AP Lang Syntax Examples

Answer: Word

Example: Cat

Answer: Phrase

Example: the bright red jacket

Answer: Clause

Example: Because she slept, she missed the call

Answer: Independent clause

Example: She missed the call

Answer: Dependent clause

Example: Because she slept

Answer: Simple sentence

Example: The bell rang

Answer: Compound sentence

Example: The bell rang, and the students left the room

Answer: Complex sentence

Example: Although the bell rang, the students stayed seated

Answer: Compound-complex sentence

Example: Although the bell rang, the students stayed seated, and the teacher continued speaking

Answer: Declarative sentence

Example: School starts at eight

Answer: Interrogative sentence

Example: Does school start at eight?

Answer: Imperative sentence

Example: Close the door

Answer: Exclamatory sentence

Example: What a beautiful day!

Answer: Parallelism

Example: She likes to swim, to bike, and to run

Answer: Anaphora

Example: We will fight on the beaches. We will fight on the landing grounds.

Answer: Epistrophe (Epiphora)

Example: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Answer: Chiasmus

Example: Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You

Answer: Antimetabole

Example: Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country

Answer: Antithesis

Example: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times

Answer: Juxtaposition

Example: A wealthy mansion beside a row of tents

Answer: Parataxis

Example: I came, I saw, I conquered

Answer: Asyndeton

Example: I came, I saw, I conquered

Answer: Polysyndeton

Example: We have bread and cheese and wine and fruit and meat

Answer: Anastrophe

Example: Deep into the woods I went

Answer: Hyperbaton

Example: This I must see

Answer: Inversion

Example: Never have I seen such chaos

Answer: Syllepsis / Zeugma

Example: She stole his heart and his wallet

Answer: Periodic sentence

Example: Despite the rain, the late hour, and the crowd’s fatigue, the mayor delivered a hopeful speech

Answer: Cumulative (Loose) sentence

Example: The mayor delivered a hopeful speech, despite the rain, the late hour, and the crowd’s fatigue

Answer: Ellipsis

Example: I ordered the steak; he, the salmon

Answer: Parenthesis

Example: The professor—despite his fame—arrived late

Answer: Appositive

Example: Rishi, a skilled trumpet player, led the rehearsal