English Terms

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed or adjacent words.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of verse to the next without a pause.

Tone

The writer's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and style.

Anaphora

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

Free Verse

A type of poetry that does not conform to regular meter or rhyme schemes.

Sonnet (Volta)

A 14-line poem that typically includes a 'turn' or change in perspective at the ninth line.

Antecedent (indef. pronoun)

A noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to, usually located earlier in the text.

Imagery (7 forms)

Descriptive language that evokes sensory experience; forms include visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, kinesthetic, and organic imagery.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which the speaker addresses a non-human entity or absent person as if they were present.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality, often highlighting a discrepancy.

Stanza (line)

A group of lines in a poem, typically separated by a space from other stanzas.

Caesura

A pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things, stating one is the other.

Synesthesia

A literary device where one sense is described in terms of another, creating a blended sensory experience.

Cataloguing (lists, parallels)

The use of lists or parallel structures in writing to create a rhythm or highlight similarities.

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated.

Colloquialism (vernacular)

Informal language or expressions that are specific to a particular region or group.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration or under-exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Connotation

The implied or suggested meaning of a word, beyond its literal definition.

Personification (anthro)

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or objects.

Denotation

The literal or dictionary definition of a word.

Slant Rhyme (exact)

A type of rhyme based on similar, but not identical sound, where the end sounds are close rather than exact.