AP Lang Vocab Quiz SCHS

Day 1 Quiz for SCHS

Tone

Describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author’s tone. Some words describing tone are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, and somber. You should precede the word “tone” in your writing with some adjective describing the specific tone used. Tone often works to appeal to pathos.

Diction

Diction creates tone. Diction is, simply put, words, and refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. For the AP exam, you should be able to describe an author’s diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author’s purpose. In commenting on diction, you should always precede the word with some adjective such as “elevated diction,” “scholarly diction,” “inclusive diction,” “derogatory diction” “emphatic diction” etc. If you do not, you are really just saying the author used words.

Imagery

Imagery creates tone. Imagery is an unusually descriptive language that appeals to the five senses. This language is highly connotative and often works to appeal to pathos. You should precede the word “imagery” in your writing with some adjective describing the specific imagery used.

Simile

A comparison using like or as

Metaphor

 A comparison NOT using like or as

Analogy

 An analogy is something that shows how two things are alike, but with the ultimate goal of making a point about this comparison. The purpose of an analogy is not merely to show, but also to explain. For this reason, an analogy is more complex than a simile or a metaphor, which aim only to show without explaining.

Juxtaposition

When two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed closely together or side by side for contrast. 

Hyperbole

An exaggeration made in a phrase

Enumeration

When a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something.

Irony

The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Repetition

The act of repeating something - whether it’s words, images, sentence structure, etc.

Alliteration

Repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence.

Parallel Structure

A similarity of sentence structure in a pair or series of related (not the same) words, phrases, or clauses.

Anaphora

A type of parallel structure in which the same word or words is/are repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.

Hypophora

Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions is/are asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker; raising and responding to one’s own question(s). A common usage is to ask the question at the beginning of a paragraph and then use the paragraph to answer it. You can use hypophora to raise questions which you think the reader obviously has on his/her mind and would like to see formulated and answered

Rhetorical Question

Differs from hypophora in that it is not answered by the writer because its answer is obvious or obviously desired, and usually just a yes or no answer would suffice. It is used for effect, emphasis, or provocation, or for drawing a conclusionary statement from the fact at hand

Allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. Sometimes allusions may be used for comparative purposes, but not always

Anecdote

A short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person; used as evidence to support a writer’s claim

Hypothetical Example

An example used to illustrate a claim that has not actually happened but could be true

Personification

The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.