AP English Language Vocabulary (All 100) – Flashcards
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absolute
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a word free from limitations or qualifications
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adage
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a familiar proverb or wise saying
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ad hominem argument
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attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position
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allegory
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a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions (an extended metaphor)
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alliteration
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the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words
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allusion
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a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader knows
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analogy
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a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
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anaphora
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the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences
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anecdote
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a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event
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antecedent
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the word, phrase or clause to which a pronoun refers
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antithesis
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a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced in parallel structure
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aphorism
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a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance
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apostrophe
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a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction
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archetype
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a detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth
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argument
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a statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work
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asyndeton
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a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions
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balanced sentence
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a sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize contrast
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chiasmus
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a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
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cliché
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an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off
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colloquialism
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informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing a word free from limitations or qualifications
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complex sentence
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a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
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compound sentence
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a sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions
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conceit
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a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor
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concrete details
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details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events
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connotation
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the implied or associative meaning of a word
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cumulative sentence
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a sentence in which the main independent clause is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrase
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declarative sentence
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a sentence that makes a statement or declaration
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deductive reasoning
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when a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and the applying that principle to a specific case
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denotation
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the literal meaning of a word
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dialect
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a variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region
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dialogue
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conversation between two or more people
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diction
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the word choices made by a writer
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didactic
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having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing
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dissonance
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harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds
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ellipsis
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the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be removed from the sentence
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epigram
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a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying
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epigraph
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a saying or statement on the title of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work
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eulogy
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a formal speech praising a person who has died
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euphemism
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an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
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exclamatory sentence
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a sentence expressing strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark
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expletive
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an interjection to lend emphasis, sometimes, a profanity
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figurative language
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language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.)
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genre
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a major category or type of literature
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homily
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a sermon, or a moralistic lecture
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hyperbole
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intentional exaggeration to create an effect
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hypothetical question
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a question that raises a hypothesis and, conjecture, or supposition
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idiom
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an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression
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imagery
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the use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to one of the senses
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implication
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a conclusion one draws based on premises or evidence
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inductive reasoning
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deriving general principles from particular facts or instances
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inference
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a suggestion an author or speaker makes without stating it directly
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invective
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an intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attack
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irony
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incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs
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jargon
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the specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession
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juxtaposition
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placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast
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litotes
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a type of understatement in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite
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malapropism
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the mistaken substitution of one word for another
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maxim
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a concise statement, often offering advice; an adage
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metaphor
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a direct comparison of two different things
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metonymy
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substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it
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mood
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the emotional atmosphere of a work
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motif
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a standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works
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narrative
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a story or narrated account
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narrator
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the one who tells the story; may be first- or third-person, limited or omniscient
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non sequitur
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an inference that does not follow logically from the premises
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onomatopoeia
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a word formed from the imitation of natural sounds
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oxymoron
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an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined
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parable
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a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson
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paradox
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an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth
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parallelism
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the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms
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paraphrase
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a restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity
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parody
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a humorous imitation of a serious work
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parenthetical
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a comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain
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pathos
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the quality of a work that prompts the reader to feel emotion
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pedantic
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characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship
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personification
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endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics
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point of view
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the vantage point from which a story is told
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polysyndeton
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the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural
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pun
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a play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings
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rhetoric
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the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner
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rhetorical question
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a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer
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rhetorical devices
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literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression
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riddle
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a question requiring thought to answer or understand
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sarcasm
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harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule
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satire
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the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions
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simile
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a comparison of two things using like, as or other specifically comparative words
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simple sentence
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a sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause
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structure
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the arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work
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style
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the combination of distinctive features of a literary work
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syllogism
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a three part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise
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symbol
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an object that is used to represent something else
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synecdoche
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using one part of an object to represent the entire object
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syntax
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the manner in which words are arranged into sentences
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theme
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a central idea of a work
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thesis
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the primary position taken by a writer or speaker
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tone
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the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience
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trite
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overused and hackneyed
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understatement
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the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis
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usage
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the customary way language or its elements are used
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vernacular
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the everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage
