AP Language & Composition – Literary and Rhetorical Devices

140 question-and-answer flashcards reviewing key literary, rhetorical, and logical terms from the AP Language glossary.

What does “active voice” mean in writing?

The subject of the sentence performs the action (e.g., “Anthony drove the car.”)

In grammar, what is “passive voice”?

The subject of the sentence receives the action (e.g., “The car was driven by Anthony.”)

What is an “allusion” in literature?

An indirect reference to something the reader is expected to know, such as a text, event, or song.

Define the literary term “alter-ego.”

A character that allows the author to speak directly to the audience and voice personal thoughts.

What is an “anecdote”?

A brief recounting of a relevant episode used to develop a point or add humor.

In grammar, what is an “antecedent”?

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

How is “classicism” characterized in art or literature?

By realistic views of people and adherence to traditional themes and structures.

What is the purpose of “comic relief” in a serious story?

To insert a humorous scene that lightens the mood.

Define “diction.”

An author’s deliberate choice of words, often analyzed as formal, informal, ornate, plain, etc.

What does “colloquial” language refer to?

Ordinary, familiar conversational speech; common sayings or expressions.

Explain “connotation.”

The implied or suggested meaning associated with a word, beyond its literal definition.

What does “denotation” mean?

The literal, dictionary definition of a word without its connotations.

What is “jargon”?

Specialized diction used by a particular profession or group.

Give the meaning of “vernacular.”

1) A country’s language or dialect; 2) A regional dialect; 3) Plain everyday speech.

What does “didactic” writing aim to do?

Teach a specific lesson, moral, or model correct behavior.

Define an “adage.”

A traditional folk saying that expresses a lesson, e.g., “A rolling stone gathers no moss.”

What is an “allegory”?

A narrative in which characters and events symbolically represent abstract ideas or truths.

Define “aphorism.”

A terse statement of general truth or moral principle, e.g., “God helps them that help themselves.”

What is an “ellipsis” in prose style?

A deliberate omission of words or phrases for effect; also the three dots indicating omitted text.

Define “euphemism.”

A less offensive substitute for an unpleasant word or concept, e.g., “passed away” for “died.”

What is meant by “figurative language”?

Writing not intended to be taken literally; includes metaphors, similes, hyperbole, etc.

Explain the rhetorical device “analogy.”

A comparison between two pairs of variables to show their relationships are similar.

What is “hyperbole”?

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, e.g., “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

Define an “idiom.”

A common expression that makes little sense if taken literally, e.g., “kick the bucket.”

What is a “metaphor”?

An implied comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

What is an “extended metaphor”?

A metaphor developed at length and appearing throughout a work.

When does a writer employ “conceit”?

When using a particularly elaborate, extended metaphor.

Define “metonymy.”

Substituting a related word for the actual thing, e.g., “the crown” for “the monarchy.”

What is “synecdoche”?

A type of metonymy where a part represents a whole or vice versa, e.g., “50 head of cattle.”

Define a “simile.”

A direct comparison using “like” or “as,” e.g., “Her smile is like sunshine.”

What is “synesthesia” in description?

Describing one sensory experience in terms of another, e.g., “a loud color.”

Define “personification.”

Giving human qualities to non-human things, e.g., “The wind whispered.”

What is “foreshadowing”?

Hints an author gives about future events in a story.

Explain the literary term “genre.”

A category of literature such as prose, poetry, or drama, with further subdivisions.

What characterizes “gothic” writing?

Gloom, mystery, fear, or death, often set in dark or medieval architecture.

Define “imagery.”

Language that appeals to the senses and creates mental pictures.

What is an “invective”?

A long, emotionally violent verbal attack using abusive language.

Give a general definition of “irony.”

When the opposite of what is expected occurs.

What is “verbal irony”?

Saying one thing but meaning the opposite, sometimes sarcastically.

Define “dramatic irony.”

When the audience knows information a character does not.

What is “situational irony”?

Irony that stems from unexpected outcomes in a story’s plot.

Explain “juxtaposition.”

Placing two elements side by side for comparison or contrast.

Define “mood” in literature.

The atmosphere created by a work, influenced by diction, syntax, and setting.

What is a “motif”?

A recurring idea or element in a literary work.

Define an “oxymoron.”

