English key terms Flashcards
Onomatopeia
Words that sound the same as what they represent
Aliteration
The use of the same lettter at the begining of words that are close
Personification
To give an inaminmate object human characteristics
Similie
To describe something ‘as’ or ‘like’ something else
Repitition
To use the same word/phrase more than once
Metaphor
Comparing two things by saying they are each other
Enjambment
a poetic term for the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next
Rythm
describes the beat of a poem
Rhyme
When lines of poetry end with the same sounds
Stanza
Groups of lines in a poem (a verse)
Assonance
When vowel sounds within words are the same or
very similar
Pivot
Point at which poem changes mood, time, etc.
Caseura
A pause within a line of poetry to give emphasis
Irony
Use of words or phrases that are often sarcastic and
or humorous
Juxtaposition To describe something ‘as’ or ‘like’ so
Fricatives
Soft, breathy sounds: s, z, th, f
Plosives
Hard, explosive sounds: p, t, k, b, g, d
Sibilance
Sounded with a hissing effect, for example s, sh
Superlative
Expressing the highest or a very high degree of a
quality
Juxtaposition
Two things being seen or placed close together with
contrasting effect
Foreshadowing
Be a warning or indication of (a future event)
Lexical Set
A group of words with the same topic, function or
form
Archaisms
Words that are very old or old-fashioned
End Focus
The most important information in a clause or
sentence is placed at the end
Nouns
A word that represents a person, thing, concept or place.
Verbs
a word that indicates a physical action (e.g., ‘drive’), a mental action (e.g., ‘think’) or a state of being
Adjective
a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.
Adverbs
a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.
Pronouns
words we use in everyday language to refer to ourselves or others.
Possessive pronouns
a pronoun indicating possession, for example mine, yours, hers, theirs.
Preposition
The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
Determiners
a word which is used at the beginning of a noun group to indicate, for example, which thing you are referring to or whether you are referring to one thing or several. Common English determiners are ‘a’, ‘the’, ‘some’, ‘this’, and ‘each’.
Conjunctions
a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause And, or, so, since, for, because, as, but, yet, still, while, as soon as, therefore, moreover, in case, though, although, even though, etc. are some examples of conjunctions.
Plural nouns
a noun that refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Most singular nouns are made plural by adding a suffix, usually –s or –es. For example, the singular noun dog takes the plural form dogs, as in three dogs.
Modal verb
an auxiliary verb that expresses necessity or possibility. English modal verbs include must, shall, will, should, would, can, could, may, and might.
Abstract nouns
noting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object, e.g. truth, danger, happiness.
Proper nouns
a noun that serves as the name for a specific place, person, or thing
