ap lang vocab

anecdote

a short story about a personal experience, often used to illustrate a point

argument

a reason or set of reasons given to support a claim or opinion

audience

a group of readers or listeners targeted by a writer or speaker

colloquialism

everyday, informal words and phrases

connotation

the associated meaning of a word beyond its literal definition

context

the broader historical, cultural, and social circumstances surrounding a text

counterargument

an opposing viewpoint that challenges your main claim

diction

the deliberate choice of words

ethos appeal

convincing an audience that the speaker or author is credible, trustworthy, and has good character

evidence

the specific information you use to support your main point

exigence

the specific issue that prompts a writer or speaker to create a text

juxtaposition

placing two contrasting things side-by-side to highlight their differences

logos appeal

a persuasive technique that targets the audience's sense of reason and logic

mood

the emotional atmosphere of a piece of writing, and the grammatical form of a verb

occasion

the specific time, place, and event that causes a writer or speaker to create a text

pathos appeal

convincing an audience by purposely triggering their emotions

persona

the specific character, role, or voice an author adopts on the page to connect with their audience

purpose

the specific goal an author hopes to accomplish

rhetoric

the art of using language purposefully to persuade, inform, or motivate a specific audience

rhetorical situation

the set of circumstances surrounding any piece of writing or speech

rhetorical triangle

a basic map that shows how three parts of any argument connect: the speaker (who wrote it), the audience (who is reading it), and the subject (what the text is about)

speaker

the person or group creating a text

style

the unique combination of word choice, sentence structure, and conventions a writer uses to build an argument

syntax

the deliberate arrangement of words, phrases, and clauses to form sentences

tone

the author’s attitude toward their subject or audience

voice

an author's unique personality and style