AP Language

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Ex. He ascended into heaven.

Alliteration

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Ex. Valerie is very very vicious.

Consonance

Repetition of a consonant sound at the MIDDLE or END of closely connected words.

Ex. The old man hummed a calm, solemn hymn.

Assonance

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity

Ex. The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.

Rhyme Scheme

The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse.

Ex. Bibbity boppity boo

I really got to poo

Asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words

Ex. Apples, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, mangoes, peaches

Polysyndeton

The use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural

Ex. I slept, and ate, and slept, and ate, and slept, and ate.

Antanaclasis

Repetition of a word or phrase whose meaning changes in the second instance

Ex. Give me a hand, my hands are occupied.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

Ex. He was a bird who sang.

He was a bird who loved.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

Ex. She got good grades because she studied.

She was satisfied because she studied.

Symploce

Combining anaphora and epistrophe, so that one word or phrase is repeated at the beginning and another word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences

Ex. To love someone different is to be accepting.

To love someone the same is to be accepting.

Epizeuxis

Repetition of one word (for emphasis)

Ex. Glub, glub, glub.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Ex. He passed away (versus he died).

Dysphemism

Substitution of a more offensive or disparaging word or phrase for one considered less offensive. Opposite of euphemism.

Ex. He was a wretched man. (versus he was a bad man)

Hypophora

Raising a question then proceeding to answer it.

Ex. Why did I do that, you ask? Because I wanted to.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer. The answer is not expected because it is obvious.

Ex. Are you stupid?

Reference

A reference to another piece of literature, film, work, etc. Stated explicitly.

Ex. Just as Romeo and Juliet said, _____.

Allusion

A reference to another piece of literature, film, work, etc. NOT mentioned explicitly.

Ex. Like a certain tragic couple said, _____.

Enumeration

Listing details or a process. Keyword is PROCESS. It is in order.

Ex. This morning I woke up and washed my face, brushed my hair, and went to school.

Loose/Cumulative Sentence

Opposite of a periodic sentence. The main point is introduced in the beginning.

Ex. I ate the last chocolate because I was hungry. When I'm hungry, I _____.

Periodic Sentence

Opposite of a cumulative sentence. The main point is introduced at the very end.

Ex. When I'm hungry, I _____. That is why I ate the last chocolate.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

Ex. Living dead

Complex Sentence

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Compound Sentence

A sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions.

Imperative Sentence

A sentence that requests or commands.

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

Ex. Less is more.

Antithesis

Opposites in a sentence that are balanced in a parallel structure.

Ex. That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize SIMILARITIES or DIFFERENCES.

For example, saying that two things are "like apples and oranges."

Positive Connotation

A word associated with a positive feeling.

Ex. Brave

Negative Connotation

A word associated with a negative feeling.

Ex. Reckless