AP Lang Vocab

Allusion

A reference to a famous person, place, event, or work

Analogy

A comparison used to explain an idea or show similarities

Anaphora

Repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Anecdote

A short story used to illustrate a point

Anadiplosis

Repeating the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next sentence

Antimetabole

Repeating words in reverse order

Anithesis

Placing opposite ideas close together for contrast

Aphorism

A short statement expressing a general truth

Aporia

Expressing doubt or uncertainty

Apostrophe

Addressing someone or something that isn't present

Asyndeton

Leaving out conjunctions between words or phrases

Chiasmus

Reversing the order of ideas in parallel phrases

Colloquialism

Informal language or slang

Connotation

The emotional or implied meaning of a word

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word

Diction

An author's choice of words

Didactic

Intended to teach or instruct

Epistrophe

Repeating a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses

Euphemism

A mild expression used instead of a harsh one

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration for emphasis

Hypophora

Asking a question and then immediately answering it

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side by side to highlight differences or similarities

Litotes

Understatement using negative

Metaphor

A direct comparison without using like or as

Metanoia

Correcting or revising what was just said

Metonymy

Replacing something with a closely related term

Oxymoron

Two contradictory words placed together

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth

Parallelism

Using the same grammatical structure in multiple parts of a sentence

Parataxis

Placing short clauses side by side without subordinating words

Periodic Sentence

A sentence whose main idea comes at the end

Personification

Giving human qualities to nonhuman things

Polsyndeton

Using many conjunctions in close succession

Procatalepsis

Raising an objection and answering it before the audience can

Satire

Using humor or exaggeration to criticize society or people

Similie

A comparison using "like" or "as"

Symbolism

Using an object or action to represent a deeper meaning

Syntax

The arrangement of words and sentences

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject

Understatement

Making something seem less important than it is

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean

Situational Irony

When the outcome is the opposite of what is expected

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows something the characters don't

Invective

Harsh, insulting language meant to attach someone

Enumeration

Listing details or examples are often another

Claim

A statement or position that needs support

Thesis

The main argument of an essay or speech

Counterargument

An opposing viewpoint to the main claim

Rebuttal

A response that disproves a counterargument

Concession

Admitting that an opposing point has some merit

Evidence

Facts, data, or examples that support a claim

Commentary

Explanation of how evidence supports the claim

Reasoning

The logical connection between evidence and claim

Warrant

The underlying assumption linking evidence to the claim

Assumption

An idea accepted as true without proof

Ethos

Appeal based on credibility or authority

Pathos

Appeal to emotions

Logos

Appeal to logic and reason

Credibility

The trustworthiness or expertise of a source or speaker

Bias

A preference that may affect fairness or objectivity

Audience

The people, the writer, or speaker is addressing

Purpose

The reason for creating a text

Context

The circumstances surrounding a text or event

Exigence

The issue or situation that motivates someone to write or speak

Kairos

The right or most opportune time to make an argument

Line of Reasoning

The logical sequence of ideas that supports a claim

Qualification

Limiting or modifying a claim to make it more accurate

Refutation

Proving that an opposing argument is false or weak

Fallacy

An error in reasoning that weakens an argument

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person instead of the argument

Non Sequitur

A conclusion that does not logically follow from the evidence

Straw Man

Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attach

Red Herring

Introducing an irrelevant topic to distract from the issue

False Dilemma

Presenting only two choices when more exists

Slippery Slope

Claiming one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences

Hasty Generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion from too little evidence

Circular Reasoning

Using the conclusion as the evidence for itself

False Analogy

Comparing two things that aren't similar enough

Appeal to Authority

Claiming something is true because an authority says so, even without evidence

Bandwagon

Arguing something is true because many people believe it

Burden of Proof

The responsibility to provide evidence for a claim

Call to Action

A statement urging the audience to do something

Persuasion

Trying to convince an audience to believe or do something

Organization

The overall arrangement of ideas in a text

Structure

The framework or pattern used to present ideas

Chronological order

Arranging events by time

Cause and Effect

Showing how one event leads to another

Compare and Contrast

Explaining similarities and differences

Problem and Solution

Presenting an issue and how to fix it

Repetition

Repeating words or ideas for emphasis

Emphasis

Giving special importance to an idea

Unity

All parts support one central idea

Coherence

Ideas flow logically and smoothly

Transition

Words or phrases that connect ideas

Motif

A recurring image, symbol, or idea in a work

Theme

The central message or lesson of a work

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told

Speaker

The voice expressing ideas in a poem of speech