc. that exists outside the text.	46
13947422867	Counterargument	Anticipation of opposing views - you can either concede a point or refute it.	47
13947422868	Concession	Acknowledging an opposing view is true or reasonable. Usually followed with a refutation.	48
13947422869	Refutation	Denying the validity of an opposing argument. Acknowledge the other side of the argument but prove it wrong.	49