AP Lang vocabulary

Active Voice

The subject does the action. Ex: She baked a cake.

Passive Voice

The subject receives the action. Ex: The cake was baked by her.

Allusion

A reference to something well-known. Ex: His love for sweets is his kryptonite.

Persona

A public image someone uses in situations. Ex: In her poem, the persona reflects the inner thoughts of a troubled youth.

Alter Ego

A character representing the author's beliefs; a second self. Ex: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Anecdote

A short, interesting story to prove a point. Ex: My grandpa always tells a story about working hard in his youth.

Antecedent

The word a pronoun refers to. Ex: Sarah lost her book. ('Sarah' is the antecedent of 'her.').

Classicism

Writing focused on reason and reality. Ex: Ancient Greek and Roman literature.

Comic Relief

A funny moment in a serious story. Ex: The gravedigger scene in Hamlet.

Diction

Word choice in writing. Ex: Using 'joyful' instead of 'happy' to show a deeper feeling.

Colloquial

Everyday casual language. Ex: 'Gonna' instead of 'going to.'

Connotation

The emotions behind a word. Ex: 'Home' feels warm and comforting, while 'house' is just a building.

Denotation

The dictionary definition of a word. Ex: 'Snake' means a reptile, but its connotation might mean betrayal.

Jargon

Words used in a specific profession. Ex: 'BP' in medicine means blood pressure.

Vernacular

Everyday language spoken in a specific region. Ex: 'Y’all' is common in the South.

Didactic

Writing meant to teach a lesson and doesn’t keep it open for interpretation. Ex: Aesop’s fables 'tortoise and hare', slow and steady wins the race.

Adage

A short saying with a moral lesson; a wise saying people often repeat. Ex: 'A penny saved is a penny earned.'

Allegory

A story where events and characters symbolize a deeper meaning; not obvious, needs interpretation. Ex: Animal Farm represents political ideas.

Aphorism

A short, wise statement. Ex: 'Actions speak louder than words.'

Ellipsis

Leaving out words for effect. Ex: 'Rain, endless rain…'.

Euphemism

A polite way to say something unpleasant. Ex: 'Passed away' instead of 'died.'

Figurative Language

Writing that isn’t literal. Ex: 'He has a heart of stone.'

Analogy

A comparison showing relationships. Ex: 'Life is to humans as water is to fish.'

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration. Ex: 'I’ve told you a million times!'

Idiom

A phrase that doesn’t mean what it says. Ex: 'It’s raining cats and dogs.'

Metaphor

A comparison without 'like' or 'as.' Ex: 'Time is a thief.'

Metonymy

Using a related word instead of the actual one. Ex: 'The White House issued a statement.' (White House = President.)

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent a whole. Ex: 'All hands on deck.' (Hands = sailors.)

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as.' Ex: 'Her smile was as bright as the sun.'

Synesthesia

Mixing senses in descriptions. Ex: 'Loud colors.'

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human things. Ex: 'The wind howled in the night.'

Foreshadowing

Hints about what will happen later. Ex: A character mentioning a storm before disaster strikes.

Genre

A category of literature. Ex: Mystery, romance, horror.

Gothic

Writing with mystery, gloom, and death. Ex: Dracula or Frankenstein.

Imagery

Descriptive language that creates pictures in your mind. Ex: 'The golden sun dipped below the horizon.'

Invective

Harsh or cruel words. Ex: 'You’re a worthless fool!'

Irony

The opposite of what you expect happens. Ex: A fire station burns down.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean. Ex: 'Great job!' after someone spills juice.

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows something the character doesn’t. Ex: In Romeo and Juliet, we know Juliet is alive, but Romeo doesn’t.

Situational Irony

A surprising twist. Ex: A pilot is afraid of heights.

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side by side for contrast. Ex: A rich man standing next to a homeless man.

Mood

The overall feeling of a story. Ex: A horror story has a dark and eerie mood.

Motif

A recurring element in a story that reinforces a theme. Ex: Green light in The Great Gatsby shows his unreachable dreams.

Oxymoron

Two opposite words put together. Ex: 'Bittersweet' or 'deafening silence.'

Pacing

How fast or slow a story moves. Ex: Action scenes are fast-paced, while deep emotional moments are slower.