2026 AP Literature Vocabulary List

A curated vocabulary list featuring key literary terms and concepts.

imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a visual representation.

symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

verbal irony

A figure of speech in which the speaker says one thing but means another.

dramatic irony

When the audience knows something that the characters do not.

situational irony

An outcome that is contrary to what was expected.

reliable narrator

A narrator whose credibility is trustworthy.

naive narrator

A narrator who lacks understanding of the circumstances of the story.

unreliable narrator

A narrator whose credibility is compromised.

point of view

The perspective from which a story is told.

Freytag’s pyramid/plot

A structure for analyzing the plot of a story.

exposition

The introduction of important background information.

inciting incident

The event that sets the main story into motion.

rising action

A series of events that create tension leading to the climax.

climax

The most intense point of the story.

falling action

The events following the climax leading toward resolution.

denouement

The final resolution of a story.

resolution

The conclusion of the story where conflicts are resolved.

conflict

The struggle between opposing forces in a story.

narrative

A spoken or written account of connected events.

en media res

A narrative technique where the story begins in the middle.

flashback

A scene set in a time earlier than the main story.

foreshadowing

Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

protagonist

The main character in a story, often a hero.

antagonist

The character who opposes the protagonist.

coming-of-age story

A story that focuses on the growth of a protagonist.

bildungsroman

A novel dealing with one person's formative years.

epiphany

A moment of sudden insight or revelation.

round character

A complex character who undergoes development.

dynamic character

A character that undergoes significant internal change.

flat character

A simple character who does not undergo significant change.

static character

A character who remains the same throughout the story.

stock character

A stereotypical character that is recognizable to audiences.

stereotype

A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image of a particular type of person.

foil

A character who contrasts with another character.

direct characterization

The author directly describes a character's traits.

indirect characterization

The character's traits are revealed through their actions, dialogue, and other characters' reactions.

first person point of view

Narration from the perspective of a character using 'I'.

second person point of view

Narration directed at the audience using 'you'.

third person point of view

Narration from an outside perspective using 'he', 'she', or 'they'.

omniscient narrator

A narrator who knows everything about all characters.

limited omniscient narrator

A narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

objective narrator

A narrator who reports only what is observable.

stream of consciousness

A narrative mode that attempts to capture thoughts as they occur.

frame story

A story within a story.

symbol

An object or action that represents a larger concept.

allegory

A narrative that uses characters and events to represent abstract ideas.

archetypes

Typical examples of characters, themes, or situations.

allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, or thing.

theme

The central topic or idea explored in a text.

diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in writing.

denotative meaning

The literal meaning of a word.

connotative meaning

The implied or emotional meaning associated with a word.

formal diction

A style of writing or speaking that is lofty and elaborate.

informal diction

A casual, conversational style of writing.

slang

A type of informal language that is often exclusive to a certain group.

colloquialism

Informal language or expressions used in casual conversation.

extended metaphor

A metaphor that extends over several lines or throughout an entire work.

conceit

An elaborate metaphor comparing two unlikely things.

oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

hyperbole

Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.

understatement

A figure of speech that makes a situation seem less important than it is.

paradox

A statement that appears contradictory but may reveal a truth.

personification

Attribution of human qualities to non-human entities.

syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

cumulative sentence

A sentence that begins with the main idea and adds details.

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning at the end.

inverted sentence

A sentence in which the predicate comes before the subject.

inversion

A reversal of the normal order of words.

tone

The author's attitude toward the subject.

mood

The emotional atmosphere of a literary work.

parallel structure

The repetition of a grammatical structure in a series.

enjambment

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.

caesura

A pause in a line of poetry.

rhythm

The pattern of sounds and silences in spoken or written language.

meter

A regular pattern of rhythm in poetry.

feet

The basic unit of measurement in poetry.

iambic

A metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

iamb

A metrical foot containing one unstressed and one stressed syllable.

iambic pentameter

A line of verse with five iambic feet.

Italian/Petrarchan sonnet

A sonnet form consisting of an octave and a sestet.

Elizabethan/Shakespearean sonnet

A sonnet form consisting of three quatrains and a couplet.

epic

A lengthy narrative poem, often about heroic deeds.

epitaph

A phrase or statement written in memory of a person.

euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be harsh.

stanza

A grouped set of lines in a poem.

elegy

A mournful poem, often lamenting the death of a person.

lyric poem

A short poem expressing personal feelings.

ode

A formal, often lofty lyrical poem.

dirge

A sad song or poem expressing grief.

ballad

A narrative poem that tells a story.

villanelle

A 19-line poem with a fixed form.

pastoral

Literature that idealizes rural life.

requiem

A mass for the repose of departed souls.

tercet

A set of three lines of verse.

quatrain

A stanza consisting of four lines.

free verse

Poetry that does not adhere to a regular meter.

dramatic monologue

A poem in which a speaker addresses a silent listener.

alliteration

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within non-rhyming words.