AP Lang Figurative Language Terms

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds of several consecutive or neighboring words

Allusion

A reference to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place, or thing

Antithesis*

Involves a direct contrast of structurally paralleled word groupings, generally for the purpose of contrast

Apostrophe*

A form of personification in which the absent or dead are spoken to as if present

Assonance

The repetition of accented vowel sounds in a series of words

Consonance

The repetition of a consonant within a series of words to produce a harmonious effect

Flashback

A scene that intercepts the action of a work to show a previous event

Foreshadowing

The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest further action

Hyperbole

A deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration

Verbal irony

The result of a statement saying one thing while meaning the opposite

Situational irony

When a situation turns out differently from what one would normally expect though often the twist is oddly appropriate

Dramatic irony

Occurs when a character says or does something that has more or different meanings from what he thinks it means, though the audience and/or other characters do understand the full ramifications of the speech or action

Metaphor

A comparison without the use