English - Vocab Flashcards
Adjective
a word naming a attribute of a noun
Adverb
a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb
Alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words
Allusion
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly
Analogy
a comparison between one thing and another, for the purpose of explanation or clarification
Anecdote
a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Annotation
a note by way of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram
Argument
a reason or set of reasons given in support of a idea, action or theory
Assonance
resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words
Bias
inclination or prejudice for or against one entity, especially in a way considered to be unfair
Comparative
expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the highest possible (e.g. braver)
Connotation
an idea or feeling created in addition to a word’s literal meaning
Context
information that helps readers accurately interpret the meaning of a text
Conventions
a way in which something is usually done
Declarative
a simple statement that is used to provide information about something or state a fact
Description
a spoken or written account of a person, object, or event
Ethos
a speaker or writer’s credibility
Euphemism
mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt
Exclamative
a simple sentence that expresses sudden or strong emotions and feelings
Fiction
literature in the form of prose that describes imaginary events and people
Foot
a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit
Free verse
poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular rhythm
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work
Inference
a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning
Interrogative
having the force of a question
Literacy
the ability to read and write
Logos
a speaker or writer’s appeal to logical or fact-based content
Nonfiction
prose writing that is informative or factual rather than fictional
Noun
a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things
Scanning
look quickly but not very thoroughly through (a document or other text) in order to identify relevant information
Pathos
a speaker or writer’s appeal to emotional content
Persuasion
the action of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something
Personification
the attribution of human characteristics to something non-human
Pronoun
a word that can function as a noun phrase
Purpose
the reason for which something is done or created
Quatrain
a stanza of four lines, especially one having alternate rhymes
Rhetoric
the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing
Rhythm
the measured flow of words and phrases in verse or prose
Rhyme
correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words
Scanning
look quickly but not very thoroughly through (a document or other text) in order to identify relevant information
Sibilance
sound created from the repetition of the letter “s”
Skimming
the action of reading something quickly to get the important points
Simile
the comparison of one thing with another using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Stressed
pronounced with stress
Subject
a noun or noun phrase functioning as one of the main components of a clause
Superlative
expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g. bravest)
Syllable
a unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound
Symbolism
the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Syntax
the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences
Verb
a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence
