In preparation for IB English Paper 1A
Allegory
A work that conveys a hidden meaning - usually moral, spiritual or political - through the use of symbolic characters and events.
Alliteration
A figure of speech in which the sound sound repeats in a group of words
Allusion
An unexplained reference to something or someone outside of the text.
Anachronism
A person or object placed in the wrong time period - e.g. a move theatre in Medieval England. Is usually used for comedic or satiric effect.
Analogy
A comparison that aims to explain a thing or an idea by likening it to something else.
Anaphora
A figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases or sentences.
Antanaclasis
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but the word or phrase means something different each time it appears - e.g., we must all hang together, or assuredly, we will all hang separately.
Anthropomorphism
The attribution of human characteristics, emotions and behaviours to non-human things
Antithesis
A figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually with parallel grammatical structures.
Aporia
A rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubt (which can be used falsely for effect) as a way of making a point.
Apostrophe
A figure of speech in which a speaker directly adresses someone that is not present or cannot respond in reality. The entity being addressed can be absent, dead, or imaginary.
Assonance
A figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words.
Asyndeton
A figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions (and/or/but) that usually usually unite words or clauses are omitted. This omission can transform a sentence from one that merely states something to one that implies exasperation or fatality.
Blank verse
The name given to poetry that lacks rhyme but that does follow a specific meter - which is almost always iambic pentameter.
Cacophony
A combination of words that sounds harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they involve a lot of percussive or explosive consonants into relatively little space.
Catharsis
The process of releasing pent-up emotions through art. It means ‘to cleanse’ or ‘to purge’ describing the release of emotional tension that a spectator will feel.
Characterisation
The traits, emotions or psychology of a character in a narrative.
Climax
Refers to a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance.
Colloquialism
The use of informal words or phrases placed within writing or speech.
Conceit
A highly elaborate or extended metaphor, in which an unlikely or far-fetched comparison is made between two things.
Connotation
The array of emotions or ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition.
Consonance
A figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words.
Diacope
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated with a small number of intervening words.
Dramatic Irony
A plot device used to highlight the difference between a character’s understanding of a given situation, and that of the audience’s.
Enjambment
The continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break.
Epanalepsis
A figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence, with words intervening.
Epigram
A short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation.
Epistrophe
A figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.
Euphony
The combining of words that sound pleasant together or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots of consonants with soft or muffled sounds (like L, M, N, and R) instead of consonants with harsh, percussive sounds (like T, P, and K).
Extended Metaphor
A metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of multiple, interrelated metaphors within an overarching one.
Foreshadowing
A literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don’t occur until later in the story.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech in which the writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis.
Imagery
Refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses.
Irony
A literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are.
Juxtaposition
Occurs when an author places two things side by side as a way of highlighting their differences.
Litotes
A form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary - e.g., it’s not the best weather today.
Logos
One of the three modes of persuasion - it appeals to the audience’s sense of logic or reason.
Metaphor
Compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other.
Metonymy
A type of figurative language in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own name, but instead by the name of something closely associated with it.
Motif
An element or an idea that recurs throughout a work of literature - often collections of related symbols.
Onomatopoeia
A figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe.
Oxymoron
A figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a point - ‘proud humility.’
Paradox
A figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which contains an element of truth. ‘Life is much too important to be taken seriously.’
Parallelism
A figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure - usually to intensify the rhythm or to draw a comparison.
Pathetic fallacy
Occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals. It is often used to make the environment reflect the inner experience of a narrator or other characters. ‘The flowers on the grave dropped in sadness.’
Pathos
One of the three modes of persuasion which appeals to the audience’s emotion.
Personification
A type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes. It helps writers to powerfully capture the human experience of the world.
Polysyndeton
A figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions—words such as "and," "or," and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importance—are used several times in close succession, particularly where conjunctions would normally not be present at all.
Repetition
Where a word or phrase is repeated two or more times.
Satire
Satire is the use of humour, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Usually involves exaggeration to help make a point about an issue or concept.
Sibilance
A figure of speech in which a hissing sound is created within a group of words through the repetition of "s" sounds.
Similie
A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate an explicit comparison.
Synecdoche
When a part of something is used to refer to its whole.
Denotative
Exact meaning
Connotative
Suggested meaning
Monosyllabic
one syllable
Polysyllabic
Many syllables
Jargon
Vocabulary for a profession
Homespun
Folsy, homey, nativeE
Trite
cannon, banal, stereotype
pedantic
bookish, scholastic, dictatic
Aphorism
Unvversal comment, sayings, proverbs, coveys major points.
Declarative
Assertive a statment
Imperative
a command
Simple sentace
one subject one very
Loose sentence
details after subject and verb
Periodic sentence
Details after subject and verb
Ellipses
Trailing off dream like state
Colon
list
Dash
used to interrupt thoughts
Semicolon
parallel ideas
Anecdotal Evidence
a tale involving a real life story to back up claims
Invective
Emotionally violent, abusive language
Expletive
a single word or phrase of emphasis interrupting normal speech. eg. I suppose, in fact, in deed.
Synthetic personalization
Addressing mass audiences as through they were individuals, through inclusive language,
Inclusive language
we, you, us
Undertone
Attudide that lies under the survive
Abbiguity
Many interpretations are possible.
Appeal to authority
referencing a person or event to add credibility.
Tricolor
groups of 3
Bandwagon
Hop on to this trend
Testimonial
Indorsed by a celebrity
Plainfolk
everyday manp
Snob appeal
Need to be better than others
Glittering generalization
assummed idea