AP Language Literary Devices, Tones, and Rhetorical Modes

Literary Devices

  • Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds.
  • Allusion: Reference to history, myths, literature, or the Bible.
  • Analepsis: A flashback; to restore or do over.
  • Anaphora: Repetition of word(s) at the beginning of clauses, phrases, or sentences.
  • Anecdote: A short story, usually for emphasis or as an example.
  • Antistrophe: Repetition of word(s) at the end of clauses, phrases, or sentences.
  • Antithesis: Opposition or contrast of ideas expressed by parallelism of words that contrast each other.
  • Apotheosize: To glorify or exalt; to raise to the heavens.
  • Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds.
  • Chiasmus (Antimetabole): Writing a series of words twice, reversing the order the second time.
  • Connotation: The attitude evoked in a word beyond its literal meaning.
  • Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds (but not at the beginning).
  • Dichotomy: A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.
  • Hyperbole: Over-exaggeration.
  • Hypophora: A figure of speech in which a speaker poses a question and then answers it.
  • Imagery: Language that appeals to the senses.
  • Litotes: Affirmative idea expressed by negation of the opposite.
  • Extended Metaphor: Comparison of two unlike things that continues throughout a sentence, paragraph, or stanza.
  • Metonymy: Use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related.
  • Onomatopoeia: Words that actually sound like the thing or action they describe.
  • Oxymoron: Two words with opposite meaning combined into one phrase.
  • Paradox: Self-contradictory statement that presents a truth.
  • Personification: To provide human qualities to something non-human.
  • Prolepsis: Flash forward; to anticipate the future.
  • Und: A play on words.
  • Simile: A comparison that uses "like" or "as".
  • Symbol: A thing that represents or stands for something else.
  • Synesthesia: To present ideas, characters or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one of the five senses.
  • Voice: Distinctive voice or style established by the writer.

AP Language Tone Vocabulary

  • Admiration: Worthy of respect and high approval.
  • Ambivalent: Having mixed or contradictory feelings; feeling uncertain or indecisive.
  • Antagonistic: In opposition; willing to go against.
  • Apprehensive: Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
  • Arrogant: Overbearingly prideful; claiming undue importance.
  • Audacious: Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
  • Authoritative: Strong, dictatorial, official; entitled to an opinion of weight.
  • Bitter: Angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences.
  • Bombastic: Loud, strong, decisive; empty of meaning.
  • Candid: Truthful and straightforward; frank.
  • Condescending: Adopting a superior attitude; patronizing; lowering oneself to another level.
  • Contemptuous: Disdainful; scornful.
  • Dejected: Feeling depressed or dispirited.
  • Distraught: Extremely upset and agitated.
  • Didactic: Strongly and morally upright; inclined to teach.
  • Elevated: Of a high intellectual or moral standard or level.
  • Emphatic: Expressing forcibly and clearly.
  • Empathetic: Showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
  • Facetious: Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; jocular; flippant.
  • Fanciful: Showing whimsy; imaginative, dreamlike.
  • Frivolous: Treating something as if it has no worth or value.
  • Galvanizing: Shocked or excited into taking action.
  • Humorous: Eliciting light laughter, amusement.
  • Indignant: Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived to be unfair treatment.
  • Inquisitive: Unduly curious; eager for knowledge.
  • Intrigue: To arouse curiosity or interest; fascinate; mysterious or fascinating quality.
  • Melancholy: Feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause; gloomy.
  • Mocking: Treating with ridicule or contempt; mimicking with scorn; making fun of someone in a cruel way.
  • Nostalgic: Bittersweet longing for people or things of the past.
  • Objective: Uninfluenced by emotions; fair, even handed.
  • Outraged: Aroused by violent acts; resentful, angry.
  • Pedantic: Overly concerned with knowledge gained by books or formal rules.
  • Pious: Exhibiting religious reverence.
  • Plaintive: Sad and mournful.
  • Poignant: Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret; emotionally moving.
  • Pragmatic: Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.
  • Provocative: To elicit a strong reaction.
  • Remote: Emotionally removed; objective.
  • Reproachful: Appointing blame; expressing disapproval.
  • Restrained: To hold back; controlled.
  • Reverent: Showing deep and great respect.
  • Sarcastic: Marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.
  • Sentimental: Prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.
  • Shock: Feeling surprised or upset.
  • Skeptical: Not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.
  • Somber: Dark; serious; oppressively solemn.
  • Subjective: Taking place in a person's mind; personal; based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
  • Sympathetic: Feeling or expressing pity or consolation.
  • Tense: Feelings of nerves or anxiety.
  • Vexed: Mildly annoyed.
  • Volatile: Tending to violence; explosive; fickle.
  • Zealous: Showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.

Elements of Argumentation and Rhetorical Appeals

  • Claim: What a person is proving with data or information; the theory one sets out to prove.
  • Data: The evidence used to prove a theory or point of view; the facts, statistics, and information used to prove a point.
  • Warrant: The assumption or principle that connects the data to the claim.
  • Concession: Presenting or accepting an argument from the other side of an issue.
  • Refutation: Responding to an argument with another logical argument.
  • Pathos: An appeal to the audience’s sympathies and emotions in order to show how the argument relates to the audience.
  • Ethos: An appeal to the values of the audience in order for the speaker to come across as authoritative, credible, and of good character.
  • Logos: An appeal to the audience's sense of logic through sound reasoning and evidence.

Sentence Structure and Syntax

  • Active Voice: Type of sentence in which the subject performs the action.
  • Passive Voice: Type of sentence in which the subject does not perform the action.
  • Asyndeton: Sentence that lacks standard conjunctions.
  • Polysyndeton: Sentence that includes additional conjunctions.
  • Declarative Sentence: Making a statement or an assertion.
  • Imperative Sentence: Sentence designated for commands and strong requests.
  • Exclamatory Sentence: Sentence that conveys emotion or contains an interjection.
  • Interrogative Sentence: Sentence designated for asking questions.
  • Sentence Fragment: An incomplete thought.
  • Run-On: Sentence that contains too many ideas.
  • Simple Sentence: Sentence that contains 11 independent clause.
  • Compound Sentence: Sentence that includes 22 independent clauses.
  • Compound-Complex Sentence: Sentence that contains a dependent clause and 22 independent clauses.
  • Complex Sentence: Sentence that contains an independent AND dependent clause.
  • Telegraphic Sentence: Concise syntax of 55 words or fewer.
  • Parallelism: Syntax in which grammatical structure is repeated.

Rhetorical Modes and Essay Types

  • Narration     * Definition: Type of essay that tells a story; includes a plot line.     * Purpose: To enlighten, explain, or engage.     * Technique: Brief anecdote, detail, dialogue, setting, and characters.

  • Description     * Definition: Essay type that presents details about a person, thing, etc.     * Purpose: To explain, evoke, or focus.     * Technique: Language and sensory detail.

  • Cause and Effect     * Definition: Essay type that tells the "why" and the "what if".     * Purpose: To explain and show consequences.     * Technique: Examples and logic.

  • Comparison and Contrast     * Definition: Essay that sets two things in juxtaposition to show differences and similarities.     * Purpose: To explain and evaluate.     * Technique: Detail.

  • Definition     * Definition: Extended explanation of a word or concept.     * Purpose: To draw a boundary around a word or idea.     * Technique: Detail and example.

  • Process Analysis     * Definition: Essay that gives step-by-step directions on how to do a thing or how something works.     * Purpose: To clarify and explain.     * Technique: Sequence and specific language.

  • Example     * Definition: Essay that points to instances or offers illustrations.     * Purpose: To clarify and support.     * Technique: Language and details.

  • Classification     * Definition: Essay that shows resemblances and differences between many things.     * Purpose: To sort large groups into categories.     * Technique: Detail.

  • Division and Analysis     * Definition: To divide into parts.     * Purpose: To show how things relate and to explain a conclusion.     * Technique: Logic and clarity.

  • Argument and Persuasion     * Definition: Essay that formulates an opinion or makes a proposal.     * Purpose: To change someone’s mind or cause one to act.     * Technique: Logic and all other rhetorical appeals.