AP English Lit Unit 6 Vocab Quiz

Form

The overall structure of a poem, including its line lengths, stanza lengths, and rhyme scheme 

• The rules that dictate the poem's structure, meter, rhyme scheme, length, and tone 

• The type of poetic form used, such as sonnet, haiku, or blank verse 

Meter

• The number of syllables in a line of poetry

• The emphasis placed on syllables

• The grouping of syllables into sets of two or three beats, called feet

• The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables

• The type of meter used, such as iambic pentameter, common meter, or dactylic hexameter

Rhyme

The repetition of syllables, typically at the end of a verse line.

Free Verse

A poetic form that does not adhere to consistent meter patterns or rhyme schemes, allowing for greater flexibility and expression.

Villanelle

A poem consisting five three-line stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the first stanza repeating alternately in the following stanzas. These two refrain lines form the final couplet in the quatrain.

Stanza

A grouped set of lines within a poem, often sharing a common structure or rhyme scheme.

Line Break

The point at which a poet ends one line and begins another. One of the many methods poets used to control the rhyme and pace at which their work is read. May happen to preserve the meter of the poem or to emphasize a specific piece of the poem by giving its own line.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. Happens when the sentence continues without commas or semi-colons.

Cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds often used in poetry to create an unsettling effect. It can evoke feelings of chaos or discomfort, enhancing the emotional impact of a literary work.

Euphony

Pleasant, harmonious sound in language, often achieved through smooth, flowing words and rhythms. It’s sound that is pleasing or agreeable to the ear.

Refrain

A recurring or repeating words, phrases, clauses or lines of lines in a poem, often used to emphasize a theme or suggest associations.

Repetition

The act of repeating words, phrases, or sounds for emphasis or effect in poetry or prose.

Epistrophe

The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Counterpart to anaphora.

Attitude

A writer's or speaker's stance toward a subject, reflecting their feelings or perspective within a literacy work.

Sestina

A complex form of poetry consisting of six stanzas of six lines each and with a specific pattern of word repetition.

Sonnet

A poetic form consisting of 14 lines, each has 10 syllables and a specific rhyme scheme and meter, often exploring themes of love or nature.

Anaphora

A rhetorical device that involves in repeating words or phrases in the beginning of multiple sentences, phrases, or clauses.