AP English Literature and Composition Poetry/Literary Terms Test

Iambic

A poetic meter with one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (e.g., "a-bove").

Couplet

A pair of rhyming lines

Antihero

A protagonist who lacks traditional heroic qualities

Exposition

The introduction of characters, setting, and background information in a story

Octave

A group of eight lines of poetry, often used in sonnets

Villanelle

A nineteen-line poem with a specific repeating line and rhyme scheme.

Ballad

A narrative poem, often with a strong rhythmic pattern and a refrain.

Trochaic

A poetic meter with one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable (e.g., "hap-
ру").

Climax

The highest point of tension or excitement in a story.

Conflict

A struggle or clash between opposing forces.

Lyric Verse

Poetry that expresses personal emotions or feelings

Epic Poem

A long narrative poem, often about a hero's journey.

Foil

A character who contrasts with the protagonist to highlight their qualities.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within words that are close together.

Spondee

A poetic meter with two stressed syllables
(e.g.
"heart-beat"').

Meter

The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem.

Dramatic Monologue

A poem or speech in which a character reveals their thoughts and feelings.

Cacophony

A harsh, discordant sound, often created by the use of harsh-sounding consonants or vowels

Sonnet

A fourteen line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and structure

Geographical Setting

The physical location where a story takes place

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which a speaker addresses a person, thing, or abstract entity as if it were present

Complication

A problem or obstacle that the protagonist must overcome.

Aside

A remark made by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but not by the other characters.

Ode

A poem that praises or celebrates a person, place, or thing.

Dactylic

A poetic meter with one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (e.g., "mer-ci-ful").

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close together.

Anapestic

A poetic meter with two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (e.g., "com-pre-hend").

Sestina

A six-line poem with a specific repeating word pattern.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter, a common form of English poetry.

Cinquain

A five-line poem with a specific syllable count in each line.

Elegy

A poem that mourns the death of someone.

Onomatopoeia

The use of words that imitate the sounds they represent.

Denouement

The resolution of the conflict in a story.

Euphony

A pleasant, harmonious sound, often created by the use of soft-sounding consonants and vowels.

Foot

A unit of measurement in poetry, consisting of a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Persona

The mask or role adopted by a speaker in a poem or story

Symbol

Something that represents something else

Omniscient Narrator

A narrator who knows the thoughts and feeling of all characters

Verisimilitude

The appearance of being real or true

Third Person Narrator

A narrator who uses the pronouns "he", "she", or "it"

Limited Narrator

A narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of one character

Syntax

The arrangement of words in a sentence

Epithet

A descriptive phrase used to characterize a person or thing

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

Stereotype

A generalized image of a group of people.

Stock Character

A character who is based on a common stereotype.

Connotation

The emotional associations of a word.

Parody

A work that imitates and mocks another work.

Historical Setting

The time period in which a story takes place.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or vice versa.

Personification

A figure of speech in which a non-human object is given human qualities.

Irony

A literary device in which there is a discrepancy between what is said or expected and what happens.

Subtext

The underlying meaning or message in a story.

Soliloquy

A speech by a character that is alone on stage, revealing their thoughts and feelings.