ap lang

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that has a hidden meaning, usually about a moral, political, or religious idea.

alliteration

the repetition of the same beginning sound in nearby words.

Example: “Peter Piper picked peppers.”

allusion

a brief reference to a famous person, place, event, book, or idea that the reader is expected to recognize.

Example: “He was a Romeo with the ladies.” (reference to Romeo)

analogy

a comparison between two different things to explain an idea or show a similarity.

Example: “The brain is like a computer.”

connotation

is the feeling or idea a word suggests beyond its literal meaning.

Example: “Home” has a warm, comforting connotation.

denotation

is the literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Example: The denotation of “snake” is a legless reptile.

diction

is an author’s choice of words and style of speaking or writing.

hyperbole

an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch).

Example: “The warm, buttery popcorn filled the air.”

irony

when what happens is different from what is expected.

metaphor

a figure of speech that directly compares two different things by saying one is the other, without using “like” or “as.”

Example: “Time is a thief.”

mood

the feeling or atmosphere a writer creates for the reader in a story or passage.

onomatopoeia

when a word sounds like the noise it describes.

Examples: “buzz,” “bang,” “sizzle.”

oxymoron

a combination of two words that seem to contradict each other.

Example: “deafening silence.”

parallelism

is the use of the same grammatical structure in a sentence or series of sentences to create balance and rhythm.

Example: “She likes reading, writing, and jogging.”

personification

when human qualities or actions are given to non-human things or ideas.

Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”

syntax

the arrangement of words and sentences to create meaning in writing or speech.

symbolism

when something (an object, person, or idea) represents something deeper or more abstract.

Example: A dove often symbolizes peace.

theme

the main message or lesson a story or text teaches about life.

tone

the author’s attitude toward the subject or audience, shown through word choice and style.

paradox

is a statement that seems self-contradictory or illogical but actually reveals a deeper truth.

Example: “Less is more.”

exigence

the situation, problem, or need that causes someone to write or speak.