AP Language and Composition Analysis Terms

Flashcards covering key rhetorical and compositional terms from the AP Language and Composition course.

Rhetoric

Using language strategically to persuade or influence an audience.

Mood

The emotional feeling a text creates for the reader.

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side-by-side to highlight contrast.

Exigence

The reason or situation that prompts an author to write.

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell).

Antithesis

Opposite ideas placed close together for effect.

Expository Essay

An essay that explains, informs, or gives facts about a topic.

Anaphora

Repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of lines or sentences.

Figurative Language

Non-literal expressions used for effect, including similes and metaphors.

Anecdote

A short personal story used to illustrate a point.

Description Essay

An essay that uses details to paint a vivid picture for the reader.

Absolutes

Words with no limitation or exception, such as 'always' or 'never'.

Metaphor

Comparing two things by saying one is the other.

Allegory

A story with a hidden deeper meaning, usually moral or political.

Persuasion Essay

An essay that attempts to convince the reader of a viewpoint.

Diction

The author’s word choice.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Analogy

Explaining something complex by comparing it to something simpler.

Narrative Essay

An essay that tells a story with characters, conflict, and events.

Denotation

The dictionary definition of a word.

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human things.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what happens or the results of an event.

Connotation

The feeling or association a word carries.

Understatement

Making something seem smaller or less important than it is.

First Person

Narration using 'I' or 'we'.

Process/Analysis Essay

An essay that explains how something works or how to do something.

Colloquial

Casual, everyday language.

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration.

Second Person

Narration using 'you'.

Compare/Contrast Essay

An essay that explores similarities and differences.

Formal Language

Professional, proper, grammatically correct writing.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals truth.

Third Person

Narration using 'he,' 'she,' 'they,' or names.

Informal Language

Relaxed, conversational speech.

Rhetorical Questions

Questions asked for effect, not for answers.

Subjective

Based on personal feelings or opinions.

Jargon

Specialized language used in a specific field.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, event, text, or idea.

Objective

Based on facts, not on feelings.

Situational Irony

When the opposite of what’s expected happens.

Syntax

How words and sentences are structured.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject.

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical structures for rhythm and clarity.