AP Language and Composition: Rhetorical Devices

Vocabulary flashcards covering figures of speech and figurative language from the AP Language and Composition rhetorical devices handout.

Allusion

A figure of speech making a brief or casual reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object to create resonance or symbolic meaning.

Analogy

A comparison of two things that are alike in some respects, including metaphors and similes.

Anecdote

A brief story or tale told by a character in a piece of literature.

Hyperbole

An overstatement characterized by exaggerated language.

Imagery

Sensory details and figurative language used to evoke feelings or ideas.

Juxtaposition

Placing two items side by side to create a certain effect or reveal an attitude.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory, but is actually true.

Personification

Treating an abstraction or nonhuman object as if it were a person by giving it human qualities.

Symbol

A specific concrete object, action, place, or person that is used to represent an abstract concept or idea.