Rhetorical Terms For Ap Exam #1

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Allegory

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A story that uses character or other story elements symbolically to represent something else.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. Usually the repeated sound is at the beginning of each word

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Allusion

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A reference to an event, book, myth, place or work of art. Allusions can be literary, historical, religious, or mythical.

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Ambiguity

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

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Analogy

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A similarity or comparison between two different things

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Antithesis

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A figure of speech that uses opposite ideas that are grammatically equal.

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Aphorism

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A brief statement that expresses a general idea or moral truth

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Apostrophe

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A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent person or an abstraction.

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Chiasmus

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A figure of speech that reverses the order of words in phrases that would otherwise be structured the same.

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Colloquial

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An adjective describing ordinary, informal language; conversational

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Connotation

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The non-literal meaning(s) of a word. The implied or suggested meaning(s).

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Denotation

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The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word.

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Diction

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The writer’s word choice (could be formal, colloquial, complex, or simple)

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Didactic

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Instructive; Intended to teach moral or ethical principals.

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Euphemism

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A less offensive substitute for an unpleasant word or concept.

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Figurative language

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Non-literal writing or speech.

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Figure of speech

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An expression or device that uses non-literal language.

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Genre

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A category of literature. The major genres are prose, poetry and drama; however, more specific categories are also called genres

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Hyperbole

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A figure of speech using extreme exaggeration. It often creates humor or irony

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Inference

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A reasonable conclusion based on the information presented. An inference is never directly stated.

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Allegory (e.g.)

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(e.g. characters represent freedom, the forest represents evil, or animals represent government officials).

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Alliteration (e.g.)

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(e.g. Tanya takes taffee and twists tightly).

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Allusion (e.g.)

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(e.g. starting your speech, “I have a Dream.”)

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Ambiguity (e.g.)

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(e.g. the word “bank” has several meanings, including “financial institution” and “edge of a river,” but if someone says “I deposited $100 in the bank,” the intended meaning is clear.)

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Analogy (e.g.)

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(e.g. Giving birth is sort of like experiencing an earthquake…)

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Antithesis (e.g.)

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(e.g. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times)

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Aphorism (e.g.)

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(e.g. Neither a borrower nor a lender be…)

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Apostrophe (e.g.)

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(e.g. O Milton! We have need of thee!) (Cruelty! Release me from your grip!)

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Chiasmus (e.g.)

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(e.g. Heaven is too great for humanity; humanity is too great for heaven)

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Connotation (e.g.)

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(e.g. The connotations of war include destruction, conflict, and bloodshed)

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Denotation (e.g.)

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(e.g. The denotation of war could be “an armed conflict between nations.”)

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Euphemism (e.g.)

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(e.g. casualties instead of deaths; the powder room instead of the bathroom)

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Figure of speech (e.g)

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(e.g. metaphor, simile, hyperbole, understatement, apostrophe, oxymoron, personification)

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Genre (e.g.)

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(e.g. detective fiction, the romance novel, essays, autobiographies)

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Hyperbole (e.g.)

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(e.g. "I am so hungry, I could eat a horse!")

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Inference (e.g.)

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(e.g. All men are mortal
Socrates is a man --> Therefore Socrates is mortal.)