AP Lang Summer Vocab

General/Generalization

A broad statement or principle of something based on specific facts or details

Ex: The Pacific Northwest has rainy and gloomy weather

Specific/Specificity

The use of precise/specific nouns, verbs, and details instead of vague or general language

Ex: Many trees were burned in a forest fire vs 500 acres of redwoods were scorched in Northern California, causing substantial damage to the habitats they made

Abstract vs Concrete

Abstract language is concepts and ideas that we think and concrete language is specific things that we can perceive using our senses

Ex: the grueling marathon took a heavy emotional and physical toll on the runners vs as the exhausted runners crossed the finish line, their faces were slick with sweat, and they collapsed onto the sun-baked asphalt, gasping for air.

Parenthetical citation

A reference in text in parenthesis placed after a quote (usually the authors name, etc, in MLA format or APA style)

Analogy

An explanation of a complex concept by comparing it to something more simple or familiar

Ex: "Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you're going to get". (explains that both are full of unpredictable surprises)

Juxtaposition/contrast

A specific placement of two contrasting things next to each other to highlight their differences (shows the contrast)

Ex: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" or any oxymorons

Imagery

A description that uses vivid language to 'paint a picture with words'

Ex: "The golden sun dipped below the horizon, painting the clouds in fiery oranges."

Personification

A figure of speech that gives human traits, actions, or feelings to something non-human

Ex: The sun smiled down on us

Metaphor

A comparison of two things (not using "like" or "as")

Ex: He is a walking encyclopedia

Similie

A comparison/way of describing something with "like" or "as"

Ex: She is as cool as a cucumber

Diction

The choice and use of words that a person uses when speaking (formal vs informal)

Ex: "Would you care to partake in some refreshment?" vs "Wanna go eat?"

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to make a point, show a feeling, or be funny and is not meant to be taken literally

Ex: I have a million things to do today

Irony

Occurs when there is a clear difference in what was expected to happen and what did happen and creates a surprise, joke, or deeper meaning. There is situational, verbal, and dramatic.

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality shows a possible truth

Ex: "Less is more"

Self-deprecating humor

The act of making lighthearted jokes at your own expense by highlighting your flaws or mistakes

Ex: "I used to have the body of a football player. Now I have the body of a fantasy football player."

Noun

A person, place, thing, or idea

Ex: A teacher, a school, a pencil, and love

Verb

A word that shows action or state of being and appears in every complete sentence.

Ex: She runs to the park. They are happy.

(Runs and are)

Modifier

A word, phrase, or clause that describes, changes, or adds detail to another word in a sentence (adjectives and adverbs)

Ex: "She was talking loudly" (loudly is adding more detail to the sentence)

Subordinating conjunction

A word that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause and connects the sentence

Ex: Before, although, because, if, since

Coordinating conjunction

A word that connects words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal grammatical importance

Ex: For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Preposition

A short word that shows how a noun/pronoun relates to another word in the sentence (time + movement/direction)

Ex: in, on, at, by, before, after

Pronoun

A word used in the place of a noun to keep from repeating names

Ex: he, she, they, I, you, we

Article

A word that joins with a noun to show if the noun is general or specific

Ex: a/an, the

"I saw a dog" (general) vs "I saw the dog" (specific)

Clause

A group of words that has a subject and a verb.

Inedependent - can be its own sentence

Dependent - can't be a sentence on its own

Ex: "She went to the store" vs "That she bought"

Phrase

A group of words that work together as a unit inside a sentence. Types are: noun, verb, prepositional, adjective, adverbs

Ex: (The big brown dog) barked.

Syntax

The set of rules that tells us how to put words and phrases together to make a clear sentence. In English the order is subject>verb>object

Fragment (sentence)

An incomplete sentence that's punctuated like a complete sentence.

Ex: Ran to the store.

Parallel structure

Using the same word pattern in a sentence to show that two or more ideas have the same importance.

Ex:

Repitition

A literary and rhetorical device where a writer or speaker uses the same word, sound, phrase, or idea two or more times to add emphasis, create rhythm, or make a point stick.

Ex:"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

Colloquialism

An informal word or phrase used in everyday, casual conversation rather than in formal writing or professional speech.

Ex: Gonna, wanna, and gotta.

Jargon

A specialized or technical language used by a specific profession, trade, or group.

Ambiguity

A word, phrase, or sentence has more than one clear meaning.

Ex: "I saw the man with binoculars"

Did you or the man have the binoculars?

Ambivalence

The state of having mixed, simultaneous, and contradictory feelings or beliefs toward a person, object, or situation.

Anecdote

A very short, interesting, or amusing story about a real person or a past event. It can be used to prove a point, make an audience laugh, share an experience, or easily explain something complex.

Line of reasoning

The connected, logical sequence of claims, evidence, and commentary that a writer or speaker uses to support a central thesis or conclusion.

Transition word/phrase

Connecting tools that link sentences, ideas, and paragraphs together.