English Vocab For Final

All 51 terms for English Final

Alliteration

The repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of closely connected words.

Allusion

An indirect or passing reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work.

Analogy

A comparison between two different things to explain a complex idea by showing it is similar to a familiar one.

Anaphora

The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or poetic lines.

Anecdote

A short, amusing, or interesting story about a real incident or person, often used to illustrate a larger point.

Assonance

The repetition of similar vowel sounds across internal words in close proximity.

Authorial purpose

The driving reason or intent behind an author’s creation of a text.

Cacophony

The intentional use of harsh, discordant, and unmelodious sounds, usually sharp consonants, to create a jarring effect.

Connotation

The emotional, cultural, or secondary meaning implied by a word beyond its literal definition.

Consonance

The repetition of identical or similar consonant sounds within or at the end of words in close proximity.

Denotation

The literal, explicit, and dictionary-definition meaning of a word, completely stripped of emotional association.

Dissonance

A harsh, clashing arrangement of sounds or rhythms that creates a sense of tension, disorder, or psychological discomfort.

End Rhyme

A rhyming pattern where the final words at the very end of poetic lines mimic one another’s sounds.

End-Stopped Lines

A poetic device where a line of poetry ends with a definitive punctuation mark completing the grammatical thought.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence or grammatical unit from one line of poetry to the next without any pausing punctuation.

Euphony

A combination of words that sound smooth, pleasant, and musically harmonious to the ear, often using soft consonants and long vowels.

Figurative language

Phrasing that goes beyond literal meaning to achieve a special effect, impact, or fresh perspective.

Hyperbole

An intentional and extreme exaggeration used to emphasize a point or create a dramatic, humorous effect, not meant to be taken literally.

Imagery

Vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the physical senses to create a rich mental picture for the reader.

Internal Rhyme

A rhyming scheme where words rhyme within the exact same line of poetry, rather than at the line endings.

Irony

A contrast or incongruity between expectations and reality, such as when the intended meaning of words is the opposite of their literal meaning.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two contrasting concepts, characters, or ideas side-by-side to highlight their differences and create an analytical effect.

Line Break

The physical termination point where a line of poetry ends and a new one begins, dictating the visual layout and rhythm.

Metaphor

A direct comparison that states one thing is another distinct thing to highlight shared hidden traits, without using "like" or "as."

Meter

The structured, recurring rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables across a line of poetry.

Mood

The specific atmosphere, emotional setting, or overarching feeling that a writer deliberately evokes inside the reader.

Motif

A recurring element, image, object, or phrase that appears throughout a text to help develop the central theme.

Narrator

The voice, persona, or character telling the story, determining the point of view and how information is filtered to the reader.

Ode

A formal, structured lyric poem marked by exalted emotion that is dedicated to praising a specific person, object, or abstract concept.

Onomatopoeia

Words that phonetically mimic or resemble the actual sound they describe.

Personification

A type of figurative language where human traits, emotions, or behaviors are assigned to non-human things, animals, or objects.

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd on the surface, but reveals a deeper truth upon closer inspection.

Repetition

The intentional repeating of words, phrases, lines, or sounds throughout a text to emphasize importance or build rhythm.

Rhyme

The correspondence and repetition of identical or similar terminal sounds between different words.

Rhythm

The natural, fluid beat and pace created by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in spoken or written language.

Sensory Detail

Explicit descriptive elements that engage any of the five human senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch.

Sibilance

A specific form of alliteration or consonance characterized by the repetition of harsh, hissing "s," "sh," or "z" sounds.

Sonnet

A highly structured 14-line poem, traditionally written in iambic pentameter with a strict, specific rhyming scheme.

Simile

A direct comparison between two distinct things using explicit linking words, most commonly "like" or "as."

Stanza

A grouped set of lines within a poem, separated from other groups by a blank space, functioning similarly to a poetic paragraph.

Structure

The overarching framework, organizational layout, and structural architecture of a literary work.

Symbol

A concrete object, person, or situation used to represent a deeper, abstract concept or idea beyond its literal existence.

Syntax

The specific arrangement of words, phrases, and punctuation to form grammatically correct and meaningful sentences.

Tone

The author's underlying attitude or perspective toward their subject matter, conveyed through deliberate word choices.

Vowel Sound

A speech sound produced without structural friction or blockage in the vocal tract, forming the core auditory peak of syllables (A, E, I, O, U).

Caesura

a natural, rhythmic pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry. Derived from the Latin word "to cut", it is usually created by natural speech rhythms or punctuation, such as a comma, period, ellipsis, or dash.

Contrast

This method highlights differences, creates dramatic tension, and helps clarify a story's core themes.

Eulogy

A speech or piece of writing that formally praises someone or something. Most commonly, it is a commemorative tribute delivered at a funeral or memorial service to honor a recently deceased individual, reflecting on their life, personality, and achievements.

Volta

The turning point in a poem where a dramatic shift occurs in the speaker's tone, thought, or argument. Marks the transition between the poem's initial premise and its resolution. You can identify it by looking for transition words like but, yet, or however, or by a sudden shift in imagery.

Synecdoche

a figure of speech where a part of something represents the whole, or the whole represents a part. (e.g. "Hired hands": Refers to workers whose entire bodies (not just their hands) are doing the work.)

Consonant Sound

a speech sound produced by obstructing the flow of air through the vocal tract using the lips, teeth, or tongue