test ap lang

Satire

A work that targets human vices and follies, or social institutions and conventions, for reform or ridicule. It is best seen as a style of writing that employs devices like irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm.

Simile

An explicit comparison, normally using "like," "as," or "if."

Style

An evaluation of the sum of choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices, as well as the classification and comparison of an author to a group, historical period, or literary movement.

Subject Complement

The word (with accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and completes the subject of the sentence by either renaming it (predicate nominative) or describing it (predicate adjective).

Subordinate Clause

A word group containing both a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a complete thought and depends on a main or independent clause to complete its meaning; also known as a dependent clause.

Syllogism

A deductive system of formal logic (from the Greek for "reckoning together") that presents a major premise and a minor premise that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.

Symbol / Symbolism

Generally, anything concrete (such as an object, action, character, or scene) that represents or stands for something else, usually something more abstract.

Natural Symbols

Symbols that use objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them, such as dawn representing hope or a rose representing love.

Conventional Symbols

Symbols that have been invested with meaning by a group, such as religious symbols (a cross or Star of David), national symbols (a flag or eagle), or group symbols (skull and crossbones).

Literary Symbols

Symbols found in literary works that may be conventional across a variety of texts or more complex and specific, representing an abstraction within a particular work.

Syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences; it refers to groups of words, in contrast to diction, which refers to individual words.

Theme

The central idea or message of a work, offering insight into life; frequently stated as a "universal truth" about the human condition, society, or man's relation to nature.

Thesis

In expository writing, the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition.

Tone

The author's attitude toward his or her material, the audience, or both; similar to mood and reflects how a work would sound if read aloud.

Transition

A word or phrase that links different ideas and effectively signals a shift from one idea to another, especially in expository and argumentative writing.

Understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact that presents something as less significant than it is; the opposite of hyperbole.

Litotes

A figure of speech by which an affirmation is made indirectly by denying its opposite, using understatement for emphasis frequently with a negative assertion.

Meiosis

The Greek term for understatement or belittling; a rhetorical figure by which something very impressive is referred to with simplicity or in terms less important than it deserves.

Wit

In modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights, using terse language to make pointed, humorous, and perceptive remarks.

ad hominem argument

Attacking the person instead of their argument — appeals to emotion, not reason.

allegory

A story where characters or events symbolically represent an abstraction (e.g., a character who is "Hope").

alliteration

Repeated initial consonant sounds in nearby words (e.g., "she sells sea shells").

allusion

A reference to something assumed to be commonly known, such as a historical, literary, religious, or mythical event or figure.

ambiguity

A word, phrase, or passage with multiple possible meanings, whether intentional or not.

analogy

A comparison between two different things to explain or clarify one of them.

antecedent

The word or phrase a pronoun refers back to.

antithesis

Contradicting ideas placed in a balanced, parallel grammatical structure.

aphorism

A short, memorable statement of general truth with a known author.

apostrophe

Directly addressing someone absent, dead, or an abstract idea.

atmosphere

The emotional mood of a work, built through setting and descriptive detail.

caricature

Exaggeration of a subject's distinctive features for comic or grotesque effect.

chiasmus

Inverted parallelism where two clauses mirror each other in reversed order.

clause

A grammatical unit with a subject and a verb; can be independent (complete thought) or dependent (cannot stand alone).

colloquialism

Slang or informal language that gives a conversational tone, including regional dialect.

conceit

An extended metaphor or surprising analogy between very dissimilar things, showing cleverness.

connotation

The implied or emotional meaning of a word, distinct from its literal meaning.

denotation

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word without emotional coloring.

diction

Word choice evaluated as formal/informal or ornate/plain, which combines with syntax to create style.

didactic

Writing meant primarily to teach or instruct, often focused on moral or ethical lessons.

euphemism

A milder, less offensive substitute for an unpleasant word or concept.

