AP ENGLISH FINAL VOCAB TEST

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

ad hominem argument

Question 2

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

Answer 2

allegory

Question 3

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.

Answer 3

alliteration

Question 4

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.

Answer 4

allusion

Question 5

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.

Answer 5

amibiguity

Question 6

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.

Answer 6

analogy

Question 7

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.

Answer 7

anecdote

Question 8

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. It will be a noun.

Answer 8

antecedent

Question 9

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.”

Answer 9

antithesis

Question 10

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.

Answer 10

aphorism

Question 11

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.

Answer 11

apostrophe

Question 12

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.

Answer 12

atmosphere

Question 13

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.

Answer 13

caricature

Question 14

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.

Answer 14

chiasmus

Question 15

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.

Answer 15

clause

Question 16

Slang or informality in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give language a conversational, familiar tone.

Answer 16

colloquialism

Question 17

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or a surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.

Answer 17

conceit

Question 18

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

Answer 18

connotation

Question 19

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.

Answer 19

denotation

Question 20

Related to style, it refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

Answer 20

diction

Question 21

Instructive, works of this nature have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially teaching moral or ethical principles.

Answer 21

didactic

Question 22

A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.

Answer 22

euphemism

Question 23

an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak

Answer 23

Exigence

Question 24

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

Answer 24

figurative language

Question 25

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.

Answer 25

figure of speech

Question 26

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.

Answer 26

generic convention

Question 27

The major category into which a literary work fits.

Answer 27

genre

Question 28

This term literally means “sermon,” but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Answer 28

homily

Question 29

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.

Answer 29

hyperbole

Question 30

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.

Answer 30

imagery

Question 31

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

Answer 31

invective

Question 32

The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true.

Answer 32

irony/ironic

Question 33

Placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

Answer 33

juxtaposition

Question 34

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.

Answer 34

litotes

Question 35

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.

Answer 35

logical fallacy

Question 36

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.

Answer 36

loose sentence

Question 37

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.

Answer 37

meiosis

Question 38

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.

Answer 38

metaphor

Question 39

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

Answer 39

metonymy

Question 40

This term encompasses the four traditional categories of written texts.

Answer 40

modes of discourse

Question 41

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.

Answer 41

onomatopoeia

Question 42

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.”

Answer 42

oxymoron

Question 43

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

Answer 43

paradox

Question 44

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.

Answer 44

parallelism

Question 45

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

Answer 45

pedantic

Question 46

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.”

Answer 46

periodic sentence

Question 47

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.”

Answer 47

predicate adjective

Question 48

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.

Answer 48

predicate nominative

Question 49

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

Answer 49

prose

Question 50

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

Answer 50

repetition

Question 51

From the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Answer 51

rhetoric

Question 52

The persuasive devise (logos, pathos, ethos) by which a writer tries to sway the audience’s attention and response to any given work.

Answer 52

rhetorical appeal

Question 53

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.

Answer 53

rhetorical modes

Question 54

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?”

Answer 54

rhetorical question

Question 55

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.

Answer 55

sarcasm

Question 56

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.

Answer 56

satire

Question 57

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.”

Answer 57

simile

Question 58

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.

Answer 58

style

Question 59

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)

Answer 59

subject complement

Question 60

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.

Answer 60

subordinate clause

Question 61

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.

Answer 61

syllogism

Question 62

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

Answer 62

syntax

Question 63

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.

Answer 63

theme

Question 64

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.

Answer 64

thesis

Question 65

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.

Answer 65

tone

Question 66

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.

Answer 66

transition

Question 67

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.

Answer 67

understatement

Question 68

Arrives at a specific conclusion based on generalizations. Moves from the general to the specific.

Answer 68

deductive Reasoning

Question 69

Creating general principles by starting with many specific instances. Moves from the specific to the general.

Answer 69

inductive reasoning