Toolbox Words #1

Question 1

Allegory

Answer 1

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.

Question 2

Allusion

Answer 2

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as
an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious,
topical, or mythical.

Question 3

Aphorism

Answer 3

A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author’s point.

Question 4

Apostrophe

Answer 4

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified
abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot
answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity

Question 5

Alliteration

Answer 5

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, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the
passage.

Question 6

Analogy

Answer 6

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.
An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its
similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid,
imaginative, or intellectually engaging.

Question 7

Antecedent

Answer 7

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP language exam occasionally
asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of
sentences

Question 8

Ambiguity

Answer 8

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or
passage

Question 9

Colloquial

Answer 9

The use of slang or in formalities in speech or writing. Colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions
in writing include local or regional dialects

Question 10

Conceit

Answer 10

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy
between seemingly dissimilar objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness as a result
of the unusual comparison being made

Question 11

Connotation

Answer 11

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.
Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes

Question 12

Clause

Answer 12

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause
expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or
subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an
independent clause. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the
author subordinates one element should also become aware of making effective use of
subordination in your own writing