AP English Language & Rhetorical Terms

Allegory

Using a story or characters as symbols to teach a lesson. Example: Animal Farm

Alliteration

Repeating the same starting sound in close words.

Allusion

A passing mention of a famous person, place, or thing.

Ambiguity

Having more than one possible meaning.

Analogy

A comparison to help explain something.

Anaphora

Repeating the same word at the start of sentences.

Anecdote

A short, fun story about a real event.

Antecedent

The word that a pronoun points back to.

Antithesis

Putting two opposite ideas next to each other.

Aphorism

A short saying that states a truth or lesson.

Apostrophe

Talking to someone who is not there or an idea as if it is alive.

Asyndeton

Leaving out connecting words in a list.

Chiasmus

Reversing the order of words in two matching phrases (criss cross)

Clause

A group of words with a subject and an action.

Colloquialism

Using casual, everyday speech or slang.

Coherence

Making writing clear so it makes sense.

Connotation

The feeling or emotion a word brings to mind.

Denotation

The exact dictionary meaning of a word.

Diction

The specific words an author chooses.

Didactic

Meant to teach a lesson about right and wrong.

Ethos

Showing that a speaker is credible and trustworthy.

Euphemism

A polite word used instead of a harsh one.

Exposition

Background information or an explanation in a story.

Extended metaphor

A comparison that continues for a long time in a story.

Figurative language

Using words in a creative way, not for their exact meaning.

Genre

A type or category of art or writing.

Hyperbole

A big exaggeration used to make a point.

Hypophora

Asking a question and answering it right away.

Imagery

Descriptive words that appeal to the five senses.

Inference/infer

Guessing what is true based on clues.

Irony

When the opposite of what you expect happens.

Juxtaposition

Putting two opposite things next to each other to compare them.

Litotes

Saying something is true by saying its opposite is false. (he's no fool)

Logos

Using facts and logic to persuade someone.

Metaphor

Comparing two things without using "like" or "as".

Metonymy

Using a related word to stand for something else. (instead of the president declared, the white house declared)

Mood

The feeling created in a reader.

Narrative

A story or account of events.

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like what they mean, like "buzz."

Oxymoron

Putting two opposite words together, like "jumbo shrimp."

Paradox

A statement that seems false but actually holds truth.

Parallelism

Using the same pattern of words in sentences.

Parody

A funny copy of a work that makes fun of it.

Pathos

Appealing to people's emotions.

Periodic sentence

A sentence where the main point comes at the very end.

Personification

Giving human traits to objects or ideas.

Polysyndeton

Using many connecting words in a row.

Prose

Normal writing in sentences, not poetry.

Repetition

Saying the same word or phrase again for effect.

Rhetorical modes

Different styles of writing.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked just to make a point, not for an answer.

Sarcasm

Saying the opposite of what you mean to tease or mock.

Satire

Using humor to make fun of people's faults.

Simile

Comparing two things using "like" or "as".

Subordinate clause

A group of words with a subject and verb that is not a full sentence (dependent clause)

Syllogism

A logical argument that leads to a conclusion (major and minor)

Symbol/symbolism

Using an object to represent a bigger idea.

Synecdoche

Using a part of something to mean the whole thing.

Syntax

How words are put together to form sentences.

Theme

The main lesson or message of a story.

Thesis

The main idea or argument of an essay.

Tone

The author's attitude toward their topic.

Transition

A word or phrase that helps move from one idea to the next.

Understatement

Making something seem smaller or less important than it is.

Undertone

A hidden feeling or mood in a story.

Wit

Quick and clever humor.

Narration (Pattern of Development)

Telling a story or recounting a series of events to support a thesis, governed by chronology and concrete details. Example: Rebecca Walker writing about her son.

Description (Pattern of Development)

Emphasizes the senses by painting a picture of how something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels, often used to establish mood.

Process Analysis (Pattern of Development)

Explains how something works, how to do something, or how something was done using logical steps and transitions. Example: Royte describing Tyrone Hayes' pesticide investigation journey.

Exemplification (Pattern of Development)

Providing a series of examples, facts, or specific cases to turn a general idea into a concrete one. Example: Prose discussing assigned high school books like Huckleberry Finn.

Comparison and Contrast (Pattern of Development)

Juxtaposing two things to highlight similarities and differences, organized subject-by-subject or point-by-point. Example: Arviso comparing her New Mexico home to New Hampshire.

Classification and Division (Pattern of Development)

Sorting material or ideas into major categories to make connections between things. Example: Amy Tan classifying the different Englishes she uses.

Definition (Pattern of Development)

Establishing common ground or clarifying terms by defining a concept or term. Example: Howard defining 'family' through rituals.

Cause and Effect (Pattern of Development)

Analyzing the causes leading to an effect or the effects resulting from a cause by tracing clear logical links.