AP ENG COMP VOCAB

concession

An acknowledgment that an opposing argument may be true or rea sonable. In a strong argument,

a concession is usually accompanied by a refutation challenging the validity of the opposing argument.

connotation

Meanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition, or denotation.

Connotations are usually positive or neg-ative, and they can greatly affect the author's tone.

Consider the connotations of the words below, all of which mean "overweight."

context

The circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text.

counterargument

An opposing argument to the one a writer is putting forward.

Rather than ignoring a counterargument, a strong writer will usually address it through the process of concession and refutation.

audience

The listener, viewer, or reader of a text. Most texts are likely to have multiple audiences

alliteration

Repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence.

allusion

Brief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) or to a work of art.

anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines.

antimetabole

Repetition of words in reverse order.

antithesis

Opposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction.

archaic diction

Old-fashioned or outdated choice of words.

asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words

cumulative sentence

Sentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on.

hortative sentence

Sentence that exhorts, urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action

imperative sentence

Sentence used to command or enjoin.

inversion

Inverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order).

juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences.

metaphor

Figure of speech that compares two things without using like or as.

oxymoron

Paradoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another

parallelism

Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases,

or clauses.

periodic sentence

Sentence whose main clause is withheld until the end.

personification

Attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea.

rhetorical question

Figure of speech in the form of a question posed for rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer.

synedoche

Figure of speech that uses a part to represent the whole.

zeugma

Use of two different words in a grammatically similar way that produces different, often incongruous, meanings.

diction

authors word choice

ex formal, informal

euphemism

a nicer way to say things that are harsh

ex she died vs she passed away

similes

comparing 2 things with using like it as

propaganda

spreading ideas to get the attention of the idea using rumors lies and disinformation

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration

refutation

statement of disagreement towards the opposing side