question

Allegory

answer

device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

question

alliteration

answer

The occurence of the same initial sound in several words in succession.

question

Allusion

answer

A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.

question

Ambiguity

answer

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

question

Amplification

answer

Involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasize what might otherwise be passed over.

question

Analogy

answer

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

question

Anaphora

answer

Expression repeated at start of lines.

question

Antecedent

answer

The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

question

Aphorism

answer

A short statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.

question

Apologue

answer

A moral fable, usually featuring personified animals or inanimate objects which act like people to allow the author to comment on the human condition.

question

Apostrophe

answer

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity.

question

Atmosphere

answer

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, estabished partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are desribed.

question

Blank Verse

answer

Unrhymed iambic pentameter.

question

Clause

answer

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.

question

Colloquial

answer

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.

question

Conceit

answer

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.

question

Connotation

answer

The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

question

Denotation

answer

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.

question

Diction

answer

Refereing to style, to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness or effectiveness.

question

Didactic

answer

From the Greek, meaning \"teaching.\" These works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles.

question

Epistrophe

answer

Repeated ending in several clauses.

question

Euphemism

answer

From the Greek for \"good speech,\" this figure of speech is a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

question

Extended Metaphor

answer

A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.

question

Figurative Language

answer

Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

question

Figure of Speech

answer

A device used to produce figurative language.

question

Generic Conventions

answer

Refers to traditions for each genre.

question

Genre

answer

Major category into which a literary work fits.

question

Homily

answer

Literally \"sermon\", but also any serious talk, speech, or lecture providing moral or spiritual advice.

question

Hyperbole

answer

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.

question

Imagery

answer

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions (to create vivid images).

question

Infer (Inference)

answer

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.

question

Invective

answer

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong or abusive language.

question

Irony

answer

The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant.

question

Verbal Irony

answer

Words are used to suggest the opposite of what is meant.

question

Situational Irony

answer

Events turn out the opposite of what was expected.

question

Dramatic Irony

answer

Facts or events are unknown to a character but known to the reader or audience or other characters in work.

question

Loose Sentence

answer

A type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units

question

Metaphor

answer

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the one for the other, suggesting some similarity.

question

Metonomy

answer

From the Greek \"changed label\", the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. (eg \"the White House\" for the Presdient)

question

Mood

answer

Grammatically, the verbal units and a speaker's attitude (indicative, subjunctive, imperative); literaily, the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a word.

question

Narrative

answer

The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.

question

Onomonopia

answer

Natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. (eg buzz, hiss, bang)

question

Oxymoron

answer

From the Greek for \"pointedly foolish,\" author group apparently contradictory terms to suggest paradox.

question

Paradox

answer

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

question

Parallelism

answer

From the Greek for \"beside one another,\" the grammatical or rhetorical framming of words, phrases, sentence or pharaphrs to give structural similarity.

question

Parody

answer

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with speicific aim of comic affect and /or ridicule.

question

Pedantic

answer

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

question

Periodic Sentences

answer

a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

question

Personification

answer

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

question

Point of View

answer

The perspective from which a story is told.

question

Predicate Adjective

answer

A type of subject compliment, an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb.

question

Predicate Nominative

answer

A type of subject complement, a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject.

question

Prose

answer

Genre, including fiction and nonfiction, written in ordinary language.

question

Rhetoric

answer

From the Greek for \"orator,\" the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuiasively.

question

Rhetorical Modes

answer

The variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing.

question

Exposition

answer

The rhetorical mode that explains and analyzes information.

question

Argumentation

answer

The rhetorical mode that proves validity of an idea.

question

Description

answer

The rhetorical mode that re-creates, invents, or presents a person, place, event or action.

question

Narration

answer

The rhetorical mode that tells a story or recounts an event.

question

Sarcasm

answer

From the Greek meaning \"to tear flesh,\" it involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

question

Satire

answer

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and convention for reform or ridicule.

question

Semantics

answer

The branch of linguistics that studies that meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another.

question

Style

answer

An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.

question

Subject Complement

answer

The word or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either renaming it or describing it.

question

Subordinate Clause

answer

Contains a subject and verb but cannot stand alone; does not express complete thought.

question

Syllogism

answer

From the Greek for \"reckoning together,\" a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (first major, second minor) that inevitably leads to a sound conclusion.

question

Symbol (Symbolism)

answer

Anything that represents or stands for something else. (natural, conventional, literary)

question

Synecdoche

answer

A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part.

question

Syntax

answer

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses and sentences.

question

Theme

answer

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.

question

Thesis

answer

A statement that, in expository writing, is the sentence or group of sentence that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning or proposition.

question

Tone

answer

Describes the author's attitude towards his material, the audience or both.

question

Transition

answer

A word or phrase that links different ideas.

question

Understatement

answer

The ironic minimalizaing of fact, presents something as less signficant than it is.

question

Wit

answer

Intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.

IB English Paper 1

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards