AP English Language and Composition Vocabulary List

• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

• Allusion: An indirect reference to a well-known person, event, or text.

• Analogy: A comparison between two different things to highlight similarities.

• Anaphora: Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses.

• Antithesis: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses.

• Asyndeton: Omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence.

• Chiasmus: A rhetorical or literary figure in which concepts are repeated in reverse order.

• Euphemism: A mild or indirect word or expression used in place of one that may be harsh or unpleasant.

• Hyperbole: Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

• Imagery: Descriptive language appealing to the senses.

• Irony: Expression of meaning using language that typically signifies the opposite (verbal, situational, or dramatic).

• Metaphor: A figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using "like" or "as."

• Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms (e.g., "jumbo shrimp").

• Paradox: A seemingly self-contradictory statement that reveals a deeper truth.

• Personification: Assigning human qualities to inanimate objects or ideas.

• Polysyndeton: Use of multiple conjunctions in close succession.

• Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as."

• Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole (e.g., "all hands on deck").

• Understatement: Deliberately making a situation seem less important than it is.

Rhetorical Analysis Terms

• Audience: The intended group of people the author is addressing.

• Claim: The main argument or assertion made by the author.

• Concession: Acknowledgment of opposing arguments.

• Counterargument: An argument opposing the main claim.

• Diction: Word choice and its impact on tone and meaning.

• Ethos: Appeal to credibility or character.

• Logos: Appeal to logic and reason.

• Pathos: Appeal to emotions.

• Purpose: The reason the author writes the piece (to inform, persuade, entertain, etc.).

• Rhetorical Question: A question posed for effect, not requiring an answer.

• Syntax: Sentence structure and arrangement of words.

• Tone: The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience.

Logical Fallacies

• Ad Hominem: Attacking the person instead of the argument.

• Bandwagon Appeal: Suggesting that something is correct because it’s popular.

• Hasty Generalization: Drawing a conclusion based on insufficient evidence.

• Red Herring: Distracting from the main issue with an irrelevant point.

• Straw Man: Misrepresenting an argument to make it easier to attack.

Language Techniques

• Connotation: The implied or suggested meaning of a word.

• Denotation: The literal dictionary definition of a word.

• Figurative Language: Non-literal language, such as metaphors, similes, and hyperbole.

• Juxtaposition: Placing two elements side by side to highlight contrasts.

• Parallelism: Using similar grammatical structures for effect.