AP Lang: Quiz 1 Vocab

Active Voice

The subject of the sentence performs the action.

Ex. Anthony drove while Toni searched the house.

Passive Voice

The subject of the sentence recieves the action.

Ex. The car was driven by Anthony.

Allusion

An indirect reference to something (usu. a literary text or smth else commonly known like plays, songs, and historical events) with which the reader is supposed to be familiar

Anecdote

A brief recounting of a relevant episode to develop a point or inject humor

Alter-ego

A character that is used to speak the author’s own thoughts / when an author speaks directly to the audience through a character

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun

Classicism

Art or literature characterized by a realistic view of people and the world; sticks to traditional themes and structures

Comic Relief

When a humorous scene is inserted into a serious story to lighten the mood

Diction

Word choice, particularly as an element of style.

Colloquial

Ordinary or familiar type of conversation

Connotation

The associations suggested by the word

Denotation

The literal, explicit meaning of a word

Jargon

Diction used by a group that practices a similar profession or activity

Vernacular

Language or diction of a particular country OR regional clan/group

Plain everyday speech

Didactic

Works that teach a specific lesson or moral or provide a model of correct behavior

Adage

A folk saying with a lesson “A rolling stone gathers no moss”

Allegory

A story with characters, things, and events that represent qualities or concepts. The interaction of these characters, things, and events is meant to reveal an abstraction or truth

Aphorism

A terse statement which expresses a general truth or moral principle

Ellipsis

The deliberate omission of a word or phrase from prose done for effect by the author

Euphemism

A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts

Figurative Language

Writing that is not meant to be taken literally

Analogy

A comparison of one pair of variables to a parallel set of variables

Hyperbole

Exaggeration

Idiom

A common, often used expression that doesn’t make sense if you take it literally

Metaphor

Making an implied comparison, not using “like”, “as”, or other such words.

Extended metaphor (conceit)

Introducing a metaphor in one sentence and continuing to reference it throughout the text.

Metonymy

Replacing an actual word or idea, with a related word or concept.

Synecdoche

A kind of metonymy when a whole is represented by naming one of its parts or vice versa.

Simile

Using words such as “like” or “as” to make a direct comparison between two very different things

Synesthesia

A description involving a “crossing of the senses”

Personification

Giving human-like qualities to something that is not human

Foreshadowing

When an author gives hints about what will occur later in the story

Genre

The major category into which a literary work fits (prose, poetry, drama, autobiography, biography, diaries, criticism, essays, journalistic, political, scientific, and nature)

Gothic

Writing characterized by gloom, mystery, fear and/or death

Imagery

Word or words that create a picture in the reader’s mind

Invective

A long, emotionally violent attack using strong, abusive language

Irony

When the opposite of what you expect to happen does

Verbal Irony

When you say something and mean the opposite/ something different= Sarcasm

Dramatic Irony

When the audience of a drama, play, movie, etc. knows something that the character doesn’t or would be surprised to find out.

Situational Irony

Found in the plot (or story line) of a book, story, or movie. Sometimes it makes you laugh because it’s funny how things turn out

Juxtaposition

Placing things side by side for the purposes of comparison

Mood

The atmosphere created by the literature and accomplished through word choice

Motif

A reccuring idea in a piece of literature

Oxymoron

When apparently contradictory terms are grouped together to suggest a paradox

Pacing

The speed or tempo of an author’s writing