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed at length, recurring throughout a passage or work.

figurative language

Language not meant literally, designed to be imaginative and vivid.

figure of speech

A specific device used to create figurative language, such as apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, or simile.

generic conventions

Traditions that define a genre and distinguish one type of writing from another.

genre

The major category a work belongs to, such as prose, poetry, or drama, along with its subdivisions.

Homily

A serious talk or speech offering moral or spiritual guidance — originally a sermon, but the term is used more broadly for any earnest lecture on how to live or behave.

Hyperbole

An intentional, obvious exaggeration used for effect — often for humor, but sometimes to create a serious or ironic impact.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) to create a vivid picture or evoke emotion. A single image can also carry symbolic or layered meaning beyond its literal description.

Inference/Infer

A logical, reasonable conclusion drawn from evidence in the text — not something stated outright. On multiple-choice questions, the safest inference is the most obvious, most directly supported one.

Invective

Harsh, bitter, insulting language used to attack or denounce someone or something.

Irony/Ironic

A gap between what is said or expected and what is actually true or what actually happens.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean (e.g., saying "Great weather!" during a downpour).

Situational Irony

The outcome is the opposite of what was expected (e.g., a fire station burns down).

Dramatic Irony

The audience/reader knows something a character does not.

Juxtaposition

Placing two very different things, ideas, or images side by side to highlight their contrast or invite comparison.

Loose Sentence

A sentence where the main (independent) clause comes first, followed by additional phrases or clauses. Because the sentence could grammatically end after the main clause, loose sentences tend to feel relaxed, informal, and conversational.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things by saying one thing is another, without using "like" or "as."

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which something is referred to not by its own name, but by the name of something closely associated with it.

Grammatical Mood

Reflects the speaker's attitude toward a statement: indicative (factual), subjunctive (doubtful/conditional), or imperative (commands).

Literary Mood

The overall emotional atmosphere of a work, shaped by setting, tone, and events — similar to "atmosphere."

narrative

The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.

onomatopoeia

A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words, such as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur.

oxymoron

From the Greek for 'pointedly foolish,' a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

paradox

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

parallelism

Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, coming from Greek roots meaning 'beside one another'; refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

parody

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.

pedantic

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end, preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone.

personification

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

point of view

In literature, the perspective from which a story is told.

first-person narrator

Tells the story with the first-person pronoun 'I' and is a character in the story, such as the protagonist, a participant, or an observer.

third-person narrator

Relates the events with the third-person pronouns 'he,' 'she,' and 'it.'

third-person omniscient point of view

A point of view where the narrator, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters.

third-person limited-omniscient point of view

A point of view that presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, and only the actions of all remaining characters.

predicate adjectives

One type of subject complement—an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb, is in the predicate of the sentence, and modifies or describes the subject.

predicate nominative

A second type of subject complement—a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject, follows a linking verb, and is located in the predicate of the sentence.

prose

One of the major divisions of genre, referring to fiction and nonfiction written in ordinary language that most closely resembles everyday speech (technically anything that isn't poetry or drama).

repetition

The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

rhetoric

From the Greek for 'orator,' the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

rhetorical appeal

The persuasive device by which a writer tries to sway the audience's attention and response to any given work.

logos

A rhetorical appeal defined by Aristotle that employs logical reasoning, combining a clear idea (or multiple ideas) with well-thought-out and appropriate examples and details.

ethos

A rhetorical appeal defined by Aristotle that establishes credibility in the speaker, setting up believability so the writer is perceived as trustworthy and concerned with the reader's best interests.

pathos

A rhetorical appeal defined by Aristotle that plays on the reader's emotions and interests to draw upon a sympathetic audience.

rhetorical modes

A flexible term describing the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing, also referred to as modes of discourse.

exposition

A rhetorical mode whose purpose is to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion.

argumentation

A rhetorical mode whose purpose is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, thoughtful discussion, and insightful argument that thoroughly convince the reader.

description

A rhetorical mode whose purpose is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture what is being described.

narration (rhetorical mode)

A rhetorical mode whose purpose is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events.

rhetorical question

A question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply.

sarcasm

From the Greek meaning 'to tear flesh,' involving bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.