AP English Language and Composition Terms

allusion

A brief reference to a person, event, place, or work of art

ambiguity

double or multiple meanings (unintentional and considered a defect)

ex. James got lunch ready for his daughter wearing a dress.

analogy

A comparison of between two seemingly dissimilar things

Anecdote

A brief story (usually in the beginning) to illustrate a point

Antecedent

A word, phrase, or clause that is referred to by a pronoun, typically occurring earlier in the text. For example, in the sentence 'The dog barked because it was scared,' 'it' refers to 'the dog,' making 'the dog' the antecedent.

antithesis

opposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction

argument

A reasoned set of claims or statements intended to convince an audience of a particular viewpoint or position. An argument typically includes a thesis, supporting evidence, and reasoning.

appeals to credibility

Ethos - speakers often choose to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy by ethics.

appeals to reason

logos - Speakers choose to demonstrate that they and/or their arguments are reasonable by offering ration ideas (logical)

appeals to emotion

Pathos - speakers often choose to emotionally motivate their audience

audience

the listner, viewer, or reader of the text(usually multiple audiences)

anaphora

the deliberate repetition of the first part of one sentence or phrase to achieve an artistic effect and enhance emphasis.

antimetabole

A rhetorical device where words or phrases are repeated in reverse order for emphasis

Sample sentence:

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

asyndeton

Lists but the exclusion of conjunction between coordinate phrases. No “and” “or”

eulogy

short formal speech in high praise of someone (living or dead) or something

inversion

the reverse of normal order of words in a sentence.

ex. I rarely go there. Rarely do I go there.

metonymy

a figure of speech in which something is represented by another thing that is related to it.

ex. crown=king hollywood=movie

synecdoche

a figure of speech that uses a part to represent a whole (ex. Bikes=wheels)

occasion

the time and place a speech is given or a text is written. ONLY TIME AND PLACE SPECIFICALLY (context is what happened before too) The specific event or immediate situation surrounding a text that helps explain why it was written at that particular time.

oxymoron

a paradox made up of two seemingly contradictory words

ex. Deafening silence

paradox

A statement or situation that is seemingly contradictory on the surface, but delivers an ironic truth. ex The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

polysyndeton

The deliberate use of multiple conjunctions between coordinate conjunctions, phrases, clauses, or words. (no commas)

ex. I went to the beach and it was so hot and I was so tired and i was so hungry and I was so happy. (emphasizes thoughts and feelings)

parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

parody

a piece of writing that ridicules (make fun of) another writing by imitation and exaggerating aspects of its content

periodic sentence

a sentence that places its main clause or central idea at the very end

persona

the public image, social role, or assumed character that a person projects to the world, which often differs from their true private self. The face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience. “mask”

purpose

the goal the speaker hopes to accomplish with the text. Why message? the goal they hope to achieve by speaking.

refute

to prove a statement, argument, or theory is false or incorrect using evidence and logic.

rhetoric

the art of finding ways to persuade an audience

rhetorical situation

The set of circumstances and factors surrounding a piece of communication that influence what is said, how it is said, and why it is said. the rhetorical situation of a text collectively refers to the exigence, purpose, audience, context, and message

rhetorical triangle

3 corners represent

Speaker/Writer (Ethos)

Audience (Pathos)

Message/Topic (Logos).

These three corners (parts) depend and influence each other to make a successful convincing argument.

satire

the use of irony or sarcasm to criticize society or an individual

subordinate clause

a group or words that contain a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence (dependent clause)

synatx

the arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. syntax is the rules for how words or code must be ordered to make sense.

tone

The mood or attitude toward a specific topic or audience.

voice

the unique personality/identity of a writer. What makes you unique as a writer/speaker

understatment

something is presented less important that it actually is, often for satiric or comical effect

euphemism

a mild expression substitute for one considered too harsh or improper (not he died by he passed away)

exigence

the part of the rhetorical situation that inspires, simulates, provokes, or promts the writers to create the text. WHY the text needs to exist.The specific problem, event, or circumstance that creates a need for the author to communicate.

figurative language

when you use words in an imaginative way rather than their literal, exact meaning.

hyperbole

overexaggeration for emphasis for an ironic affetc (i’m so hungry I could eat a horse)

imagery

vivid descriptive language that appeals to the reader's five physical senses to create a mental picture or experience

incongruity

being inconsistent or being incongruous (being out of place)
ex. A sweet dog at an all cats birthday party

irony

the expression of ones meaning by using language that typically means the opposite of what is expected.

verbal irony

when a speaker says the exact opposite of what they actually mean, usually to highlight an absurdity or express a specific attitude (could be sarcasm)

situational irony

what is intended to happen vs what actually occurs (opposite of what you think will occur)

dramatic irony

the audience knows a vital piece of information that the characters in the story do not know

juaxtaposition

placing two contrasting things side by side to show how they differ or to make a point (ex. light and dark) NOT CONTRADICTING

line of reasoning

how the argument is organized (how a writer argue/how an essay is set up)the logical pathway an author or speaker takes to connect their evidence to their main argument

metaphor

comparing two things without like or as

bias

a natural lean, preference, or prejudice toward or against a specific idea, person, or group, usually in a way that is unfair

colloquial/colloquialism

the use of informal, casual language, words, or phrases that are common in everyday speech but are generally avoided in formal writing and speech

confirmation bias

the psychological tendency to search for, favor, interpret, and recall information in a way that confirms your pre-existing beliefs while ignoring or dismissing evidence that contradicts them

connotation

the emotional, cultural, or social meaning attached to a word beyond its literal, dictionary definition

context

The circumstances, atmosphere, attitude, and events surrounding a text. Includes time, place, and occasion. The broader historical, social, cultural, or situational circumstances surrounding a text.

counterargument

an argument or viewpoint that opposes, challenges, or contradicts your main thesis statement but you defeat it. A counterargument isn't something YOU necessarily believe.

cumulative/loose sentence

A sentence that begins with its main independent clause (the core subject and verb) and is followed by modifying phrases or subordinate clauses. A sentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on. Loosey goosey (good grammar, where are you going)

dialect

the version of a language spoken by the people of a particular region or social group. Different in vocabulary and grammar as well as pronunciation. develops when groups of people are separated by natural or social barriers. a distinct variety of a language spoken by a specific group of people, characterized by its own unique vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation ex. Buggy=shopping cart

diction

the speaker choice of words

digress

to temporarily depart from the main subject in a speech or in a written text

epiphany

a big realization. a sudden, powerful moment of clarity, understanding, or realization. ex. Simba suddenly realizes that running away from his past does not erase it. He understands that he is the rightful king and must return to Pride Rock to save his family.

ephitet

an adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person of thing to emphasize a characteristic quality or attribute. descriptive word or phrase used to characterize a person, place, or thing, making their most prominent trait instantly recognizable. ex. Alexander the Great; “the king of pop”. (elevates him) creative description to emphasize who/what something is.

concession

an acknowledgment that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.