vocab 2 review

1. Colloquialism (noun): A word or phrase used in everyday language and conversation but may be inappropriate for formal situations (ex: “pretty much,” “cool,” “guys and girls”)

2. Euphemism (noun): A word or phrase used to substitute for a more direct but harsh one (ex: “Alternative facts,” “powder my nose”)

3. Abstract (adj): Existing in thought or as an idea but not having physical or concrete existence 4. Concrete (adj): Existing in material or physical form (not abstract)

5. Didactic (adj): Intended to teach or instruct

6. Allusion (noun): An indirect or passing reference to people, places, or events in history, religion, mythology, literature, art, etc. (Ex: “When she first got to college, Kelly felt like she had fallen through the looking glass.”)

7. Irony (noun): The contrast between what is said and what is meant; the difference between what’s expected and what’s true (3 kinds: dramatic, situational, verbal)

8. Paradox (noun): A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but holds some degree of truth (ex: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”)

9. Simile (noun): A figurative comparison of two dissimilar things using comparative words (ex: “She was like a hurricane destroying everything in her path.”)

10. Metaphor (noun): A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something else, in order to suggest a comparison between the two (ex: “Juliet is the sun”)

11. Understatement (noun): Ironic minimalizing of fact presenting something as less than it is (ex: “‘Tis but a scratch” – Mercutio when receiving a fatal wound)

12. Hyperbole (noun): Exaggeration not meant to be taken literally (ex: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”)

13. Satire (noun): A literary genre that attempts to expose humanity’s vice and folly through criticism and ridicule, with hopes for reform (ex: The Onion, Saturday Night Live, “A Modest Proposal”)

14. Amplify (verb): To make something stronger or louder. In writing, to embellish a statement in order to draw more attention to it, usually by means of figurative language

15. Pun (noun): The usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound (ex: “If you look for me tomorrow you will find me a grave man” – Mercutio)

16. Statistic (noun): Facts expressed in numbers that are obtained from analyzing information (ex: 1 in 3 students, 75 percent of Americans)

17. Antithesis (noun): The rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (ex: “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”)

18. Phrase (noun): In grammar, two or more words acting as a single unit (types include prepositional, noun, verb, adverbial, appositive, etc.)

19. Clause (noun): A grammatical unit that has both a subject and a verb (2 types: independent and dependent/subordinate)

20. Antecedent (noun): In grammar, the word or group of words a pronoun replaces or refers to (ex: The antecedent of “it” is “truth” in “The truth has many filters...”)

21. Independent clause (noun): A part of a sentence that can form a complete sentence standing alone (ex: Ann received detention because she was late.)

22. Subordinate clause (noun): A clause that forms part of and is dependent on a main clause (ex: Ann received detention because she was late.)

23. Declarative sentence (noun): A sentence that makes a statement and ends with a period (ex: Ann received detention because she was late.)

24. Imperative sentence (noun): A sentence in the form of a command (ex: Please sit down.)

25. Interrogative sentence (noun): A sentence that asks a question and ends with a question mark (ex: Why was Ann late?)