AP Language and Composition

Rhetorical Analysis Prompt

Free Response question that includes a prompt and a passage. The prompt asks you to critically read the passage and write a well developed essay in which you analyze something aspect of the passage.

Trope

A category of figurative language in which words are used in a way that changes their meanings.

Scheme

A category of figurative language in which words keep their meanings, but the order or construction of the sentence is stylistic.

Argument Prompt

Free Response question that asks you to develop an argument based upon a quote, a brief passage, or an issue. You are encouraged to support your argument with your own observations, experiences, and examples.

Synthesis Prompt

Free Response question that asks you to develop an argument based upon an issue and several accompanying sources. You have to use at least three of the sources to support your argument; however, your argument must be central.

Rhetorical Situation/Triangle

According to Aristotle, this outlines the relationship between speaker, audience, purpose, and context. It illustrates the interaction between these rhetorical pieces.

SOAPSTone

This acronym is used to help you better understand the rhetorical situation and the aspects of the text to consider. It includes speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, and tone.

DILDS

This acronym is used to help you better understand and discuss tone. It includes diction, imagery, language, details, and syntax.

Satire

This is a type of writing that uses humor techniques to call attention to vice or folly.

Irony

This figure of speech--there are three types: situational, dramatic, and verbal--that involves an unexpected outcome or some element of contradiction or surprise.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that involves over exaggeration to emphasize something.

Paradox

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

Tone

The attitudes and emotions an author demonstrates towards a topic.

Mood

The attitudes and emotions a text elicits from the reader.

Syntax

The structure and construction of sentences.

Diction

Word choice.

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

A structure recommended for paragraphing in essays--the acronym for this structure is CER.

Ethos

The way a text builds and reinforces the speaker's/author's credibility and character.

Pathos

An appeal to emotions in a rhetorical text.

Logos

An appeal to logic in a rhetorical text.

Fallacy

A misconception resulting from incorrect/manipulating reasoning.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase as the beginning of successive clauses

Euphamism

A indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

Connotation

Refers to the implied or suggested meanings associated with a word beyond its dictionary definition

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using like or as.

Anecdote

A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance

Parallel Structure

The use of similar forms in writing for nouns, verbs, phrases, or thoughts; maintains balance and symmetry.

Allusion

A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.

Motif

A unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work.

Allegory

A text with two or more levels of meaning where the characters, setting, and objects are symbolic.

Periodic Sentence

Sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements.

Cumulative Sentence

Sentence which begins with the main idea and then expands on that idea with a series of clauses or phrases with details or other particulars.

Exposition

The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.

Objective

Emphasizing or expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings or interpretation.

Evocation

An imaginative recreation

Conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects

Phrase

Any group of words that is missing either a subject or a verb.

Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.

Conjunction

Joins words, phrases, and clauses.

Jargon

Specialized technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject

Colloquilism

A word or phrase used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing.

Expository

A type of writing where the purpose of the author is to inform, explain, describe, or define his or her subject to the reader.

Apostrophe

Address to an absent or imaginary person.

Synonym

A word that means the same as another word.

Antonym

A word that means the opposite of another word.

Declarative Sentence

A sentence that makes a statement or declaration.

Imperative Sentence

A sentence that gives a command.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

Synthesis

Combining or merging different ideas or things.