AP LANG

Irony

a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is said and what is really meant. EX: A fire station burns down.

Metaphor

A comparison between to unalike things without using “like” or “as”

EX: “Time is a thief”

Analogy

A comparison between two things used to explain an idea

EX: “studying for a test is like training for a race”

Syntax

The arrangement of words in a sentence

Ex. Using “slim” instead of “skinny” to create a positive feeling.

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, event, place, or work

“He met his Waterloo”

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses

EX: “The warm bread smelled buttery and filled the kitchen”

Motif

A recurring idea, image, object, or symbol in a work.

Ex. Repeated images of darkness represent fear.

Repetition:

Reusing a word, phrase, or idea for emphasis

Ex. “Never give up, never give in

Detail/Support:

Specific information used to explain or prove an idea.

Ex. “The abandoned house had broken windows and a sagging roof.”

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.

Ex. “I walked into the room” is first-person point of view.

Symbol:

An object, person, or image that represents a larger idea.

Ex. A dove represents peace.

Hyperbole:

An extreme exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.

Ex. “I’ve told you a million times.”

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect rather than an actual answer.

Ex. “Who doesn’t want to be happy?”

Parallelism:

Using similar grammatical structures in a sentence.

Ex. “She likes reading, writing, and drawing.”

Style:

The distinctive way an author writes.

Ex. An author uses short sentences and simple words to create a fast-paced style.

Time Shifts:

Changes between different points in time.

Ex. A character remembers an event that happened years earlier.

Interior Monologue:

A character’s thoughts presented directly to the reader.

Ex. “Did I turn the stove off?”

Dramatic Monologue:

A long speech by one character that reveals their thoughts or personality.

Ex. A character explains to a silent listener why they betrayed someone.

Meiosis:

Deliberately making something seem less important or serious than it really is.

Ex. After a major accident, someone says, “That was a little inconvenient.”

Metonymy:

Replacing something with a word or phrase closely associated with it.

Ex. “The White House announced the decision.”

Synecdoche:

Using a part of something to represent the whole.

Ex. “All hands on deck” means all sailors should come.

Euphemism:

A mild or indirect expression used instead of a harsh one.

Ex. “Passed away” instead of “died.”

Antecedent:

A noun that a pronoun refers back to.

Ex. “Sarah lost her book.” Sarah is the antecedent of “her.”

Onomatopoeia:

A word that imitates a sound.

Ex. “Buzz,” “bang,” or “hiss.”

Apostrophe:

Directly addressing someone or something that cannot respond.

Ex. “O Death, where is your sting?”

Antithesis:

Placing contrasting ideas together for emphasis.

Ex. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

Alliteration:

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds.

Ex. “Peter Piper picked peppers.”

Assonance:

Repetition of vowel sounds.

Ex. “The rain in Spain stays mainly…”

Consonance:

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the ends of words.

Ex. “The lumpy, bumpy road.”

Ambiguity:

When a word or statement has more than one possible meaning.

Ex. “I saw her duck.”

Aphorism:

A short statement expressing a general truth or life lesson.

Ex. “Actions speak louder than words.”

Anecdote:

A short story about a personal or real experience.

Ex. “When I was five, I got lost at the grocery store.”

Mood/Atmosphere:

The feeling created in the reader by a piece of writing.

Ex. A dark, empty house creates a spooky mood.

Denotation:

The literal or dictionary definition of a word.

Ex. The denotation of “snake” is a legless reptile.

Connotation:

The feelings or associations connected to a word.

Ex. “Snake” can have a connotation of dishonesty.

Speaker:

The voice or person delivering a poem, speech, or piece of writing.

Ex. The speaker in a poem might be a lonely traveler.

Audience:

The person or group a text is intended for.

Ex. A graduation speech is intended for graduates and their families.

Purpose:

The reason an author creates a piece of writing.

Ex. The purpose of an advertisement is to persuade people to buy something.

Dialogue:

A conversation between two or more characters.

Ex. “Where are you going?” “To the library.”

Emotional Appeal:

Persuading an audience by appealing to their emotions.

Ex. “Imagine how scared this child feels.”

Ethical Appeal:

Persuading by establishing credibility or trust.

Ex. “As a doctor with 20 years of experience, I recommend this.”

Logical Appeal:

Persuading through facts, evidence, and reasoning.

Ex. “Studies show that students who study regularly score higher.”

Loose Sentence:

A sentence that states the main idea first and then adds additional details.

Ex. “The dog ran across the yard, barking loudly and chasing the ball.”

Periodic Sentence:

A sentence that saves the main idea until the end.

Ex. “After running through the rain and climbing the steep hill, the exhausted runner finally reached the finish line.”

Simple Sentence:

A sentence with one independent clause.

Ex. “The students studied.”

Compound Sentence:

A sentence with two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

Ex. “The students studied, and they passed the test.”

Complex Sentence:

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Ex. “Although he was tired, he finished his homework.”

Paradox:

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth.

Ex. “Less is more.”

Polysyndeton:

The repeated use of conjunctions such as “and” or “or” between words or phrases.

Ex. “We ran and jumped and laughed and played.”

Asyndeton:

Leaving out conjunctions between words or phrases.

Ex. “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Anaphora:

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

Ex. “We will work. We will fight. We will succeed.”

Tone:

The author’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject or audience.

Ex. A writer uses sarcastic language to create a humorous tone.

Credibility:

The quality of being believable, trustworthy, or reliable.

Ex. “As a scientist with 25 years of experience, I have studied this issue extensively.”