AP English Literature and Composition Literary Terms & Devices

Alliteration

repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words in close proximity; a type of consonance

Allusion

when an author makes an indirect reference to something originating from outside the text

Anachronism

an intentional error in the chronology/timeline of a text

Anaphora

when a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of multiple sentences or phrases throughout a text

Anthropomorphism

when something nonhuman, such as an animal, place, or inanimate object, behaves in a human-like way

Antimetabole

the inverted repetition of words or phrases; a type of chiasmus

Archetype

a recurrent symbol, motif, or character type in literature

Assonance

repetition of vowel sounds

Asyndeton

When a writer leaves out conjunctions in a group of words or phrases to emphasize the meaning of the phrase/sentence.

Chiasmus

a rhetorical device in which grammatical constructions or concepts are repeated in reverse order; one phrase is inverted in the following phrase

Colloquialism

The use of informal language and slang. It's often used by authors to lend a sense of realism to their characters and dialogue.

Epigraph

This occurs when an author inserts a famous quotation, poem, song, or other short passage/text at the beginning of his/her larger text. It is often written by a different author and represents significant themes to the larger text.

Epistrophe

repeats the same word(s) or phrase at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences

Epizeuxis

a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, usually for emphasis and dramatic effect

Euphemism

when a more mild or indirect expression is used in place of another phrase that is considered more harsh, blunt, and unpleasant

Foil

a character whose traits and values contrast with and emphasize those of a main character

Hyperbole

an exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally by the reader. It is often used for comedic effect and/or emphasis.

Iambic Pentameter

The meter William Shakespeare used for his sonnets. Ten syllables per line. Unstressed Stressed (u /).

Idiom

a short expression particular to a certain group or place that conveys a figurative rather than literal meaning

Invective

abusive, rude, or insulting language

Irony

a situation in which there is a contrast between expectation and reality

Dramatic Irony

the audience knows something the characters don't

Situational Irony

when something happens that is the opposite of the expectations and intent of the speaker and/or characters

Verbal Irony

when a speaker says something that is opposite from his/her actual intent

Juxtaposition

the placement of different elements side by side in order to emphasize their differences, their similarities, or the uniqueness of their relationship

Litotes

a rhetorical device in which the use of negation creates an affirmative understatement

Malapropism

when a character mistakenly uses an incorrect word in place of a similar sounding word

Metonym

when a related word or phrase is substituted for the actual thing to which it's referring

Onomatopoeia

a word or group of words that represent a sound and actually resembles/imitates the sound it represents

Oxymoron

a combination of two words that together represent a contradictory meaning

Paradox

a statement that appears illogical or contradictory, but, upon further investigation, might actually be true or plausible

Periphrasis

the use of an unnecessarily lengthy statement in place of a shorter or more straightforward one; sometimes used for comic effect

Polysyndeton

a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of conjunctions in close succession for the purpose of emphasizing words or phrases in a sentence; uses no commas

Satire

A genre of writing that criticizes something/someone and often employs irony, humor, and hyperbole

Soliloquy

This occurs when a character speaks aloud to himself and to the audience, thereby revealing his inner thoughts and feelings. This often occurs in dramas and plays.

Syllepsis

a figure of speech in which one word (usually a verb) is used in two or more different ways

Synecdoche

A literary device in which part of something is used to represent the whole and vice versa; a type of metonym

Synesthesia

a rhetorical device that describes one sense in terms of another or combines two or more senses