AP Language

Adage

A saying often in metaphorical form that typically embodies a common observation.

Allegory

The expression of truths or generalizations about human existence by means of symbolic figures and actions.

Allusion

An implied or indirect reference.

Analogy

A comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect.

Anecdote

A usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident.

Anthropomorphism

An interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics.

Antithesis

The rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences.

Aphorism

A concise statement of a principle.

Archetype

The original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies.

Audience (SOAPS)

The intended listeners, readers, or viewers for whom a text or speech is created.

Chiasmus

An inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases.

Claim

A view or standpoint believed in and presented as true.

Colloquialism

A local or regional dialect expression or informal language.

Concession

The act or an instance of conceding or acknowledging an opposing point as valid.

Connotation

Something suggested or implied by a word or phrase beyond its literal meaning.

Deductive reasoning

A logical process where you start with a general statement or premise that is true and narrow it down to reach a specific, guaranteed conclusion.

Denotation

A direct, specific, literal meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea.

Diction

The deliberate choice of words in speech or writing.

Didactic

Designed or intended to teach, particularly moral lessons.

Ellipsis

A sudden leap from one topic to another, or the omission of words from a text without altering the meaning.

Euphemism

The substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive word or expression for one that is harsh, indelicate, or taboo.

Exigence

The specific spark, urgent problem, or issue that prompts a writer or speaker to create a text.

Fallacy

A false or mistaken idea, or an error in logical reasoning.

Foreshadowing

The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest events that will happen later in the story.

Hyperbole

An intentional and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Idiom

A phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal definitions of its individual words.

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to physical senses that allows the reader to vividly visualize scene or sensation.

Inductive reasoning

Taking specific observations or past experiences and using them to make a broader generalization or an educated guess.

Irony: Dramatic

When the audience or reader knows a vital truth or piece of information that the characters do not know.

Irony: Situational

When the actual outcome of an event is the exact opposite of what was reasonably expected or intended.

Irony: Verbal

When a speaker says one thing but explicitly means the exact opposite.

Jargon

A specialized or technical language used by a specific profession, trade, or group that is generally hard for outsiders to understand.

Juxtaposition

A technique where two very different things, ideas, or characters are placed close together to highlight their differences or create a new meaning.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Mood

A relatively mild, long-lasting emotional disposition or atmosphere created in a reader by a literary text.

Motif

A recurring element, image, idea, or symbol in a story that helps develop the main theme.

Occasion (SOAPS)

The time, place, and contextual background that prompts the creation of a text.

Onomatopoeia

A figure of speech where a word phonetically mimics or resembles the sound that it describes.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that places two opposite or contradicting words next to each other.

Paradox

A statement or situation that appears to contradict itself but may reveal a deeper truth.

Parallelism

A writing and speaking technique that uses the same grammatical structure for similar or matching ideas.

Personification

Giving human characteristics or qualities to a non-human object, animal, or abstract idea.

Pun

A humorous play on words exploiting different meanings or similar-sounding words.

Purpose (SOAPS)

The goal, reason, or intended effect behind creating a text.

Rebuttal

A response that disproves, challenges, or weakens an opposing argument by pointing out flaws in its reasoning, logic, or evidence.

Refutation

An act of proving an opposing statement, argument, or claim wrong using evidence or logical reasoning.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked in a form which does not seek an answer, but rather emphasizes a certain point.

Satire

The use of exaggeration, irony, or humor to criticize the absurdity or weaknesses of a certain person, institution, or situation.

Simile

A comparison of two unrelated objects to each other relying on the words 'like' or 'as'.

Speaker (SOAPS)

The voice, narrator, or persona assumed by the author to deliver a text.

Subject (SOAPS)

The main topic, content, or focus of a text.

Symbolism

The use of an object, person, or situation to represent a deeper meaning beyond its basic, literal sense.

Syntax

The set of rules that governs how words and phrases are arranged to form correct sentences.

Theme

The underlying message, central idea, or deeper lesson about life that a story conveys.

Tone

The attitude or feeling an author or narrator expresses toward a subject, character, or event.

Understatement (Litotes)

A figure of speech that intentionally makes a situation seem less important, serious, or severe than it actually is.

Vernacular

Everyday, natural language or dialect spoken by ordinary people in a specific region or community, rather than formal or academic language.

Zeugma (Syllepsis)

The use of a single word to modify or govern two or more words or phrases in different ways.