AP Language

What is Alliteration?

• Repetition of the same beginning consonant in nearby words

• The effect is to create rhythm, emphasis, and makes ideas more memorable

What is Allusion?

• Reference to a well-known piece of art or literature

• Evokes a sense of history or a long-held belief

What is Analogies (Metaphor or Simile)?

• comparing two things

• makes an unfamiliar topic more familiar and accessible, increases imagery

What is Anecdote?

• short personal story

• The effect is that personalizes facts, and provides eyewitness testimony

What is Cliche?

• an overused statement, totally unoriginal

• The effect is that it can create familiarity and clarity,but may weaken writing by sounding

What is Concession/Acknowledgment?

• Admission that at least part of the opposing point of view is correct

• The effect is that it can build credibility and fairness by showing the writer has considering opposing viewpoints before strengthening their own argument

What is Euphemism?

• A mild or indirect word or phrase used in place of one that may be harsh, blunt, or uncomfortable

• The effect is that it reduces emotional impact, avoids offense, or makes a topic seem less severe

What is First/Second/Third Person Point of View?

• use specific pronoun

• The effect is that it can personalize content, can let readers identify more with the author (first), puts the reader in the content, but not the author (second), and less personal, allows the author to present info that may be upsetting in a neutral way (third)

What is generalization?

• speaking about large groups or people, trends, or broad categories

• The effect is that it can be another prediction strategy that allows the reader to anticipate outcomes of events or situations based on “what everyone else does”

What is History?

• explains the other events outside the topic being discussed that may have had an impact or been a result of the topic

• The effect is that it can give context and relate the topic to other ideas, creating connections

What is Hyperbole?

• exaggeration for dramatic purposes

• The effect is used for irony (to point out absurdity)

What is Hypothesis/Speculation?

• guesses or predictions about future outcomes

• The effect is lets the author suggest implications, predict what will happen

What is Irony?

• when the opposite of what is expected happens

• The effect is that it can be used as humor, can point out flaws in logic

What is Juxtaposition?

• placing two contradicting ideas, images, or elements side by side to highlight their differences

• The effect is to emphasize contrast, deepens meaning, and draws attention to important differences

What is numbers?

• data, statistics, or specific facts

• The effect is to provide evidence that is generally irrefutable (cannot be contradicted/disproved)

What is Oxymoron?

• a figure of speech that combines two contradictory words placed side by side

• The effect is that it is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory words side by side

What is Parallelism?

• the repetition of similar grammatical structure in a series of words, phrases, or clauses

• The effect is that it created rhythm, balance, clarity, or emphasis

What is personification?

• giving human qualities to a non-human item

• The effect is to increase emotion,connection, or understanding in a situation that otherwise might be dry

What is Perspective: Micro Vs. Macro?

• organizational strategy moving either from the personal and small scale to the broad, large scale, or from the world view to the individual

• The effect is to provide multiple contexts for the author’s perspective

What is qualification?

• adds more info to soften a strong or harsh statement

• The effect is to allow the author to make controversial statements without alarming a reader

What is Repetition: Anaphora (at the beginning) /Epistrophe (at the end)?

• Repetition of words,phrasing, or whole sentences

• The effect is to indicate importance to the author, makes themes more memorable

What is Rhetorical Question?

• questions that are asked of the reader

• The effect is to invite the reader to answer and get involved, and make an inference

What is understatement?

• a figure of speech that deliberately downplays or minimizes the significance of something

• The effect is to create irony, humor, or subtle emphasis is by contrasting the mild wording with the actual situation

What is Word Plays/ Puns?

• using similar sounding words or varied, interesting vocabulary

• The effect is that it shows emphasis or humor, indicates that the author believes a point is important in some way

What is Ethos (ethical)?

• persuading through the character and credibility of the author

What is Pathos (emotional)?

• persuading by appealing to the audience emotions

What is Logos (logic)?

• persuading by using logic and reasoning

What is exigence?

the immediate catalyst, spark, or urgent issue that inspires, provokes, or stimulates a writer or speaker to create a text