AP Language and Composition Glossary of Literary and Rhetorical Devices

istg if i made this for nothing im gonna jump

active voice

a sentence structure where the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. In active voice, the focus is on who or what is doing the action.

Example:

• Active voice: The dog (subject) chased (verb) the cat (object).

This contrasts with passive voice, where the subject receives the action.

• Passive voice: The cat was chased by the dog.

allusion

writer or speaker indirectly refers to a person, place, event, or literary work, often assuming the audience will recognize the reference and understand its deeper meaning (referencing)

Example:
Saying “He’s a real Romeo with the ladies” alludes to Shakespeare’s Romeo, implying the person is very romantic.

alter ego

second self or a different version of a person, often used in literature or rhetoric to express another side of a character or author.

anecdote

a short, personal story or brief narrative used by a writer or speaker to illustrate a point, make an argument more relatable, or engage the audience emotionally.

Example:
When arguing about the importance of kindness, a writer might share a quick story about a time they helped a stranger and how it made a difference.

antecedent

the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to in a sentence. → the word that a pronoun replaces or stands for.

Example:
Sarah lost her keys.
Here, Sarah is the _____ of the pronoun her.

classicism

comic relief

a humorous scene, character, or dialogue is introduced into a serious or tense story to lighten the mood and give the audience a break from the intensity.

Example:
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the Porter’s funny, drunken speech provides comic relief after a tense, dark scene.

diction

an author’s or speaker’s choice of words and style of expression. It includes vocabulary, phrasing, and the level of formality and affects the tone and meaning of the text

Example:
Saying “youthful” vs. “childish” shows different diction with different tones.

colloquial

use of informal, everyday language or slang in writing or speech. (diction)

Example:
Saying “gonna” instead of “going to”

connotation

the feelings, ideas, or emotions that a word suggests beyond its literal dictionary definition

(diction)

denotation

the literal, dictionary definition of a word — its exact, explicit meaning without any emotional or cultural associations.

(diction)

jargon

specialized or technical language used by a particular group, profession, or field that may be difficult for outsiders to understand.

(diction)

Example:

In medicine, words like “BP” (blood pressure) or “stat” (immediately)

vernacular

the everyday language or dialect spoken by people in a group or region → daily life language

(diction)

didactic

a tone, style, or text that is intended to teach or instruct, often with a moral, ethical, or educational lesson.

• Inform or educate the reader

• Often convey a clear message or moral

• Sometimes be overly instructive or preachy

Example:
A fable that teaches a lesson like “slow and steady wins the race”

adage

a short, traditional saying/proverb that expresses a general truth or piece of wisdom based on common experience.

(didactic)

Example:

• “Actions speak louder than words.”

• “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that has a hidden meaning beneath the surface—usually a moral, political, or spiritual lesson.

a story, poem, or picture where everything represents something else, usually a bigger idea or moral.

(didactic)

Example:
The Tortoise and the Hare teaches that slow and steady wins the race.

aphorism

a brief, clever statement that expresses a general truth or observation about life

(didactic)

Example:

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

ellipsis

the use of three dots (…) to show that some words have been left out of a sentence or quotation. It can also create a pause or suspense in writing.

euphemism

a softer or more polite way of saying something that might sound harsh, unpleasant, or rude.

A phrase that attempts to intentionally cover the uncomfortable truth of what is being conveyed.

Example:

Saying “passed away” instead of “died.”

figurative language

words or expressions that go beyond their literal meaning to create special effects, vivid images, or make ideas more interesting and powerful.

analogy

Type of figurative language that makes a comparison between two different things to explain or clarify an idea by showing how they are similar in some way.

Example:
“Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.”

hyperbole

Type of figurative language that uses extreme exaggeration to make a point or show strong emotion. It’s not meant to be taken literally → add emphasis to create humor/drama

idiom

a phrase or expression whose meaning isn’t obvious from the words themselves—it means something different from the literal meaning.

(figurative language)

Example:

“Break the ice” means to start a conversation in a social setting, not literally breaking ice.

“its raining cats and dogs” → hard rain

metaphor

describe something by saying it is something else, even though it isn’t literally true, to show a comparison or create an image → without using like or as

(figurative language)

metonymy

one word/phrase is replaced with another that’s closely related or associated with it.

(figurative language)

Example:

• Saying “The White House issued a statement” means the U.S. president or government said something (the White House represents the presidency).

• Saying “Hollywood” to mean the American film industry.

synecdoche

a figure of speech where a part of something is used to represent the whole, or sometimes the whole is used to represent a part.

Examples:

• Using “wheels” to mean a car (part representing whole).

• Saying “the law” to refer to a police officer (whole representing part).

simile

compares two different things using the words “like” or “as”

(figurative language)

synesthesia

one sense is described using another sense.

(figurative language)

Example:

“The music was so bright, it sparkled in the air.” (mixing sound and sight)

personification

a figure of speech where human qualities or actions are given to animals, objects, or ideas.

(figurative language)

foreshadowing

a literary device where the writer gives hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story. It builds anticipation and prepares the reader for what’s coming.

genre

the type or category of a piece of writing or work based on its style, form, or content.

gothic

a style or genre of writing that combines elements of horror, romance, and the supernatural, often set in gloomy, mysterious places like old castles or dark forests.

