AP Language & Composition

Rhetorical Terms

Allegory

Using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent abstraction in addition to literal meaning.

Alliteration

The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants in tow or neighboring words (Shelly sells sea shells on the sea shore).

Allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something that is presumably commonly known (History, Literature, Religion, etc.).

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings of a word or phrase, intentionally or unintentionally.

Analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

Anaphora

One of the devices of repetition, where the same expression is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines.

Anecdote

A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event, frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

Antecedent

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

Antithesis

Figure of balance in which two Contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through the use of a parallel structure. Contrasts opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Aphorism

A statement to know authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.

Asyndeton

Consists of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. This can give the effect or unpremeditated multiplicity (He received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame).

Atmosphere

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author’s choice of objects that are described.

Chiasmus

A figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words (pleasure’s a sin, and sometimes sin’s a pleasure).

Independent Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence

Dependent/Subordinate Clause

Cannot stand alone, must be accompanied by an independent clause.

Colloquialism

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.

Coherence

A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear.

Conceit

A fanciful expression, typically in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.

Connotation

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word - lacking any emotion attitude or color.

Diacope

Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase (We will do it, I tell you; we will).

Diction

Related to style, refers to the writer’s word choices.

Didactic

Means “teaching”.

Enumeratio

Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details (I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips).

Expletive

Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech. (In fact, of course, to be sure, indeed, etc.).

Euphemism

More agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

Exposition

In essays, one of the four chief types of composition, it’s purpose is to explain something.

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that’s developed at great length, occurring frequently throughout the work.

Figurative Language

Umbrella term, writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning.

Figure of Speech

A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Includes: apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, and understatement.

Generic Conventions

Describes the traditions of each genre, helping to define time.

Genre

The major category into which a literary work fits.

Homily

Means “sermon”, but can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.

Hypophora

Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions are asked than answered.

Imagery

Sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.

Infer

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.

Invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attach using strong abusive language.

Irony

The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant.

Juxtaposition

When two words, phrases, images, or ideas are placed close together or side by side in comparison or contrast.

Litotes

A figure of thought in which a point is affirmed by negating its opposite, a special form of understatement.

Loose Sentence

A type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by independent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.

Metaphor

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.

Metonymy

Figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.

Narrative

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

Onomatopoeia

Figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech wherein author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest paradox.

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

Refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give e 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.

Personification

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

Polysyndeton

Figures of addition and emphasis which intentionally employs a series of conjunctions not normally found in successive words, phrases or clauses.

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.

Predicate Adjective

One type of subject complement is an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb.

Predicate Nominative

A second type of subject complement - a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that names the subject.

Prose

Refers to fiction and non-fiction, the printer determines the length of the line.

Repetition

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

Rhetoric

Describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Rhetorical Modes

Describes the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing.

Rhetorical Question

Is not answered by the writer because its answer is obvious or obviously desired.

Sarcasm

Involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

Satire

Targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for recorm or ridicule.

Semantics

The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another.

Style

To evaluate the sum of the choices an author makes in their writing, or to classify authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors.

Subject Complement

The word or clauses that follow a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by renaming it or describing it.

Subordinate Clause

Contains both a subject and verb, but the subordinate clause cannot stand alone

Syllogism

A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.

Symbolism

Anything that represents itself and stands for something else.

Synecdoche

A kind of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole, the whole for a part, the genus for the species, the species for the genus, the material for the thing made, or in short, any portion secion o rmain quality for the whole or the thing itself.

Syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Similar to diction, but syntax is the groups of words while diction is the individual words.

Theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.

Thesis

The sentence or a group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.

Tone

Describes the author’s attitude toward their material, the audience, or both.

Transition

A word or phrase that links different ideas (for example, in addition, likewise, similarly, etc.).

Understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is.

Undertone

An attitude that may lie under the ostensible tone of the piece.

Wit

Intellectually amazing language that surprises and delights.