AP English Language and Composition Glossary Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering literary terms, rhetorical appeals, and rhetorical modes for the AP English Language and Composition Exam.

narrative

The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.

onomatopoeia

A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Examples include buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur.

oxymoron

From the Greek for 'pointedly foolish,' a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox, such as 'jumbo shrimp' and 'cruel kindness.'

paradox

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

parallelism

Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, from Greek roots meaning 'beside one another.' It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

parody

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.

pedantic

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end, preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone.

personification

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

point of view

In literature, the perspective from which a story is told.

predicate adjectives

One type of subject complement—an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb, is in the predicate of the sentence, and modifies or describes the subject.

predicate nominative

A second type of subject complement—a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject, follows a linking verb, and is located in the predicate of the sentence.

prose

One of the major divisions of genre referring to fiction and nonfiction written in ordinary language that most closely resembles everyday speech, encompassing technically anything that isn't poetry or drama.

repetition

The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

rhetoric

From the Greek for 'orator,' this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

rhetorical appeal

The persuasive device by which a writer tries to sway the audience's attention and response to any given work.

rhetorical modes

A flexible term describing the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing, sometimes referred to as modes of discourse.

rhetorical question

A question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply, as the answer is assumed.

sarcasm

From the Greek meaning 'to tear flesh,' involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.