Example:
Frankenstein

imagery

vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to create a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader.

invective

language that’s harsh, angry, and insulting, used to criticize or attack someone or something strongly.

Example:
Calling someone a “lazy, good-for-nothing thief”

irony

there’s a difference between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is said and what is meant.

verbal irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean

dramatic irony

When the audience knows something the characters don’t.

situational irony

When the opposite of what you expect happens.

juxtaposition

Two things are placed near each other (in a sentence, paragraph, or scene) to highlight their differences or create an effect.

Example:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

mood

overall feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader through word choice, setting, tone, and imagery. It’s how the text makes you feel emotionally.

motif

a recurring element—such as an image, idea, symbol, or theme—that appears throughout a work and helps develop or reinforce its main message or mood. → repeated pattern that supports story’s meaning

Example:
In The Great Gatsby, the green light represents hope and the American Dream.

oxymoron

two opposite or contradictory words are put together to create a unique or thought-provoking meaning.

Example:

• deafening silence

• bittersweet

pacing

the speed at which a story or text moves forward.

paradox

a statement or situation that seems contradictory or impossible at first but reveals a deeper truth when you think about it.

Example:

Less is more

parallelism

aka parallel structure; use of similar grammatical structures or patterns in a series of words, phrases, or sentences to create rhythm, balance, and clarity.

Example:

• “She likes hiking, swimming, and biking.” (all verbs in ing )

anaphora

Repetition at the beginning of phrases and sentences

(parallelism)

Example:
“Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.”

chiasmus

words, phrases, or ideas are repeated in reverse order in a sentence or phrase to create a balanced, often memorable effect → It follows an A-B-B-A pattern.

(parallelism)

Example:

“Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.”

antithesis

Putting two opposite ideas together in a sentence or phrase to create contrast. → uses parallel structure

(parallelism)

Example:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

zuegma

one word (usually a verb or adjective) applies to two or more nouns, but in different ways, often creating a clever or surprising effect.

(syllepsis)

Example:
“She broke his car and his heart.”
Here, “broke” applies to both car (literally) and heart (figuratively).

parenthetical idea

extra information added into a sentence that’s not essential to the main point but gives additional detail, explanation, or commentary → It’s usually set off by commas, parentheses ( ), or dashes — like a little side note.

Example:
My brother, who just graduated from college, is visiting next week.

parody

a humorous imitation of a serious piece of writing, speech, or style. It exaggerates or mocks the original work to entertain or make a point.

persona

the voice or character that a writer adopts when telling a story or making an argument. It’s like the “mask” or personality the author puts on to connect with the audience → the voice you put on for writing or speaking

poetic device

a technique or tool that poets use to create rhythm, enhance meaning, or make their writing more vivid and memorable.

alliteration

Repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Example:
“She sells seashells by the seashore.”

assonance

a poetic device where the same vowel sound is repeated in nearby words to create internal rhyme or a musical effect. (pd)

Example:
“The early bird catches the worm.” (repetition of the “er” sound)

consonance

a poetic device where the same consonant sound is repeated within or at the end of nearby words, creating a kind of rhyme or rhythm. (pd)

Example:
“The lumpy, bumpy road.” (repetition of the “mp” sound)

onomatopoeia

a poetic device where a word sounds like the noise or action it describes. (pd)

Example:

“Buzz” (like a bee)

internal rhyme

two or more words within the same line of poetry rhyme with each other, instead of just at the end of lines. (pd)

Example:
“I went to town to buy a gown.”

slant rhyme

aka near rhyme or imperfect rhyme — when words almost rhyme but don’t match perfectly.

Example:

• “shape” and “keep”

• “worm” and “swarm”

end rhyme

the last words at the ends of two or more lines of poetry rhyme with each other. (pd)

Example:
“The cat sat on the mat.”
“He wore a funny hat.”

rhyme scheme

the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line in a poem. It’s usually described using letters to show which lines rhyme. (pd)

Example:
Roses are red (A)
Violets are blue (B)
Sugar is sweet (C)
And so are you (B)

(ABCB)

stressed/unstressed syllables

stressed syllables are the parts of a word or phrase that are emphasized or spoken louder and longer, while unstressed syllables are spoken more softly and quickly. (pd)

Example:
In the word “apple”, the first syllable “ap” is stressed, and the second “ple” is unstressed.

meter

the rhythm of a line of poetry, made by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Example:

• Iambic pentameter (common in Shakespeare) has five feet per line, each foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one: da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM.

free verse

a type of poetry that doesn’t follow regular patterns of rhyme or meter. It sounds more like natural speech and gives the poet freedom to write without strict rules. (pd)

iambic pentameter

a type of poetic meter made up of five “iambs” per line. An iamb is a two-syllable unit where the first syllable is unstressed and the second is stressed (da-DUM) → each line has 10 syllables (pd)

sonnet

a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter, usually written in iambic pentameter → (common themes: love, time, beauty) (pd)

polysyndeton

uses a lot of conjunctions (like and, or, but) in a row, more than usual, to add emphasis or make something feel overwhelming, long, or dramatic. (w/out punctuation)

Example:
“We have ships and men and money and stores.”

pun

a joke that plays on words that sound alike or have multiple meanings to create humor or a clever effect.

rhetoric

the art of using language effectively and persuasively to inform, persuade, or motivate an audience → includes choice of words, sentence structure, tone, appeals to emotion or logic

aristotle’s rhetorical triangle

Explains the relationships, in any piece of writing, between the writer, the audience, and the subject.

rhetorical question

a question asked not to get an answer, but to make a point or create an effect.

