Rhetorical terms

Apostrophe

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 is to give vent to or display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back: (Ex) "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand." -Shakespeare, Macbeth "Twinkle twinkle little star/ How I wonder what you are/ Up above a world so high." --In the nursery rhyme, a child addresses a star (an imaginary idea).

Extended metaphor

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

Anecdote

A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event. The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspections contains some degree of truth or validity. (ex) I must be cruel only to be kind.

Metonymy (mi-ton-uh-mee)

A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name." Metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. A news release that claims "the White House declared" rather that "the President declared" is using metonymy. The substituted term generally carries a more potent emotional response.

Aphorism

A terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author's point. (Ex) A watched pot never boils.

Transition

A word or phrase that links different ideas. Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and argumentative writing, ___________ effectively signal a shift from one idea to another. A few commonly used transitional words or phrases are furthermore, consequently, nevertheless, for example, in addition, likewise, similarly, on the contrary, etc. More sophisticated writers use more subtle means of __________.

Oxymoron

From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," ___ is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. (Ex) I must be cruel only to be kind.

Litotes (lahy-toh-teez)

From the Greek word "simple" or "plain." Litotes is a figure of thought in which a point is affirmed by negating its opposite. It is a special form of understatement, where the surface denial serves, through iro+++nic contrast, to reinforce the underlying assertion. (Ex)

Didactic (dahy-dak-tik)

From the Greek, didactic literally means "teaching." Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles.

Anaphora

One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences. (Ex) "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." - Dickens

Prose

One of the major divisions of genre, _____ refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. In _______ the printer determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line.

Predicate adjective

One type of subject complement--an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb. It is in the predicate of the sentence, and modifies, or describes, the subject. It is the predicate of the sentence, and modifies, or describes, the subject. (Ex) My dog is a fat, slow, and shaggy.

Semantics

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

Ambiguity

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

Connotation

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes. (Ex) "Wall Street" literally means a street situated in Lower Manhattan but connotatively it refers to "wealth" and "power".

Denotation

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color. (Ex) Rose-n. , a flower with a strong scent

Antistrophe

A derivative of a Greek word that means "turning back". It is defined as a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of the same words at the end of consecutive phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs. (Ex) "Spain invaded, China invaded, France invaded, everyone invaded."

Figure of speech

A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Figures of speech include: hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonym, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement.

Allusion

A dire 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. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. (Ex) "We'll have Halloween on Christmas/ We can live like Jack and Sally if you want" -Nightmare before Christmas (Ex) "Plan ahead: it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark" -Richard Cushing

Conceit

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.

Onomatopoeia

A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in sounds works. Simple examples included such words as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. If you note examples in an message passage, note the effect.

Analogy

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. (Ex) "He that voluntarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces, as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a lighthouse might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks." -Samuel Johnson

Parallelism

Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning "beside one another." It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. A famous example begins Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cites: "It was the was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity..." The effects of ____________ are numerous, but frequently they act as an organizing force to attract the reader's attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. (Ex) Easy come, easy go

Pedantic (puh-dan-tik)

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish. (Ex) An English teacher who corrects every grammar mistake.

Colloquial/colloquialism (kuj-loh-kwee-uhl)

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects. (Ex) "A dime, a dozen"

Juxtaposition (juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn)

When two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed close together or side by side for comparison or contrast. (Ex) Summer and Winter

Figurative language

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

Archaism

a figure of speech in which a used phrase or word is considered very old fashioned and outdated (Ex) "Pipit sate upright in her chair some distance from where I was sitting." -T.S. Eliot

Simile

a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws resemblance with the help of words "like" or "as"

Catachresis

a harsh metaphor involving the use of a word beyond its strict sphere (Ex) "I listen vainly, but with thirsty ear." - MacArthur

Balanced Sentence

a sentence consisting of two or more clauses that are parallel in structure. (Ex) "Control it before it controls you."

Stream-of-consciousness

a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.

Pardoy

a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. As comedy, _________ distorts or exaggerated distinctive features of the original. As ridicule, it mimics the work by repeating and borrowing words, phrases, or characteristics in order to illuminate weaknesses in the original. Well-written __________ enlightenment about the original, but poorly written _________ offers only ineffectual imitation. Usually an audience must grasp literary allusion and understand the work being _______ed in ordered to fully appreciate the nuances of the newer work. Occasionally, however, _________ take on a life of their own and don't require knowledge of the original.

