AP Terms 1-40

Question 1

Anecdote

Answer 1

A short, simple narrative of an incident, often used for humorous effect or to make a point

Question 2

Arguementation

Answer 2

Writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting “reasoned” arguments; persuasive writing is a form of arguementation

Question 3

Allegory

Answer 3

An extended narrative of an incident in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story

Question 4

Annotation

Answer 4

Explanatory

Question 5

Antithesis

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Rhetoric

Answer 6

The art of effective or persuasive speaking and other compositional techniques. This is the core of the AP Language Program

Question 7

Colloquialism

Answer 7

A word or phrase used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing

Question 8

Connotation

Answer 8

Words suggesting implied meanings because of its association in a reader’s mind. This is the opposite of denotation.

Question 9

Consonance

Answer 9

Repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity.

Question 10

Caricature

Answer 10

Descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person’s appearance or a facet of personality

Question 11

Coherence

Answer 11

The “quality” of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea/ theme or organizing principal

Question 12

Aphorism

Answer 12

A short, often witty, statement of a principal or truth about life. Benjamin Franklin was somewhat famous for these in Poor Richard’s Almanac, e.g. “The early bird gets the worm.”

Question 13

Apostrophe

Answer 13

Usually in poetry, but sometimes in prose; the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction

Question 14

Cacophony

Answer 14

Also referred to as dissonance, hard, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony.

Question 15

Denotation

Answer 15

The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggest

Question 16

Enumeration

Answer 16

Is a rhetorical device used for listing the details or a process of mentoring words or phrases step by step. In fact, it is a type of amplification or division in which a subject is furthered distributed into components or parts. Writers used this to clarify and detail understanding.

Question 17

Analogy

Answer 17

An analogy is a comparison in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it. It aims at explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something that
is familiar. Only read the information below to help you understand.

Question 18

Parallelism

Answer 18

Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning or meter. Parallelism examples are found in literary works as well as in ordinary conversations.

Question 19

Allusion

Answer 19

Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical,cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which
it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

Question 20

Metonymy

Answer 20

It is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated. We can come across examples of metonymy both from literature and in everyday life. Do not confuse this with a metaphor as a METONYMY is not creating a comparison.

Question 21

Anaphora

Answer 21

In writing or speech, the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect is known as Anaphora. Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has
its roots in Biblical Psalms used to emphasize certain words or phrases. Gradually, Elizabethan and Romantic writers brought this device into practice.

Question 22

Epistrophe

Answer 22

Epistrophe is derived from a Greek word that means turning upon, which indicates the same word returns at the end of each sentence. Epistrophe is a stylistic device that can be defined as the repetition of phrases or words at the end of the clauses or sentences. It is also called epiphora. Epistrophe examples are frequently found in literary pieces, in persuasive writing and speeches

Question 23

Asyndeton

Answer 23

Asyndeton is derived from a Greek word asyndeton which means unconnected. It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy. This literary tool helps in reducing the indirect meaning of the phrase and presents it in a concise form. Asyndeton helps in speeding up the rhythm of words. Mostly this technique is employed in speech but can be used in written works too.

Question 24

Polysyndeton

Answer 24

The term polysyndeton comes from a Greek word meaning “bound together”. It makes use of coordinating conjunctions like “and”, “or”, “but” and “nor” (mostly and and or) which are used to join successive words, phrases or clauses in such a way that these conjunctions are even used where they might have been omitted.

Question 25

Synecdoche

Answer 25

Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part. Distinguishing between this and metonymy often take some thoughtful consideration.

Question 26

Tone

Answer 26

Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. It is something important for the reader to “sense” to determine an argument. Tone is generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.

Question 27

Process Analysis

Answer 27

A step-by-step breakdown of the phases of a process, used to convey the details of each phase of thinking, an operation, etc. It is often used to improve understanding and also to break down an argument to make it more comprehensible.

Question 28

Syntax

Answer 28

Syntax is a set of rules in a language. It dictates how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought. In plain English, “Syntax” refers to HOW
we choose to arrange our words. The choice of those specific words is called DICTION. Thus, the two are closely related in creating an argument.

Question 29

Provocative Diction

Answer 29

“diction” is our choice of words. Thus, “Provocative Diction” is the purposeful choice of words serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate a provocative question thatwill frame a rhetorical argument.

Question 30

Classification

Answer 30

The action or process of classifying something according to shared qualities or characteristics. This often is a strategy of argumentation or an argumentative response in an effort to provide the reader with structure to YOUR argument. It would be considered a support to both LOGOS and ETHOS in presenting an argument.

Question 31

Understatement

Answer 31

For example, you win 10 million dollars in a lottery. When you tell a news reporter “I am delighted”, you are making an understatement. Similarly, suppose a team loses to its opponent 50 to 0 in a soccer match and the captain of the team says in a post-match ceremony says, “We did not do well”, it is an understatement because he is trying to decrease the intensity of the loss. It is the opposite of HYPERBOLE or OVERSTATEMENT

Question 32

Colorful Diction

Answer 32

Diction is your conscious choice of words as a writer. It stands to reason that “Colourful Diction” is a very purposeful word choice that will serve to accentuate meaning and tone.

Question 33

Counter Argument

Answer 33

An argument or set of reasons put forward to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument. When writing in the argumentative mode, it is MANDATORY that the writer acknowledge the “other” side to his or her argument. It is part of the refutation of
someone else’s claim to support your own “side” of the argument that you are making.

Question 34

Claim

Answer 34

If somebody gives an argument to support his/her position, it is called making a claim. Different reasons are usually presented to prove why a certain point should be accepted as logica

Question 35

Evidence

Answer 35

Evidence is a type of literary device that appears in different categories of essays and theses in the form of paraphrase and quotations. It is presented to persuade the readers and used with powerful arguments in the texts or essays

Question 36

Warrant

Answer 36

A warrant is the glue that holds an argument together. It links the evidence to the claim. It says something like “This evidence supports the claim because…” and it is always in a similar form that is more of a statement of support of “WHY” your evidence supports your assertion/claim

Question 37

Fallacy

Answer 37

A fallacy is an erroneous argument dependent upon an unsound or illogical contention. There are many fallacy examples that we can find in everyday conversations.

Question 38

Logical Fallacy

Answer 38

In argumentation, a formal fallacy (also called deductive fallacy) is a pattern of reasoning/thinking rendered invalid by a flaw in its logical structure that can neatly be expressed in a standard logic system, for example propositional logic. An argument that is formally fallacious is always considered wrong.

Question 39

Prophecy

Answer 39

Many believe that a prediction and a prophecy are the same, but they are mistaken. It is true that both “forecast” the future, but there is a significant difference. A prophesy has all the elements of a prediction except the element of time. Without the element of time, a prophecy is hard to determine

Question 40

Prediction

Answer 40

A prediction is a forecast made by those who calculate the parameters of the subject involved after evaluating the odds they can predict the future. The weather forecast is a good example. A “prediction” is limited to a time element, unlike a prophecy