Examples:

"Do you think I’m stupid?" (Implies: "Of course I’m not!")

romanticism

artistic and intellectual movement (late 1700s–mid 1800s) that emphasized emotion, nature, individualism, and imagination over reason, science, and strict social rules.

Heart > Brain, Nature > Cities, Me > Society.

sarcasm

when someone says the opposite of what they really mean, usually to mock or convey irritation. → tone dependent

satire

a literary technique that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity, vices, or societal problems—usually to provoke change or awareness.

sentence

a group of words that express a complete thought — it has a subject and a predicate (what the subject does or is).

appositive

a noun or phrase that renames or explains another noun right beside it. It adds extra info without a full new sentence.

(sentence)

Examples:

"My dog, a hyper golden retriever, loves squirrels."

clause

a group of words with a subject + verb; the building blocks of sentences—and they come in two flavors: independent (thought that can stand alone as a sentence) and dependent (cannot stand alone)

(appositive)

balanced sentence

a sentence where two parts are about the same length and importance, often with a similar structure. It makes the sentence sound neat and clear.

Examples:

“She likes cooking, and he likes eating.”

compound sentence

joins two independent clauses (complete thoughts) with a:

• Comma + FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

• OR a semicolon (;)

(structure)

Examples:

"I love AP Lang, but the essays are tough."

complex sentence

mixes one independent clause and one dependent clause

(structure)

Examples:

"If you study hard, you’ll pass the AP exam."

cumulative sentence

aka loose sentence; starts with a main clause (complete thought), then piles on extra details right after it to add depth, imagery, or explanation

(structure)

Example:

"She ran through the park, her shoes pounding the pavement, her breath quickening, the autumn leaves crunching underfoot."

• Main Clause: "She ran through the park"

• Added Details: Everything after expands the scene.

periodic sentence

a sentence where the main idea or point comes at the end, after some introductory words or phrases. (creates suspense)

(structure)

Example:

"After weeks of sleepless nights, endless revisions, and caffeine-fueled study sessions—she finally aced the AP exam."

simple sentence

one independent clause—a single complete thought with a subject + verb. It’s clear, direct, and punchy.

(structure)

Examples:

• "She studied."

• "The AP exam was challenging."

declarative sentence

a statement that gives information or expresses an idea—it ends with a period → the purpose is to inform or state something (st)

Examples:

• "Rhetoric is the art of persuasion."

imperative sentence

a sentence that gives a command, instruction or request and usually has a implied subject (typically “you” w/o saying so) (st)

Examples:

• "Analyze the rhetorical devices in this passage."

interrogative sentence

a sentence that asks a direct question and ends with a question mark (?). It’s used to request information, provoke thought, or engage the audience. (st)

Examples:

"What is the author’s purpose?"

style

how a writer or speaker expresses ideas—their unique "fingerprint" of word choice, sentence structure, and tone.

symbol

an object, person, place, or action that represents a deeper meaning beyond its literal definition.

Examples:

"The mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird symbolizes innocence."

syntax/sentence variety

the way words are arranged in a sentence — sentence structure.

using different types and lengths of sentences to make writing more interesting and easy to read.

theme

the central idea, message, or underlying meaning of a literary work or piece of writing. It’s what the author wants the reader to think about or understand.

thesis

he main idea or claim that an essay or argument is built around. It states the writer’s position or what they are trying to prove. → usually appears in the introduction

tone

the author’s attitude or feeling toward the subject or audience, expressed through their word choice and style.

understatement

a figure of speech where something is intentionally presented as less important, serious, or dramatic than it really is, often for ironic or humorous effect.

Example:
Saying “It’s just a scratch” when there’s a big dent on a car.

litotes

a figure of speech that uses understatement → to undersell the importance of something

(understatement)

Example:

• “That’s not terrible” meaning “That’s pretty good.”

• “He’s not unfamiliar with the subject” meaning “He knows the subject well.”

argument

a clear, logical presentation of a claim or position supported by evidence and reasoning to convince others → state point, back up, address opposing views

premises

statements/reasons you give in an argument that support your conclusion → building blocks that help prove a point

a statement or idea that an argument is built on

(assumption?)

Example:
If the claim is “School uniforms should be required” → “Uniforms reduce bullying.”

conclusion

the final part of an argument or essay where the writer sums up their main point and reinforces why its valid based on the supporting evidence previously stated (premises)

aristotles appeals

ways to persuade the audience that your point is valid → ethos, logos, pathos

ethos

credibility of the speaker/writer

logos

logic → facts