A figure combining contradictory terms, e.g., “jumbo shrimp.”

What does “pacing” refer to?

The speed or tempo of an author’s writing.

Define “paradox.”

A seemingly contradictory statement that reveals a truth.

What is “parallelism” (parallel structure)?

Repeating equal grammatical constructions for emphasis or balance.

Explain the device “anaphora.”

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

What is “chiasmus”?

Repetition of words in reverse order, e.g., “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”

Define “antithesis.”

Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in parallel structure.

What is a “zeugma” (syllepsis)?

One word governs two others in different senses, e.g., “She broke his car and his heart.”

Explain a “parenthetical idea.”

An aside set off by parentheses, used sparingly for effect.

What does “parody” mean?

Humorous imitation of a serious work that borrows its style or language.

Define “persona.”

The fictional narrator or mask through which an author tells a story.

What is a “poetic device”?

A tool used in poetry to manipulate sound or structure of words and lines.

Define “alliteration.”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds, e.g., “Sally sells sea shells.”

What is “assonance”?

Repetition of similar vowel sounds within words.

Define “consonance.”

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the ends of words.

What is “onomatopoeia”?

A word that imitates its sound, such as “buzz” or “snap.”

Explain “internal rhyme.”

A rhyme within a single line of poetry.

What is a “slant rhyme”?

Approximate rhyme where words sound similar but not exact.

Define “end rhyme.”

Rhyming of the final words of two lines of poetry.

What is a “rhyme scheme”?

The pattern of end rhymes in a poem, labeled with letters.

Explain “meter” in poetry.

A regular rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

What is “free verse”?

Poetry without regular meter or rhyme.

Define “iambic pentameter.”

Lines of ten syllables alternating unstressed and stressed beats.

What is a “sonnet”?

A 14-line poem in iambic pentameter, often divided into three quatrains and a couplet.

Explain “polysyndeton.”

Using conjunctions between every item in a list to slow pace or add authority.

What is a “pun”?

A humorous play on words with multiple meanings.

Define “rhetoric.”

The art of effective communication and persuasion.

What are the three points of Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle?

Writer, audience, and subject.

What is a “rhetorical question”?

A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer.

How is “romanticism” described?

Idealistic literature emphasizing nature and rejecting traditional structures.

Define “sarcasm.”

A bitter, mocking form of verbal irony.

What does “satire” aim to do?

Reveal a critical attitude toward life’s elements through humor.

Give the grammatical definition of a “sentence.”

A group of words with a subject and verb that expresses a complete thought.

What is an “appositive”?

A noun or phrase that renames or explains another noun beside it.

Define “clause.”

A grammatical unit containing a subject and a verb.

What is an “independent clause”?

A clause that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

Define a “dependent clause.”

A clause that cannot stand alone and must be attached to an independent clause.

What is a “balanced sentence”?

A sentence with two parallel elements set off like equal weights.

Define a “compound sentence.”

A sentence with at least two independent clauses and no dependent clauses.

What is a “complex sentence”?

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

Explain a “cumulative (loose) sentence.”

Begins with an independent clause followed by subordinate elements.

What is a “periodic sentence”?

Main idea completed at the end; begins with subordinate elements.

Define a “simple sentence.”

A sentence containing only one independent clause.

What is a “declarative sentence”?

A sentence that states an idea.

Define an “imperative sentence.”

A sentence issuing a command.

What is an “interrogative sentence”?

A sentence that asks a question using interrogative pronouns.

Explain “style” in writing.

The author’s choices in diction, tone, and syntax.

What is a “symbol” in literature?

Something concrete representing something abstract, e.g., the whale in Moby-Dick.

Define “syntax.”

The grammatical arrangement of words in sentences.

What is a “theme”?

The central message or idea of a work.

Define “thesis.”

A sentence or group of sentences expressing the author’s main opinion or argument.

Explain the term “tone.”

The writer’s attitude toward subject or audience revealed through style.

What is an “understatement”?

Presenting something as less significant than it is for ironic effect.

Define “litotes.”

A form of understatement achieved by denying the opposite, e.g., “not bad.”

In logic, what is an “argument”?

Reasoning made of premises leading to a conclusion; also called a claim or stance.

What is a “premise”?

A statement offered as a reason to support a conclusion.