All of AP Lang Vocab

Active Voice

The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is a more direct and preferred style of writing in most cases.

Passive Voice

when the subject of the sentence receives the action. Passive voice is often overused, resulting in lifeless writing.

Active Voice Example

“Anthony drove while Toni searched for the house.”

Passive Voice Example

“The car was driven by Anthony.”

Allusion

An indirect reference to something with which the reader is supposed to be familiar.

Alter-ego

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

Alter-ego Example

In Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest, Shakespeare talks to his audience about his own upcoming retirement, through the main character in the play, Prospero.

Anecdote

A brief recounting of a relevant episode. they are often inserted into fictional or non fictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.

Antecedent

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

Antecedent Example

“If I could command the wealth of all the world by lifting my finger, I would not pay such a price for it.”

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, in order to lighten the mood somewhat.

Diction

Word choice, particularly as an element of style.

Different Types of Diction

• Colloquial

• Connotation

• Denotation

• Jargon

• Vernacular

Colloquial

Ordinary or familiar type of conversation.

Connotation

the associations suggested by a word. Implied meaning rather than literal meaning.

Denotation

The literal, explicit meaning of a word, without its connotations.

Jargon

The diction used by a group which practices a similar profession or activity.

Vernacular

1. Language or dialect of a particular country.

2. Language or dialect of a regional clan or group.

3. Plain everyday speech

Didactic

A term used to describe fiction, nonfiction or poetry that teaches a specific lesson or moral or

provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.

Adage

A folk saying with a lesson.

Allegory

A story, fictional or non fictional, in which characters, things, and events represent qualities or concepts. The interaction of these characters, things, and events is meant to reveal an abstraction or a truth.

Aphorism

A terse statement which expresses a general truth or moral principle. it can be a memorable summation of the author's point.

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. Sometimes they are used for political correctness.

Figurative Language

writing that is not meant to be taken literally.

Literal Language

it is writing that makes complete sense when you take it at face value.

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.

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.”

Synesthesia examples

“A purplish scent filled the room.” “I was deafened by his brightly-colored clothing.”

Personification:

Giving human-like qualities to something that is not human.

Argument

piece of reasoning with one or more premises and a conclusion.

Premises

Statements offered as reasons to support a conclusion

Conclusion

the end result of the argument

Aristotle’s appeals

The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade an audience that one’s ideas are valid, or more valid than someone else's.

Ethos

means being convinced by the credibility of the author.

Pathos (emotional)

means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions.

Logos (logical)

means persuading by the use of reasoning, using true premises and valid arguments.

Concession

Accepting at least part or all of an opposing viewpoint.

Conditional Statement

an if-then statement and consists of two parts, an antecedent and a consequent.

Contradiction

when one asserts two mutually exclusive propositions

Counterexample

is an example that runs counter to (opposes) a generalization, thus falsifying it.

Deductive argument

An argument in which it is thought that the premises provide a guarantee of the truth of the conclusion.

Fallacy

an attractive but unreliable piece of reasoning.

Ad hominem

Personally attacking your opponents instead of their arguments. It is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, feeling rather than intellect.

Appeal to authority (fallacy)

The claim that because somebody famous supports an idea, the idea must be right. This fallacy is often used in advertising.

Appeal to the bandwagon:

The claim, as evidence for an idea, that many people believe it, or used to believe it, or do it.

Appeal to emotion (fallacy)

An attempt to replace a logical argument with an appeal to the audience’s emotions.

Bad analogy:

Claiming that two situations are highly similar, when they aren't.

Cliche thinking:

Using as evidence a well-known saying, as if it is proven, or as if it has no exceptions.

False cause:

Assuming that because two things happened, the first one caused the second one.

Hasty generalization:

A generalization based on too little or unrepresentative data.

Non Sequitur:

A conclusion that does not follow from its premises; an invalid argument.

Slippery slope:

The assumption that once started, a situation will continue to its most extreme possible outcome.

Inductive argument

An argument in which it is thought that the premises provide reasons supporting the probable truth of the conclusion.

Sound argument

that the line of reasoning from the premises to the conclusion is valid. Second, that the premises are true.

Unstated premises

Not every argument is fully expressed. Sometimes premises or even conclusions are left unexpressed.

Valid argument

if the conclusion logically follows from the premises.

Slant rhyme

When a poet creates a rhyme, but the two words do not rhyme exactly – they are merely similar.

End rhyme

When the last word of two different lines of poetry rhyme.

Rhyme Scheme

The pattern of a poem’s end rhymes.

Stressed and unstressed syllables

In every word of more than one syllable, one of the syllables is stressed, or said with more force

Meter

A regular pattern to the syllables in lines of poetry.

Free verse

Poetry that doesn’t have much meter or rhyme.

Iambic pentameter

Poetry that is written in lines of 10 syllables, alternating stressed and unstressed syllables.

Sonnet

A 14 line poem written in iambic pentameter. Usually divided into three quatrains and a couplet.

Polysyndeton

When a writer creates a list of items which are all separated by conjunctions.

Pun

When a word that has two or more meanings is used in a humorous way.

Rhetoric

The art of effective communication.

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle

The relationships, in any piece of writing,between the writer, the audience, and the subject. All analysis of writing is essentially an analysis of the relationships between the points on the triangle.

Rhetorical Question

Question not asked for information but for effect.

Romanticism

Art or literature characterized by an idealistic, perhaps unrealistic view of people and the world, and an emphasis on nature.

Sarcasm

A generally bitter comment that is ironically or satirically worded.

Satire

A work that reveals a critical attitude toward some element of life to a humorous effect.

Sentence

group of words (including subject and verb) that expresses a complete thought.

Appositive

A word or group of words placed beside a noun or noun substitute to supplement its meaning.

Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.

independent clause

expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

A dependent, or subordinate clause

cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause.

Balanced sentence

A sentence in which two parallel elements are set off against each other like equal weights on a scale. Both parts are parallel grammatically.

Compound sentence

Contains at least two independent clauses but no dependent clauses.

Complex sentence

Contains only one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Cumulative sentence

When the writer begins with an independent clause, then adds subordinate elements.

Periodic sentence

When the main idea is not completed until the end of the sentence.The writer begins with subordinate elements and postpones the main clause.

Simple sentence

Contains only one independent clause.

Declarative sentence

States an idea. It does not give a command or request, nor does it ask a question.

Imperative sentence

Issues a command.

Interrogative sentence

Sentences incorporating interrogative pronouns

Style

The choices in diction, tone, and syntax that a writer makes. Style may be conscious or unconscious.

Symbol

Anything that represents or stands for something else.

Syntax/sentence variety

Grammatical arrangement of words/grouping of words

Theme

The central idea or message of a work.

Thesis

The sentence or groups of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition.

Tone

A writer's attitude toward his subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language and organization.