AP English Language Vocabulary (All 100)

absolute

a word free from limitations or qualifications

adage

a familiar proverb or wise saying

ad hominem argument

attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position

allegory

a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions (an extended metaphor)

alliteration

the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words

allusion

a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader knows

analogy

a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

anaphora

the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences

anecdote

a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event

antecedent

the word, phrase or clause to which a pronoun refers

antithesis

a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced in parallel structure

aphorism

a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance

apostrophe

a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction

archetype

a detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth

argument

a statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work

asyndeton

a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions

balanced sentence

a sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize contrast

chiasmus

a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed

cliché

an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off

colloquialism

informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing a word free from limitations or qualifications

complex sentence

a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause

compound sentence

a sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions

conceit

a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor

concrete details

details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

cumulative sentence

a sentence in which the main independent clause is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrase

declarative sentence

a sentence that makes a statement or declaration

deductive reasoning

when a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and the applying that principle to a specific case

denotation

the literal meaning of a word

dialect

a variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region

dialogue

conversation between two or more people

diction

the word choices made by a writer

didactic

having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing

dissonance

harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds

ellipsis

the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be removed from the sentence

epigram

a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying

epigraph

a saying or statement on the title of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work

eulogy

a formal speech praising a person who has died

euphemism

an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

exclamatory sentence

a sentence expressing strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark

expletive

an interjection to lend emphasis, sometimes, a profanity

figurative language

language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.)

genre

a major category or type of literature

homily

a sermon, or a moralistic lecture

hyperbole

intentional exaggeration to create an effect

hypothetical question

a question that raises a hypothesis and, conjecture, or supposition

idiom

an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression

imagery

the use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to one of the senses

implication

a conclusion one draws based on premises or evidence

inductive reasoning

deriving general principles from particular facts or instances

inference

a suggestion an author or speaker makes without stating it directly

invective

an intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attack

irony

incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs

jargon

the specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession

juxtaposition

placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast

litotes

a type of understatement in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite

malapropism

the mistaken substitution of one word for another

maxim

a concise statement, often offering advice; an adage

metaphor

a direct comparison of two different things

metonymy

substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it

mood

the emotional atmosphere of a work

motif

a standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works

narrative

a story or narrated account

narrator

the one who tells the story; may be first- or third-person, limited or omniscient

non sequitur

an inference that does not follow logically from the premises

onomatopoeia

a word formed from the imitation of natural sounds

oxymoron

an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined

parable

a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson

paradox

an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth

parallelism

the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms

paraphrase

a restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity

parody

a humorous imitation of a serious work

parenthetical

a comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain

pathos

the quality of a work that prompts the reader to feel emotion

pedantic

characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship

personification

endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics

point of view

the vantage point from which a story is told

polysyndeton

the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural

pun

a play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings

rhetoric

the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner

rhetorical question

a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer

rhetorical devices

literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression

riddle

a question requiring thought to answer or understand

sarcasm

harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule

satire

the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions

simile

a comparison of two things using like, as or other specifically comparative words

simple sentence

a sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause

structure

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

style

the combination of distinctive features of a literary work

syllogism

a three part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise

symbol

an object that is used to represent something else

synecdoche

using one part of an object to represent the entire object

syntax

the manner in which words are arranged into sentences

theme

a central idea of a work

thesis

the primary position taken by a writer or speaker

tone

the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience

trite

overused and hackneyed

understatement

the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis

usage

the customary way language or its elements are used

vernacular

the everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage