AP Lang A-Z Terms

ab ovo

describes a narrative structure that proceeds in a chronological order from beginning to end

abstract

refers to ideas, concepts, and qualities often uncountable

acronym

a word formed from the initial letters or syllables of a sequence of words

active voice

a syntactical term for a sentence where the subject is the doer, not the receiver, of the action

adjective

words that modify nouns

adjective clause

a clause the describes a noun and functions adjectivally in a sentence

adverb

a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, adverb, or an entire sentence

allegory

a system of interconnected symbols that work to represent ideas or concepts not readily apparent in the primary narrative

alliteration

the repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words

allusion

a passing reference to a familiar person, place, or thing drawn from history, the Bible, mythology, literature, etc.

ambiguity

the use of language when multiple meanings are possible

amblysia

modified language used in preparation for tragic or alarming news

anachronism

a historically innaccurate detail in a text typically used to synthesize ideas and perspectives from different times

anacoluthon

when a sentence begins one way, puases, and ends in another matter

anadiplosis

the repetition of the final word of a clause at the beginning of the following clause for emphasis

anagram

when letters of a word or phrase are rearranged to make a new word or phrase

analogy

a comparison between two things on the grounds that they share an abstract, third element

anaphora

the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases

anastrophe

the inversion of normal word order in a sentence

anecdote

recounting of events or a short story used in either fiction or non-fiction to provide specific focus and personal flavor to a written piece

antagonist

the character or force in a literary work that opposes the main character

antecendent

the word a pronoun replaces

antithesis

an opposition or contrast of ideas often in balanced phrases

aphorism

a concise statement that illustrates truth or widely held belief

apocope

the deliberate removal of a letter or letters from the end of a word, usually reflecting informal or colloquial useaphorism

aposiopesis

a breaking off of speech, usually meant to indicate rising emotion or excitement

apostrophe

a mode of speech where an abstract idea, dead person, thing, or place, is addressed directly even though there is no way for that entity to respond

appositive

a modifier that is built from a noun to modify another noun or pronoun for the purpose of emphasis or clarification

archaism

a form of speech or writing that is outdated, obsolete, or no longer current

archetype

a recognizable theme, symbol, or character that holds a familiar place in a culture’s consciousness

assonance

a type of internal rhyming in which identical or similar vowel sounds are repeated

assumption

a belief or principle, stated or implied, that is taken for granted

asyndeton

occurs when coordinating conjunctions that would normally connect a strong or words, phrases, or clauses are omitted

atmosphere

a compound term that encompasses tone and mood

audience

the intended recipients of a piece of writing

bombast

inflated or pretentious language that does not match context of it's use

cacophony

an author’s choice in words, usually alliterative, that create harsh, discordant, and grating sounds when read aloud

caricature

an author exaggerates or distorts certain traits of an individual for a ludicrous effect

chiasmus

the reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses

circumlocution

unnecessary wordiness

claim

the proposition put forth in an argument

clause

a statement that contains a noun and a verb. dependent or independent

cliché

an expression that has become ineffective through overuse

colloquialism

an informal expression that is conversational in nature and usually reflects the culture or an area or group

colon

a form of punctuation typically used to introduce a list in a sentence

complex sentence

composed of at least one dependent clause and one independent clause joined togehter

compound sentence

a sentence composed of two or more independent clauses that are joined together into a single sentences

concrete

words referring to specific, particular, or material details

connotation

refers to the implied suggested meaning of a word

consonance

the repetition of two or more consonant sounds located within a series of words

coordinating conjunction

words that provide a losse link among items that are equal in rank

deduction

the process of reasoning from a general claim to specific ones

denotation

refers to the direct relationship between a term and the object, idea, or action it signifies

dependent clause

a clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence, requires an independent clause to give it meaning

description

one of the four primary modes of writing, representation/ copy, objective or subjective. reports evidence factually or using figurative language

dialogue

spoken words, real or imagined, that are recorded in a piece of writing. reveals important aspects of character's’ personalities and events in the narrative

diction

refers to the choice of words in a piece of speech or writing

didactic

writing that attempts to teach a moral or lesson in a work of fiction or non-fiction

digression

a movement away from the main focus in a speech or writing, intentional or unintentional

direct object

a person or thing affected by the action of a transitive verb

dysphemism

a disparaging expression used to describe someone or something

ellipses

three successive periods (…) that indicate the intentional omission of words in a thought or quotation

elliptical construction

the deliberate omission of words from a sentence for rhetorical effect

emphasis

the placement of important ideas and words within sentences and longer units of writing so that they have the greatest impact

epistle

a work of poetry or prose that is presented as a series of letters

epistrophe

a figure of speech where successive phrases all end with the same word

epithet

a word or phrase which is attached to a character for the purposes of description in a word of literature or non-fiction

eponymous

a person in a work of fiction whose name is derived from the title

ethos

the characteristic spirit that informs a work. refers more generally to the ethics or values of the arguer

euphemism

a mild or pleasant-sounding expression that substitutes for a harsh, indelicate, or simply less pleasant ideas

evidence

the grouns upon which a judgement or argument is based or by which proof or probability is established

figures of speech

comparisons that highlight the similarities between things that are basically dissimilar

figurative language

a categorical term for all uses of language that imply an imaginative comparison

foreshadowing

a purposeful hint placed in a work of literature to suggest what may occur later

gobbledygook

a mdoe of speech where the language is completely unintelligible, either because of extreme jargon or overblown diction that overwhelm the reader

harangue

an emotionally based speech meant to spur an audience into action

hyphaersis

the omission of a letter from a word, usually to condense the number of syllables

hyperbole

a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used to achieve emphasis, usually for comical effect

hypostatization

form of personification in which an abstract concept takes on living qualities

idiom

a word or phrase that is used habitually. suggested by conventional use, not denotation

imagery

a mental picture that is conjured by specific words and associations, though there can be auditory and sensory components as well.

independent clause

a clause that can stand alone as a sentence or can be paired with others

induction

logical process of arriving at conclusions based off of the experience of specific cases or scenarios

inference

the process of arriving at a conclusion based on a hint, clue or implication

irony

a mode of expression in which an intended outcome is substituted with reverse of what is expected

jargon

special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand. similar to technical language

juxtaposition

occurs when two contrasting things are placed next to each other for comparison

litote

a form of understatement, the opposite is used to achieve emphasis

logos

the use of reason as a controlling principle of argument. authors attempt to persuade readers by appeaking to their sense of logic

loose syntax

a sentence in which the main clause is presented first followed by a series of dependent clauses. the most important information is frountloaded, and the following phrases or clauses merely modify the main idea

malapropism

the substitution of a word for a word with a similar sound in which the resulting phrase makes no sense and often creates a comic effect

standard metaphor

a figure of speech that makes a connection between two unlike things

extended metaphor

a metaphor that extends over several lines, verses, or chapters

implied metaphor

a less direct metaphor

dead metaphor

a metaphor that has become so common we no longer notice it as a figure of speech

metonymy

metaphor; a figure of speech in which something closely related to a thing is substituted for the thing itself

mixed metaphor

a faulty metaphor that switches the terms of comparison before it finishes

synecdoche

metaphor; substitution of a part for a whole

mood

the audience’s attitude or feelings towards a subject

narration

one of the four basic types of prose that tells what’s happening in a story