ap lang summer work

pun

pun

a play on words created by using one word to suggest two different meanings, both of which seem appropriate in the context of the sentence, even though the meanings they suggest may be different or opposite.

analogy

a comparison between two things in order to explain or clarify a bigger idea

personification example

"Lightning danced across the sky."

metonymy example

"The White House issued a statement today."

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole, or the other way around

litotes

ironical understatement in which an affirmative is expresses by the negative of its contrary

rhetoric of antithesis

a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect

anadiplosis

repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause

refrain example

"The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, The answer is blowin' in the wind."

abtract

words that signify concepts, qualities, or ideas

straw man

a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position.

pun example

"I know it's cheesy, but I feel grate."

figurative language

language that uses words or expressions with a meaning different from the literal interpretatino to achieve a deeper meaning

double entendre

a phrase or figure of speech that might have multiple meanings or that could be understoof in two different ways

onomatopoeia

a type of word that imitates or suggests the sound that it describes

onomatopoeia example

"buzz"

simile

a figure of speech that directly compares two things, generally using words like "like" or "as"

simile example

"He is as hungry as a horse"

metaphor

a form of figurative language that compares things without using their literal definitions

metaphor example

"The snow is a white blanket."

analogy example

"Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer."

conceit

an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poem

conceit example

John Donne's "The Flea" (The flea is you and I, and this/ Our marriage-bed and marriage-temple is.")

personification

the attribution of human characteristics to something nonhuman

zeugma

a figure of speech in which a word applies to multiple parts of the sentance

zeugma example

"He lost his coat and his temper."

allegory

a narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities

allegory example

Animal Farm by George Orwell

fable

a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral

metonymy

a figure of speech in which a thing is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing

synecdoche example

"He got a new set of wheels."

apposition

a relationship between two or more words or phrases in which the two units are grammatically parallel and have the referent

apposition example

"John, my brother, is coming home."

epithet

an adjective following the person or thing mentioned expressing a characteristic

epithet example

"Alexander the Great"

hyperbole

a phrase that is overexaggerated and not meant to be taken literally

hyperbole example

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

understatement example

"I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain."

litotes example

"You won't be sorry."

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

euphemism example

"Passed away"

paradox

a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true

paradox example

"Less is more"

oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

oxymoron example

"jumbo shrimp"

allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

allusion example

"Don't act like a Romeo in front of her."

parallel structure

the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures

parallel structure example

"She loved singing, dancing, and acting."

rhetoric of ellipsis

the omission of one or more words

rhetoric of ellipsis example

"I went to the park, and she went too."

rhetoric of antithesis example

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

asyndeton

omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words

asyndeton example

"I came, I saw, I conquered"

polysyndeton

the deliberate use of a series of conjunctions

polysyndeton example

"We lived and laughed and loved and left."

anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

anaphora example

"Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better"

anadiplosis example

"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

isocolon

use of parallel structures of the same length in successive clauses

isocolon example

"I'm a Pepper, he's a Pepper, she's a Pepper, we're a Pepper. Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too? Dr. Pepper."

chiasmus

a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases

chiasmus example

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

exclamation

a sharp cry of strong feeling

exclamation example

"As for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

parenthesis

the insertion of words, phrases, or a sentence

parenthesis example

"He said it was going to rain (I could hardly disagree) before the game was over."

apostrophe

address to an absent or imaginary person

apostrophe example

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky."

style

the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work

diction

a writer's or speaker's choice of words

syntax

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

syntax example

"The boy jumped happily.
The boy happily jumped.
Happily, the boy jumped."

structure

the arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work

narrative structure

a textual organization based on sequences of connected events, usually presented in a straightforward, chronological framework

detail

facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in the work

theme

the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic.

tone

attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

mood

feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

humor

anything that causes laughter or amusement

verbal irony

saying the opposite of what you mean

situational irony

an outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

dramatic irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

sarcasm

the use of irony to mock or convey contempt

formal language

language that is lofty, dignified, or impersonal

informal language

the language of everyday speech, may use contractions and slang

colloquial language

informal, conversational language

connotative

the implied or associated meaning of a word

denotative

the literal meaning of a word

concrete

words that signify things that can be percieved by the senses

imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

external conflict

a problem or struggle between a character and someone or something outside of the character

internal conflict

a conflict can be internal, involving opposing forces within a person's mind.

exposition

a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

rising action

the series of conflicts or struggles that build a story toward a climax.

climax

the turning point of the story

resolution

end of the story where loose ends are tied up

suspense

a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.