Comprehensive AP Language and Composition Terms + Effects

Allusion

A ref. to literature, past events, or people / Familiarizes content with the audience which allows for connections to be made

Alliteration

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely connected words / Is easier to remember and brings attention to sentence

Analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification / Makes what's being said easier to understand / Allows for a connection/parallels concepts to the event at hand

Anaphora

the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of clauses or sentences / Highlights the emphasis on the writer's message, allowing their words or phrases to be more memorable

Anecdote

usually a short story, that is about a real person or occasion / The purpose of anecdotes is to create a more personal dialogue, granting the reader with sympathetic emotions as a response to its usage

Antithesis

contrast between two things expressed by parallelism of words / elucidates the stark differences between the two opposing ideas, allowing the reader to distinguish the author's purpose / "Give me liberty or give me death!"

Connotation

an idea or emotion that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning/ helps to evoke emotions in the audience

Denotation

the literal dictionary definition / helps give facts

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing / loaded diction can add an extra dimension or effect to the speaker's purpose

Epiphora

Repetition of a word or phase at the end of the sentence(s) / emphasizes or highlights their point / "I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same."

Euphemism

the substitution of a word or phrase with the purpose of alleviating negative emotions / device comforts the audience by lessening the impact / "euthanized / put down"

Hypophora

When the author asks a question and then answers it / This emphasizes that the answer is/should be clear

Imagery

Description using senses to allow the reader to visualize the subject / This gives the audience a better understanding of the scene

inclusive language

The use of "us", "ours", "we", "yours" and other terms that include the audience / Make the audience feel included/united towards the purpose

Irony

Meaning in words or statements that contain language that signifies the opposition / It forces readers into analyzing what is actually happening / "A fire station burns down."

Juxtaposition

An act of putting two elements close together for contrasting effects / It allows readers to compare, contrast, and consider the relationship between the elements more closely / "...we realise the importance of light when we see darkness."

Metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable / Affects the reader because their emotions and impression can be affected because of how it activates our imagination / "light of hope to millions of Negro slaves" (MLK)

Oxymoron

Contradicting words / emphasizes ideas and catches the readers attention / "I seesawed between impossible possibilities" (Klebold)

Paradox

self-contradictory statement that when investigated may prove to be logical/true / Catches the reader's attention which places emphasis on an idea since they have to pause and reread the statement to understand the author's purpose/logic / "We realise the importance of light when we see darkness...We realised the importance of pens and book when we saw the guns."

Parallelism

Places two grammatically similar parts of a sentence/sentences together / The similar structure attracts the audience's attention and through further comparison, is able to see the argument the author attempts to reveal / "We have petitioned and demonstrated; they have answered and rejected"

Personification

Giving non-human things human qualities / Make audience relate to non-human things; Provide imagery to help the audience picture what's going on more clearly / "I concluded that he must not have loved me, because love would have prevented him from doing what he did."

Polysyndeton

A list of significant words followed over and over by using "or" "and" or "but" / They are used in one sentence to enhance the significance of the main point being made / "The possibilities ran through my mind- a car crash or a plane crash or an axe murderer or a serial killer or a police shooting or an accident"

rhetorical question

A question asked by the author in order to lead the readers toward the intended answer / the effect emphasizes the point that is trying to be made / "How much longer do people of color need to suffer?"

Simile

It compares two things with the use of "like" or "as" / This comparison is made to highlight the similarities between these two things / Her smile was as bright as the sun

symbol/symbolism

Represents or stands for something more / allows the audience to draw a connection / The flame of hope burned brightly through our souls

Syntax

The arrangement or order of words and phrases to form a proper sentence / Used to emphasize a point or highlight an idea / short syntax is abrupt and catches the audience's attention / long syntax is used to show a stream of consciousness or make a point about the subject / "I taught Dylan to protect himself from a host of things; bee stings, sunburns, ..."

Tricolon

List of 3 parallel words and phrases / draws the audience's attention and enables them to remember the 3 things well because the "magic 3" is something our mind's hold on to / "My body, my choice, my right!"

ethos

appeals to the speaker's status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them

Logos (logical appeal)

a way of persuading an audience through reasoning by offering them facts, statistics, and examples.

Pathos (emotional appeal)

using strong feelings of sympathy, anger, happiness, etc. to sway someone's opinion

purpose

the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists; the goal of the writer

Rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

Synthesis

combining different information in order to present and support a cohesive argument

Tone

the general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc.