Ap English Terms

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Genre

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A major category in which literary works fit

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Generic Conventions

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Describes traditions for each genre

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Prose

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Refers to fiction and nonfiction in all it's forms

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Argumentation

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Writing meant to prove the validity of an idea

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Description

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Writing meant to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture what is being described.

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Exposition

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Writing meant to explain and analyze information

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Narration

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Writing meant to tell a story or recount an event or series of events.

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Rhetorical Strategies

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Strategies used to develop the modes of discourse types of strategies include example, comparison/contrast, definition, cause/effect, process analysis, and division/classification.

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Anecdote

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A brief account of an event, usually intended to entertain, to explain an idea

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Annotation

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Notes added to a text that explain, name sources, summarize, or evaluate the text.

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Aphorism

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statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or a moral principal.

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Epigraph

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A motto or quotation at the beginning of a literary work that sets forth the theme.

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Explication

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The interpretation or analysis of a text.

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Maxim

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formulation of a fundamental principle or general truth.

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Propaganda

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Biased, one-sided communication meant to influence the thoughts and actions of an audience.

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Satire

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A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule such as irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm.

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Diction

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refers to the writer’s word choices, especially regarding correctness, clearness, or effectiveness

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Abstract Terms

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represent ideas or thoughts.

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Colloquial

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The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing

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Dialect

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The particular variety of a language spoken in one geographical area by a certain group of people.

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Concrete Terms

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refer to things that have actual existence that can be seen or known.

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Connotation

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The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

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Denotation

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The strict, literal dictionary definition of a word

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Didactic

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have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially for the teaching of moral or ethical principals.

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Euphemism

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a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

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Invective

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An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

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Pedantic

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An adjective that describes words, phrases, or a general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

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Wit

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intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights

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Syntax

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The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.

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Antecendent

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The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

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Asyndeton

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The omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. “I came, I saw, I conquered”

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Simple Sentence Structure

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A sentence with one independent clause and no dependent clauses that is used to express a single idea

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Compound Sentence Structure

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A sentence composed of two or more independent clauses, but no dependent clauses, that is used to combine complete thoughts that have a close relationship. "Great literature stirs the imagination, and it challenges the intellect."

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Complex Sentence Structure

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A sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause that is used to show a dependent relationship between ideas. "If she had called her dog one second later, it would have been hit by the truck."

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Compound-Complex

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A sentence that contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause that is used when there are several ideas that have a close relationship, some coordinate and some dependent. "There was a young woman who was lovely, who started with every advantage, yet fate stepped in with force and destruction"

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Declarative

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A sentence that makes a statement

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Imperative

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A sentence that gives a command or makes a request.

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Interogative

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A sentence that asks a question.

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Exclamatory

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A sentence that expresses strong feeling

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Clause

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A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.

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Dependant Clause (Subordinate clause)

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cannot stand alone

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Loose Sentence

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A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. Seems relaxed or converstional

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Parallelism

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refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

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Periodic Sentence

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A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

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Polysyndeton

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The use of a conjunction between each clause.

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Punctuation

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used to reinforce meaning, construct effect, and express voice.

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Semicolon

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gives equal weight to two or more independent clauses in a sentence.

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Colon

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directs the reader’s attention to the words that follow

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Dash

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add emphasis, marking a sudden change in thought or tone

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Subject Complement

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The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either describing it (predicate adjective) or renaming it (predicate nominative).

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Predicate Adjective

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an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb.

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Predicate Nominative

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a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject

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Logic

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The rules of formal reasoning

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Deduction

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The process of moving from a general rule to a specific example.

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Syllogism

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A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called “major” and the second “minor”) that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.

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Induction

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The process of moving from a given series of specifics to a generalization.

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Infer/ Inference

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To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.

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Logical Fallacies

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Mistakes in reasoning.

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Ad Hominem Arguement

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attacks the person rather than dealing with the issue under discussion.

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Begging the Question

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When writers assume in their assertions, premises, or theses something that really remains to be proved.

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Circular Reasoning

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restates the premise rather than giving a reason for holding that premise

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Either/ Or Arguement

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the writer asserts that there are only two possibilities when, in reality, there are more

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Hasty Generalization

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a person makes a conclusion about an entire group based on insufficient evidence

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Non Sequitar Arguement

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a conclusion that does not follow from the premise. Example: Diane graduated from Vassar. She’ll make a great lawyer.

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Overgeneralization

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also called stereotyping. Here, the speaker or writer draws a conclusion about a large number of people, ideas, things, etc. based on very limited evidence.

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Pathetic Fallacy

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attributing human feelings to inanimate objects

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Post Hoc Arguement

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cites an unrelated event that occurred earlier as the cause of a current situation. Example: I saw a black cat run across the street in front of my car five minutes before I was hit by a foul ball at the ball park. Therefore, the black cat is the cause of my bruised arm.

