ap lit

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."

Simile

An explicit comparison between two distinct things using comparative words such as "like" or "as."

Personification

Assigning human qualities, emotions, or actions to non

Hyperbole

Intentional and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis, humor, or dramatic effect.

Euphemism

A mild, indirect, or agreeable phrase substituted for one considered harsh, blunt, or unpleasant.

Understatement

Deliberately representing something as far smaller, less intense, or less important than it actually is.

Litotes

A specific form of understatement that expresses an affirmative idea by negating its opposite (often using double negatives).

Metonymy

Substituting the name of one thing with the name of a closely associated concept or attribute.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part of something represents the whole, or occasionally the whole represents a part.

Oxymoron

A phrase combining two contradictory or opposing terms side

Pun

A play on words exploiting multiple meanings of a single word or words that sound similar but differ in meaning.

Double Entendre

A word or phrase open to two interpretations, where one meaning is usually risky, ironic, or suggestive.

Sound

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words or syllables.

Assonance

The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds within nearby non

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds (especially at the middle or end of words) in close proximity.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate or recreate the natural sound associated with the action or object they describe.

Rhyme

The repetition of matching end

Internal Rhyme

A rhyme occurring within a single line of verse rather than at the end of lines.

Euphony

A pleasing, smooth, or harmonious arrangement of sounds.

Cacophony

Harsh, discordant, or jarring combinations of sounds.

Structure

Syntax

The arrangement of words, phrases, and clauses to form grammatically structured sentences.

Loose Sentence

A sentence where the main independent clause comes first, followed by dependent modifying phrases or clauses.

Periodic Sentence

A sentence structured to hold its main independent clause until the very end, building tension to a climax.

Parallelism

The repetition of identical grammatical structures in consecutive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Antithesis

The pairing of strongly contrasting ideas within a parallel grammatical framework.

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting concepts, places, or images side

Anaphora

The intentional repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical structure where the order of terms in the first clause is reversed in the second.

Epistrophe

The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive sentences or clauses.

Anastrophe

The inversion of normal or expected word order (e.g., placing an adjective after its noun).

Asyndeton

The omission of conjunctions (like "and" or "but") between coordinate clauses or words.

Polysyndeton

The intentional overuse of conjunctions in rapid succession.

Repetition

The deliberate reuse of words, phrases, sounds, or stanza forms to emphasize an idea.