IB English Lang & Lit

Diction

Choice of word

Imagery

Figurative language

Syntax

Sentence structure

Word order

The order in which words are placed

Reference

When something is referred to

Symbol

When something is made to symbolize something else

Narrative perspective

The POV from which the story is told

Angle

The direction from which a picture is seen

Light

The lighting in a picture

Setting

The place where the text takes place

Color

The color used in the text

Characterization

The way characters are introduced and the way they are used to symbolize something

Bathos

A change of tone, e.g. from very sophisticated to slang

Alliteration

When the same consonant is used in the beginning of every word following one another

Anaphora

When the same words are used in the beginning of clauses/sentences following each other

Aposiopesis

Deliberate breaking off of a sentence in order for the reader to....

Assonance

When the "insides" of words rhyme/sound similar

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like the thing they are

Stanza

A part/paragraph of a poem

Rhymes

When words have the same ending, like pretending, mending, and fending

Parallelism

When several sentences or clauses have similar forms to form a pattern, e.g. "We came, we saw, we conquered"

Oxymoron

A juxtaposition of elements to form a paradox of speech, e.g. "burning cold" or "pacifist fighter"

Contrast

When two things stand on either side of a spectrum

Dialogue

Communication between two characters

Metonymy

When something is referred to by something other than its actual name, e.g. "Hollywood" for the US film industry

Prose

A flowing text without any specific rhythm

Fiction

A story/text not based on real events

Hyperbole

An exaggeration

Free indirect speech

When the narrative voice leaves the neutral tone in order to reflect the feelings or opinions of a character

Irony

Irony

Synecdoche

When the individual is referring to the whole or vice versa, e.g. saying "I think you all need to practice stylistic features" when it's actually only one student that is referred to (or vice versa)

Litotes

Understatement

Triad

Three of a kind

Metaphor

When two things are directly equated. Could be used to draw a conclusion about one thing by describing the other, e.g. "The black cat was feeling ill today" the cat is actually your mom

Simile

When two things are compared

Descriptions

Descriptions of the setting/characters/situations/etc.

Personification

When an object becomes alive or possesses human traits

Frame story

When a story is actually told within another story (not inception)

Tone

The feelings of the writer transmitted through word choice, sentence structure, content, etc.

Mood

The feelings that word choice, sentence structure, content, etc. gives the reader

Humor

When something is funny

Theme

A more general issue/argument/debate that is being explored though a work

Motif

Something that shows the theme

Antithesis

When two sentences contrast each other, or something is presented in order to create a contrast, e.g. "It was dark outside. The street lights flooded the sidewalks in bright light."

Archetype

A certain type of character that comes back in all kinds of works throughout literary history

Allusion

When a certain event/concept is referred to in a text

Allegory

When a text is written completely to allude to another situation/concept

Time

The fifth dimension, important to analyze in order to relate to the pace of a poem/prose

Analepsis

A jump backwards in time

Prolepsis

A jump forwards in time

Verb tense

Whether it is the past, present, or future that is being concerned based on what people do

Ethos

How believable the person who delivers and argument is

Logos

The logic of an argument

Pathos

The ability to make the audience feel

Anecdotes

Recounting a personal experience

Slogan

A catchy line of words, e.g. "I'm lovin' it"

Copy

The text of an advertisement

Speech

Text type that is made to be spoken out loud

Emphasis on intro and conclusion

Rhythm and pauses are important

Memoir

When a person writes about themselves and their past experiences, and reflect on these events

Retrospective and analytical

Advert

Some type of picture/text/video that tries to sell a product or a lifestyle

Logo

A certain picture or text that is specific for a brand

Graphosemantics

The layout of an ad. Font, color of sidebars, italicized/bold words, etc.

Column/blog

Personal, informal text that is entertaining and has some kind of newsworthiness

Cartoon

Pictures and dialogue used to make a pun and an argument

Panel

The box in a cartoon

Gutter

In between boxes in cartoons

Font

The way letters look. Sans/Serif

Magical realism

When realism isn't enough. "dreamy reality"

Playwright

Author of a play

Play

Crucible text type

In media's res

When a story starts in the middle of something. Builds tension