AP ENGLISH FINAL VOCAB TEST Flashcards
From the Latin meaning “to or against the person,” this is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather than intellect.
ad hominem argument
The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.
allegory
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds, in two or more neighboring words (as in “she sells sea shells”). The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, and/or supply a musical sound.
alliteration
A direct or indirect reference to something that is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, or mythical.
allusion
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. Can also include a sense of uncertainty or inexactness that work presents.
amibiguity
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. Can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with, or pointing out its similarity to, something more familiar.
analogy
A short, narrative account of an amusing, revealing, or interesting event. A good one has a single, definite point and is used to clarify abstract points, to humanize individuals so that readers can relate to them, or to create a memorable image in the reader’s mind.
anecdote
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. It will be a noun.
antecedent
A figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentences within a balanced grammatical structure. The resulting parallelism serves to emphasize the opposition of ideas. Ex: “Man proposes, God disposes” and “Too black for heaven, and yet too white for hell.”
antithesis
A terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally known to be a folk proverb.) Can be a memorable summation of the author’s point.
aphorism
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love, or an inanimate object. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity.
apostrophe
The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author’s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, it foreshadows events.
atmosphere
A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject’s distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect.
caricature
A figure of speech based on inverted parallelism. It is a rhetorical figure in which two clauses are related to each other through a reversal of terms. The purpose is usually to make a larger point or to provide balance and order.
chiasmus
A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, one expressed a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate, one cannot stand alone and must be accompanied by an independent one.
clause
Slang or informality in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give language a conversational, familiar tone.
colloquialism
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or a surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.
conceit
The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.
connotation
The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.
denotation
Related to style, it refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
diction
Instructive, works of this nature have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially teaching moral or ethical principles.
didactic
A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.
euphemism
an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak
Exigence
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
figurative language
A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. It includes, for example, apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement.
figure of speech
This term describes traditions for each genre. These help to define each genre; for example, they differentiate between an essay and journalistic writing or an autobiography and political writing.
generic convention
The major category into which a literary work fits.
genre
This term literally means “sermon,” but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
homily
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. This term often has a comedic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, this term produces irony at the same time.
hyperbole
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.
imagery
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
invective
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true.
irony/ironic
Placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
juxtaposition
A figure of speech by which an affirmation is made indirectly by denying its opposite. It uses understatement for emphasis, frequently with a negative assertion. Example: “It was no mean feat” means it was quite hard. “He was not averse to a drink” means he drank a lot.
litotes
A mistake in verbal reasoning. Technically, the reasoning must be potentially deceptive; it must be likely to fool at least some of the people some of the time.
logical fallacy
A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing too many of these types of sentences often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational.
loose sentence
The Greek term for understatement or belittling; a rhetorical figure by which something is referred to in terms less important than it really deserves. It describes something that is very impressive with simplicity. For example, when Mercutio calls his mortal wound a “scratch” in Romeo & Juliet.
meiosis
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. This term makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought-provoking, and meaningful.
metaphor
A term from the Greek meaning “changed label” or “substitute name,” it’s a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. A news release that claims “the White House declared” rather than “the President declared” is using this term
metonymy
This term encompasses the four traditional categories of written texts.
modes of discourse
A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include words such as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur.
onomatopoeia
From the Greek for “pointedly foolish” This term is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include “jumbo shrimp” and “cruel kindness.”
oxymoron
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.
paradox
Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from the Greek roots meaning “beside one another.” It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, or sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve the repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. Frequently, they act as an organizing force to attract the reader’s attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm.
parallelism
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.
pedantic
A sentence that presents its central meaning in the main clause at the end. The independent clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone. The effect is to add emphasis and structural variety.
“When I went to the beach, I went surfing.” OR “Pleased with my AP scores, I let out a loud shout of joy.”
periodic sentence
A type of subject complement—an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause–that follows a linking verb. It is in the predicate of the sentence that modifies or describes the subject. “My boyfriend is tall, dark, and handsome.”
predicate adjective
A type of subject complement – a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. It, like the predicate adjective, follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence.
For example, “Abe Lincoln was a man of integrity,” the predicate nominative is “man of integrity,” as it renames Abe Lincoln.
predicate nominative
One of the major divisions of genre, it refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms because they are written in ordinary language and most closely resemble everyday speech. Technically, anything that isn’t poetry or drama is prose
prose
The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.
repetition
From the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.
rhetoric
The persuasive devise (logos, pathos, ethos) by which a writer tries to sway the audience’s attention and response to any given work.
rhetorical appeal
This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. The four most common are as follows: exposition (or expository writing), argumentation, description, and narration. These four writing modes are sometimes referred to as modes of discourse.
rhetorical modes
A question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply. The answer is assumed.
Example, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the character Brutus asks, “Who is here so vile that will not love his country?”
rhetorical question
From the Greek meaning “to tear flesh,” it involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic ( intended to ridicule). When well done, it can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it is simply cruel.
sarcasm
A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform human behavior, it is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. It can be recognized by the many devices used effectively by the user: irony, wit, parody, caricature, often humorous, is thought-provoking and insightful about the human condition.
satire
An explicit comparison, normally using “like,” “as”, or “if.” For example, Robert Burn’s famous lines, “O, my love is like a red, red rose/That’s newly sprung in June./O, my love is like a melody,/That’s sweetly played in tune.”
simile
This term has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors.
style
The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clauses that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it (the predicate adjective)
subject complement
Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, it cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought.
subordinate clause
From the Greek for “reckoning together”. This term is a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one is called “major premise” and the second is called “minor premise” that inevitably leads to a sound conclusion. A syllogism’s conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid.
syllogism
The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. It is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of it as groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words
syntax
The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually theme is understated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing.
theme
In expository writing, it is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s opinion, purpose, meaning, or position. Expository writing is usually judged by analyzing how accurately, effectively, and thoroughly a writer has proven the thesis.
thesis
Similar to mood, This term describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. It is sometimes easier to determine in spoken language than in written language.
tone
A word or phrase that links different ideas. Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and argumentative writing, they effectively signal a shift from one idea to another.
transition
The ironic minimalizing of fact, it presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. it is the opposite of hyperbole.
understatement
Arrives at a specific conclusion based on generalizations. Moves from the general to the specific.
deductive Reasoning
Creating general principles by starting with many specific instances. Moves from the specific to the general.
inductive reasoning
