English 2 Honors Summer Vocabulary

Allegory

A story where characters and events represent bigger ideas, like good vs. evil.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same starting sound in nearby words (e.g., "Peter Piper picked…").

Allusion

A reference to something well-known, like a famous book, movie, or historical event.

Analogy

A comparison between two things to explain or make a point.

Anecdote

A short, personal story used to make a point or entertain.

Antagonist

The character or force that opposes the main character.

Apostrophe

When a character talks to someone or something that isn’t there or can’t respond (like talking to the moon).

Aside

A short comment a character says to the audience that other characters can't hear.

Blank verse

Poetry with no rhyme but a steady rhythm, usually in iambic pentameter.

Cliché

An overused phrase or idea that has lost its originality.

Coherence

When ideas in writing are clearly connected and easy to follow.

Comedy

A story meant to be funny and often ends happily.

Connotation

The emotional or extra meaning a word suggests (e.g., "home" feels warm and safe).

Context

The background information or situation around a text that helps explain it.

Denotation

The dictionary definition of a word.

Denouement (Resolution)

The part of a story where everything is wrapped up and explained.

Dialogue

The spoken words between characters.

Diction

The author's word choice that affects tone and style.

Epiphany

A sudden realization or big “aha!” moment.

Euphemism

A polite or mild way of saying something harsh (e.g., "passed away" instead of "died").

Flashback

A scene that shows something that happened earlier than the current story.

Foot

A unit of rhythm in poetry made of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Foil

A character who contrasts with another (usually the main character) to highlight traits.

Foreshadowing

Hints about what will happen later in the story.

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration to make a point.

Iambic pentameter

A line of poetry with ten syllables, following an unstressed-stressed pattern.

Imagery

Descriptive language that creates pictures in your mind.

Irony

When the opposite of what you expect happens or is said.

Dramatic irony

When the audience knows something the characters don’t.

Situational irony

When what actually happens is the opposite of what you expect.

Verbal irony

When someone says one thing but means the opposite (like sarcasm).

Malapropism

Using the wrong word that sounds similar to the right one, often in a funny way.

Metaphor

A comparison that says something is something else (e.g., "Time is a thief").

Direct metaphor

A clear comparison using "is" or "are" (e.g., "Life is a journey").

Indirect (implied) metaphor

A hidden comparison without saying it directly.

Meter

The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where something is referred to by something related to it (e.g., "the crown" for royalty).

Monologue

A long speech by one character.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere the writer creates for the reader.

Motif

A repeated image, idea, or symbol that supports a theme.

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like what they describe (e.g., "buzz," "crash").

Oxymoron

Two opposite words put together (e.g., "jumbo shrimp").

Parody

A funny imitation of something serious.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things.

Persuasive techniques

Methods used to convince someone of something.

Ethos

Persuasion using credibility or trust.

Pathos

Persuasion using emotions.

Logos

Persuasion using logic and facts.

Playwright

A person who writes plays.

Protagonist

The main character of the story.

Prose

Ordinary writing that’s not poetry or a play.

Pseudonym

A fake name used by an author.

Pun

A joke that plays on different meanings of a word or similar-sounding words.

Repetition

Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or effect.

Rhetorical question

A question asked for effect, not meant to be answered.

Rhyme scheme

The pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem.

Satire

Writing that uses humor to criticize people, politics, or society.

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as" (e.g., "fast as lightning").

Soliloquy

A long speech where a character talks to themselves, revealing thoughts.

Sonnet

A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme pattern, usually about love or emotions.

Stream of consciousness

A writing style that shows a character’s thoughts as they happen.

Style

The way an author writes, including word choice and sentence structure.

Subtext

The hidden meaning or message beneath the actual words.

Symbolism

Using objects, colors, or actions to represent deeper ideas.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole (e.g., "all hands on deck").

Theme

The main message or lesson of a story.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience.

Tragedy

A serious story that usually ends in disaster or sadness for the main character.

Tragic hero

A main character with a flaw that leads to their downfall.

Verse

Writing arranged with rhythm and sometimes rhyme; often refers to poetry.