AP Lang

Hyperbole

This is an intended exaggeration

Metaphor

This is a strong comparison of two things that shows one is the other

Oxymoron

This device is when two contradictory words are placed side-by-side for a thought-provoking effect

Juxtaposition

This is the deliberate placement of two ideas in close vicinity to emphasize a comparison or a contrast

Polysyndeton

strings words or phrases together with a series of

conjunctions - Exaggerates the list

Asyndeton

strings words or phrases together by omitting ALL

conjunctions

emphasizes equality of all the parts

Zeugma

This is the grammatically similar use of two DIFFERENT words to create a

striking and incongruous effect

Imagery

This is a deliberate appeal to the senses through vivid language

Alliteration

This is the repetition of the same sound at the start of a series of words

Personification

This gives human qualities to nonhuman things

Anaphora

This is the repetition of a specific word or phrase at the beginning of a series

of sentences or paragraphs

Parallelism

This is the general use of the same grammatical pattern for a series of words,

phrases, or clauses

Rhetorical Question

Guiding the audience to a certain point by posing strategic interrogatives (may be singular or done in a series).

Declarative Sentence

This sentence type makes a statement

Interrogative Sentence

This sentence type poses a question

Inversion

This sentence structure reverses or varies the traditional subject-verb-object word order

Compound Sentence

This sentence structure combines two independent clauses with a comma and conjunction

Complex Sentence

This sentence structure combines an independent clause with two or more dependent clauses.

Hortative Sentence

This is an encouraging sentence that is persuasive in its appealing suggestion

Imperative Sentence

This is a demanding or commanding sentence that is persuasive in its strength and urgency

Cumulative Sentence

This is a long complex sentence that begins with the main clause then multiple details in multiple dependent clauses.

Periodic Sentence

This is a long complex sentence that strings together details through multiple dependent clauses to finally arrive at the main clause.

Ad Hominem

This fallacy makes a personal attack instead of focusing on the issue at hand

Bandwagon

This fallacy suggests there's a great movement afoot and you would be

foolish not to join it

Faulty Analogy

This fallacy presents a comparison between two things that aren't actually alike in the area that's being compared

Circular Reasoning

This fallacy uses a different version of the claim as if it is actual evidence to support the claim.

Straw Man

This fallacy ridicules an opponent by oversimplifying the opponent's position. Frequently, it completely misrepresents the opponent with an argument he/she doesn't even actually support, but it makes a good distraction.

Equivocation

This fallacy intentionally misleads an audience by using a word with a double

meaning to insinuate the other meaning of the word.

Red Herring

This fallacy brings up a completely irrelevant topic to distract from the issue

at hand.

False Authority

This is when someone makes a claim of fact when they have no expertise or

credibility to back it up.

False Dilemma or Either-Or Fallacy

This fallacy creates a choice between only two extreme options

Snob Appeal or In-Crowd Appeal

This fallacy appeals to the audience through flattery, entitlement, and elitism

Veiled Threat

This fallacy implies an indirect, ambiguous harm will come to the audience if they do not agree or take action.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Without direct causation, this fallacy blames an earlier event as the cause for a later event.

Syntax

This is the arrangement of words.

Diction

This is the choice of words.

Schemes

This refers to techniques for artful syntax.

Tropes

This refers to techniques for artful diction.

Exigence/Exigency

This is an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak.

Genre/Mode

The type of structure of a work; how the subject is chosen to be delivered to the audience.

The Rhetorical Situation

This includes all of the circumstances, context, and major aspects behind a written text, speech, or other work.

Audience

One's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.

Purpose

This is the goal the speaker or writer wants to achieve in their composition.

Subject

This is who or what a text, speech, or other work is about.

Rhetorical Triangle

The relationship between the author, the audience, and the subject. This relationship is important to the overall effectiveness of a text or speech.

Ethos

This is the appeal to the credibility or a writer, speaker, or publication.

Logos

This is logical appeal.

Pathos

This is emotional appeal.

Parody

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another in order to entertain.

Satire

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions in order to reform or ridicule.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Antimetabole

The repetition of words in an inverted order to sharpen a contrast.

Antithesis

Contrasting ideas written in parallel structure.

Metonymy

Rhetorical substitution: using a single ASPECT of a thing or person to represent the whole of it and create a certain connotation about it.

Slippery Slope

A fallacy that assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented and will ultimately lead to an exaggerated disaster.

First-hand Evidence

Evidence based on something the writer knows, whether it's from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge of events.

Second-hand Evidence

Evidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation. It includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative data.

Toulmin Model

An approach to analyzing and constructing arguments:

it examines the assertion (claim), that is based on what grounds (evidence) and what assumption (warrant) connects the evidence to the claim. It does so on account of further information or data (backing) to support the claim, unless there is a reservation (qualifier), which will make the claim less absolute and acknowledge a counterclaim (rebuttal).

simple sentence

A sentence consisting of only one clause, with a single subject and predicate.

exclamatory sentence

a sentence expressing strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark

Composition

The general term used for the makeup of something written or visual.

Color

An aspect of visual communication to consider what shades are used and what they represent.

Line

An aspect of visual communication to consider in what direction the images appear and are they highlighting other words or images in the composition.

Shape

An aspect of visual communication to consider if they have round or hard edges, are they geometric or natural, and what they might imply about the message.

Background

An aspect of visual communication to consider what images appear behind the dominant images and what they might reinforce about the message.

Foreground

An aspect of visual communication to consider what images or text dominate the scene and what message they send to the viewer.

Framing

As aspect of visual communication to consider what surrounds and highlights the main images. It is also a rhetorical strategy to begin and end a work with the same set of circumstances that highlight or reinforce a message or theme from the related story within.

Hasty Generalization

Argument in which a speaker draws a conclusion based on too few or inadequate examples.

False Authority

Logical fallacy which refers to a source whose author does not have any real expertise on the subject.

Synecdoche

Rhetorical Substitution: when a PART of some one or thing is used to symbolize the whole of it.

Closed Thesis

A statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make.

Open Thesis Statement

A statement that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay.

Counterargument Thesis

A statement that immediately addresses an opposing view prior to giving the author's opinion on the topic, as the central point of an essay.

Effective Evidence

Must always be relevant, sufficienct, and accurate.

Claims of Fact

Assert that something is true or not true.

Claims of Value

Assert that something is good or bad, right or wrong.

Claims of Policy

Assert that a specific course of action be taken or approved in order to promote change.