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Straw Man Arguement

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the speaker or writer attributes false or exaggerated characteristics or behaviors to the opponent and makes attacks based on those falsehoods or exaggerations

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Ambiguity

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The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

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Analogy

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A comparison made between two things to show how one is like the other

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Antithesis

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The presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by a word, a phrase, a clause, or paragraphs.

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Contrast

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A stylistic technique in which one element is shown in opposition to another.

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Idiom

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A common phrase or expression that has a meaning different from the literal meaning of its individual words.

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Mixed Metaphor

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An expression combining metaphors that are inharmonious or inappropriate.

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Purple Patch

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A passage in a piece of writing that is overly elaborate and ornate.

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Repetition

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The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

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Chiasmus

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Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect. "Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you"

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Diacope

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Repetition with only a word or two in between. Example: “Villain, smiling, damned villain.”

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Epistrophe (epiphora)

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Repetition of ends.

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Isocolon

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Repetition of grammatical forms. Example: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

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Polyptoton

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Repetition of the same word or root in different grammatical functions or forms. Example: “Few men speak humbly of humility.”

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Sarcasm

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involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

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Thesis

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the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition.

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Tone

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describes the author’s attitude toward the material, the audience, or both

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Voice

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the real or assumed personality used by a writer or speaker.In grammar, active voice and passive voice refer to verbs. A verb is in the active voice when it expresses an action performed by its subjects. A verb is in the passive voice when it expresses an action performed upon its subject or when the subject is the result of the action

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Prosody

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The principles of verse structure, including meter, rhyme and other sound effects, and stanzaic patterns.

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Half-rhyme

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A rhyme in which the sounds are similar but not exact

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Eye-rhyme

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Rhyme that appears perfect from the spelling but is half-rhyme from the pronunciation.

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Musculine Rhyme

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Rhyme that falls on the stressed and concluding syllables of the rhyme-words. "boil/toil, seal/wheel, theme/beam"

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Feminine Rhyme (Double Rhyme)

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A rhyme of two syllables, one stressed and one unstressed. "bubble/trouble, simple/dimple, wrinkle/twinkle"

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Euphony

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The use of harmonious sounds to produce a pleasing effect to the ear

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Cacophony

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Juxtaposing jarring, harsh sounds; the opposite of euphony

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Figurative Language

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Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid

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Trope

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Words used with a decided change or extension in their literal meaning

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Conceit

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A lengthy or extended metaphor.

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Metonymy

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A figure of speech substituting one noun for another with which it is closely associated.

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Synedoche

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A figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole. "We hailed, “Good morrow, mother!” to a shawl-covered head"

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Apostrophe

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A figure of speech in which an absent person or personified object is addressed by the speaker.

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Synaesthesia

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A figure of speech in which an attribute associated with one of the five senses is applied to a term associated with a different sense.

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Situational Irony

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The contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.

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Verbal Irony

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Stating one thing but meaning another.

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Dramatic Irony

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A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows to be true.

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Litotes

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A figure of speech which employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite expressions. "The ice cream was not too bad."

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Paradox

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A statement that appears to contradict itself but actually suggests an important truth. "Much madness is divinest sense"

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Myth

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explains how something connected to humans or nature came to be

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Parable

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operates on more than one level and usually teaches a moral lesson

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Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

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overstatement or a statement in which a description of a person, event, or idea is magnified or overemphasized to an extreme degree

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Pun

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A humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings.

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Puncuation Hierarchy

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As you move up the scale, you create more separation between statements and more emphasis on the word or words just before the punctuation mark

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Anaphora

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Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

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Style

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An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes; Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors

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Perfect Rhyme (Exact rhyme or true rhyme)

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An exact correspondence in the vowel sound and, in words ending in consonants, the sound of the final consonant; A difference in the consonant sound preceding the vowel; A similarity of accent on the rhyming syllable.

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Internal Rhyme

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occurs within a line of poetry instead of at the end.

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Assonance

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A rhyme of two syllables, one stressed and one unstressed.

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Figurative Language

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Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid. In the AP English Language and Composition Exam, the term “figurative language” comprises figures of speech, poetic devices, and sound devices.

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike objects, identifying one object with another and assigning to the first object the qualities of the second object.

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Imagery

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The use of concrete and sensuous words to represent things, actions, or ideas.

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Symbol

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An image that stands for or represents something else

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Allusion

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An implied or indirect reference to something assumed to be known, such as a historical event or person, a well-known quote, or famous work of art.

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Irony

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A broad term referring to the recognition of a reality different from the appearance

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Understatements

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The ironic minimalizing of fact. Understatement presents something as less significant than it is

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Oxymoron

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A paradox consisting of two words with seeming opposite meanings