AP Lang Terms

Abstract Language

Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places.

Active Voice

The subject of the sentence performs the action, creating a direct and preferred writing style.

Ad hominem

A personal attack on an opponent instead of addressing their arguments, appealing to emotion rather than reason.

Allusion

An indirect reference to something important that the reader is expected to be familiar with.

Ambiguity

An event or situation that can be interpreted in more than one way, often involving artful language.

Analogy

A comparison to a directly parallel case, arguing that a claim reasonable for one case is reasonable for another.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences to enhance coherence.

Anecdote

A brief recounting of a relevant episode used to develop a point or inject humor.

Annotation

Explanatory notes added to a text to clarify, cite sources, or provide bibliographical information.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun in a sentence.

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, words, or phrases to highlight differences.

Aphorism

A terse statement expressing a general truth or moral principle, often memorable.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech addressing an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction.

Appositive

A word or group of words placed beside a noun to supplement its meaning.

Argumentation

The process of proving the validity of an idea through sound reasoning and discussion.

Colloquial

An ordinary or familiar type of conversation.

Concrete Language

Language that describes specific, observable things, people, or places.

Diction

Word choice as an element of style, affecting meaning and tone.

Didactic

Describing works that teach a specific lesson or moral.

Emotional Appeal (Pathos)

An appeal to the audience's emotions to engage them in the argument.

Ethical Appeal (Ethos)

Persuading the audience based on the character and credibility of the writer.

Euphemism

A more agreeable substitute for unpleasant words or concepts.

Genre

The major category into which a literary work fits, such as prose, poetry, or drama.

Homily

A serious talk or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Hyperbole

Figurative language that exaggerates for effect, often used in comedy.

Imagery

Words that create a picture in the reader's mind, often involving the senses.

Invective

A verbal attack using strong, abusive language.

Loose Sentence

A sentence where the main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units.

Irony

A situation where the opposite of what is expected occurs, including verbal, dramatic, and situational irony.

Litotes

An understatement that affirms a point by denying its opposite.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.

Parallelism

The grammatical framing of words or phrases to create structural similarity.

Style

The sum of choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, and literary devices.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or vice versa.

Synesthesia

When one sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another.

Syntax

The arrangement of words in a sentence, affecting meaning and emphasis.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the writing, characters, and readers, conveyed through word choice and details.