all academic terms for AP lang

allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event

analogy

A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

anadiplosis

repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause

anecdote

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

antimetabole

Repetition of words in reverse order

asyndeton

the absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence.

aphorism

a concise statement of a truth or principle

aporia

Expression of doubt (often feigned) by which a speaker appears uncertain as to what he should think, say, or do.

apostrophe

address to an absent or imaginary person

antithesis

juxtaposition of 2 opposing ideas in a balanced, parallel structure to create contrast and emphasize meaning

chiasmus

a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

colloquialism

informal words or expressions used in everyday conversations

denotation

The dictionary definition of a word

diction

A writer's or speaker's choice of words

didactic

literary works designed to teach a lesson or convey a moral message to the reader

imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

epistrophe

the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

euphemism

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

hypophora

raising a question then proceeding to answer it

litotes

A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite

metonymy

substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it

metaphor

A comparison without using like or as

juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

metanoia

writer deliberately retracts or modifies a statement to strengthen, soften, or clarify it

oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

paradox

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

parataxis

listing a series of clauses with no conjunctions

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

personification

the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea

polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions

simile

A comparison using "like" or "as"

procatelepsis

Anticipates an objection that might be raised by an audience and responds to it.

rhetorical question

A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected.

satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices

symbolism

the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities

syntax

Sentence structure

verbal irony

sarcasm

tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

situational irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something the characters do not

enumeration

listing items in order

claim

An assertion, usually supported by evidence

invective

abusive language

thesis

Focus statement of an essay

counterargument

an opposing argument to the one a writer is putting forward

rebuttal

A counterargument, especially in debate

concession

A reluctant acknowledgment or yielding.

evidence

proof

reasoning

the process of making clear how your evidence supports your claim

commentary

discussion and analysis of evidence in relation to the claim/expression of opinions

warrant

underlying logic that connects a claim to its supporting evidence

assumption

a belief accepted as true

ethos

Ethical appeal

pathos

emotional appeal

logos

logical appeal

credibility

the quality of being believable or trustworthy

bias

A particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.

audience

the listener, viewer, or reader of a text

purpose

the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

line of reasoning

arrangement of claims and evidence that lead to a conclusion

context

the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea

kairos

Building a sense of urgency for your cause

exigence

an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak

qualification

limiting or modifying expression added to a statement to clarify its scope

refutation

A denial of the validity of an opposing argument.

straw man

an argument is misrepresented, exaggerated, or simplified to make it easier to attack

red herring

introduction to a misleading clue or piece of information to distract from the true outcome of a story

fallacy

a faulty argument based on poor reasoning

ad hominem

Attacking the person instead of the argument.

non sequitur

something that does not logically follow

false dilemma

occurs when it is suggested that only two alternatives exist even though there may be others

hasty generalization

a conclusion is drawn from a small example

appeal to authority

Appeals to an authority to support a position, idea, or argument

slippery slope

a course of action that seemingly leads inevitably from one action to another with unintended consequences

circular reasoning

Reasoning that ends and begins in the same place with no evidence

false analogy

drawing of an unwarranted similarity between two things, leading to an incorrect conclusion

bandwagon

idea is promoted as desirable simply because it is popular

burden of proof

an obligation to prove one's assertion

call to action

writing that urges people to action or promotes change

persuasion

the process of creating, reinforcing, or changing people's beliefs or actions

organization

the way a writer arranges and structures their work

structure

organized framework of a story, poem, or narrative that arranges plot, characters, and themes

chronological order

arrangement and sequence of events that occur in timeline order

cause and effect

events, actions, or decisions are presented and followed by resulting outcomes

problem and solution

writer presents a problem, then offers a solution to address it

emphasis

special importance or significance

compare and contrast

finding similarities and differences between 2 things

repetition

reuse of a word/phrase/line within a piece of writing

coherence

the quality of being logical and consistent

unity

The state of being united or forming a whole.

transition

(n.) a change from one state or condition to another

motif

A recurring theme, subject or idea

theme

Central idea of a work of literature

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told