AP Language and Composition Semester 1 Final Review

Anecdote

A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two or more concepts, characters, ideas, or places side by side for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device that contrasts opposing ideas in a balanced manner.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Parallelism/Parallel Structure

The use of similar grammatical structures to create a sense of rhythm and balance in writing.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

Polysyndeton

The use of several conjunctions in close succession, often slowing the rhythm of prose.

Asyndeton

The omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence, creating a concise and impactful statement.

Zeugma

A figure of speech in which a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which words or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt.

Paradox

A statement that appears self-contradictory or logically unacceptable but may reveal an underlying truth.

Loose sentence

A type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by subordinate clauses.

Periodic Sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

Hortative Sentence

A sentence that urges or calls to action.

Vestiges

A trace or remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.

Laggard

A person who makes slow progress and falls behind others.

Dissident

A person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state.

Eschewed

To deliberately avoid using or abstain from something.

Preconception

An idea or opinion formed before having the evidence for its truth or usefulness.

Brash

Self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way.

Squabble

A noisy quarrel about something trivial.

Ascetic

Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from indulgence.

Sluices

To pour or flow out in a stream.

Assailed

To be attacked violently or to be criticized strongly.

Colloquial

Referring to the use of informal words or expressions in speech or writing.

Recalcitrant

Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.

Estuaries

The tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream.