AP Lang + Comp Final

Logos

type of appeal which intends to persuade through logic and reasoning, in other words, making the audience understandthe argument.

Refute

to deny the validity of an opposing argument

Anecdote

a little story by a writer to enhance his/her argument

claim

a clear and focused statement or declaration that is not factual but debatable - often a statement or declaration that expresses a specific reason for one’s position or argument

Exigence

the urgency at a point in time that motivates a writer or speaker to deliver and important message NOW

Anaphora

repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of sentences, paragraphs, or clauses (within sentences) in order to tie ideas together and place emphasis on relationships, message or meaning

Rhetoric

Effective use of language; the art of using language skillfully and effectively in order to persuade, flatter, motivate, inspire, or inform

Audience

the listeners of a speech or readers of an essay/editorial; the targeted group intended to hear a message

antithesis

in grammar, when opposite ideas are presented in balances, parallel form.

Comma Splice

error caused by joining two complete sentences with a comma, without including a conjunction

subordinate/dependent clause

in a complex thesis statement, the less important idea that is places in the first half of the sentence, not the writer’s primary argument

Purpose

the goal that a writer or speaker wants to achieve in a piece of writing; the reason for writing or delivering a speech.

diction

a writer’s specific choice of words, intended to emphasize meaning

appositive phrase

a phrase that renames a noun, by adding detail or more information to it.

tone

thevoice of a writer in an essay or editorial; the person delivering a speech to an audience

hortative sentence

when a speaker or writer urges the audience to take action or do something; can be a type of sentence, a type of appeal, or a description of tone

ethos

persuasive appeal based on establishing the credibility and character of the writer or speaker, in other words, earning the audience’s trust and respect.

concrete details

opposite of sensory details, these are details that present facts

tone

a writer’s attitude toward his/her subject

Connotation

associations raised by a word, or the implied meaning of a word, as opposed to its literal, dictionary definition

analogy

a literal, not figurative, comparison between two things, intended to highlight and argument or idea

allusion

a well-known reference, often to literature, history, mythology, pop culture or the Bible

context

the occasion of a speech, essay or editorial; the time and place as well as the political or social circumstances in society surrounding a writer’s argument

counterargument

acknowledging the validity of opposing viewpoints while also emphasizing the superiority of one’s own argument… anticipating opposing views, arguments, reasons, or objections to one’s one viewpoint or position

argument

a feeling or position on an issue that is supported by evidence

concede

to submit to the validity of an opposing viewpoint

style

a writer’s techniques and strategies that define her/his WAY of writing; not WHAT a writer says, but HOW a writer conveys his/her message

rhetorical question

a question intended to make readers think, but not necessarily expected to be answered…

simile

a comparison between two unlike things using like or as

independent clause

type of clause in a complex thesis statement that is placed in the second half of the sentence and expresses the writer’s position

opinion

a feeing or viewpoint on an issue that is NOT supported by evidence

oxymoron

when opposite or contrasting words are used together to describe something

refute

top reject to deny the validity of an opposing argument

irony

when the opposite of what is expected to occur, does occur, the discrepancy between expectation and outcome; or erception and reality

alliteration

repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words

syntax

sentence structure