Asyndeton

consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. This can give the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account. Asyndetic lists can be more emphatic than if a final conjunction were used. (Ex) On his return he received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame. They spent the day wondering , searching, thinking, understanding. "I came. I saw. I conquered."

Rhetorical Question [erotesis]

differs from hypophora in that it is not answered by the writer because its answer is obvious or obviously desired, and usually just a yes or no answer would suffice. It is used for effect, emphasis, or provocation, or for drawing a concluding statement from the fact at hand. (Ex) We shrink from change; yet is there anything that can come into being without? What does Nature hold dearer, or more proper to herself? Could you have a hot bath unless the firewood underwent some change? Could you be nourished if the food suffered no change? Do you not see, then, that change in yourself is the same order, and no less necessary to Nature?--Marcus Aurelius

Irony/ironic

the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. in general, there are three major types of irony used in language; (1) In a verbal irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning. (2) In situational irony, events turn out the opposite of what was expected. What the characters and the readers think ought to happen. (3) In dramatic irony, facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction, but know to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work. Irony is used for many reasons, but frequently, it's used to create poignancy or humor.

Praeterito/Paraleipsis

the device of giving emphasis by professing to say little or nothing about a subject. (Ex) "Not to mention their unpaid debts of several million." "It was clear that he was guilty, to say nothing of previous records."

Cacophony

the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing and unmelodious sounds primarily those of consonants to achieve desired results. (Ex) We will have no truce or parley with you and your grisly gang who work your wicked will." - Winston Churchill

Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words. (Ex) "The land was ours before we were the land's" - Robert Frost (N, V, Pro: Pro, V, N) "Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure" - Lord Byron Sitting together at lunch, the kids talked incessantly; but they said nothing at all sitting in the dentist's office.

Polysyndeton (paulee-sin-dih-tawn)

Figure of addition and emphasis which intentionally employs a series of conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) not normally found in successive words, phrases or clauses; the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses. The effect is a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up - a persistence or intensity. (Ex) They read and studied and wrote and drilled. I laughed and talked and flunked.

Expletive (ek-spli-tiv)

Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on either side of the expletive. (Ex) In fact, of course, to be sure, indeed, I suppose, I hope, you know, you see, clearly, in any event, in effect, certainly, remarkably.

Rhetoric

From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Narrative

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

Syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences ________ is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by think of syntax as the groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words. In the multiple-choice section, expect to be asked some questions about how an author manipulates _______. . in the essay section, you will need to analyze how ________ produces effects.

Synecdoche (si-nek-duh-kee)

is a type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole, the whole for a part, the genus for the species, the species for the genus, the material for the thing made, or in short, any portion , section, or main quality for the whole or the thing itself (or vice versa). (Ex) Farmer Joes has two hundred head of cattle [whole cattle], and three hired hands [whole people]. If we had some wheels [whole vehicle], I'd put on my best threads [cloths] and ask for Jane's hand [hopefully her whole person] in marriage. Give us this day our daily bread. I should have been a pair of ragged claws. Scuttling across the floor of silent seas.

Personification

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions. _____________________ is used to make these abstractions, animal, or objects appear more vivid to the reader.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serous effect is also possible. Often, hyperbole produces irony. (Ex) "so first of all, let me asset my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" - Franklin D. Roosevelt I've told you a million times.

Metaphor

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Metaphorical language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful. (Ex) Her smile was brighter than the sun.

Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can sand 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 to the other.

Coherence

A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible. Words, phrases, clauses within the sentence; and sentence, paragraphs, and chapters in larger pieces of writing are the unit that by their progressive and logical arrangement, make for coherence.

Predicate nominative

A second type of subject complement - a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that names the subject. It, like the predicate adjective, follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence. (Ex) My dog is a mutt with character.

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end. This independent clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone. For example: "Ecstatic with my AP score, I let out a loud, joyful shout!" The effect of a _______ ____________ is to add emphasis and structural variety. It is also a much stronger sentence than the loose sentence. (Ex) In spite of losing one ship and weathering a storm, Columbus made it back to Spain.

Loose sentence

A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many loose sentences often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational. Generally loose sentences create loose style. (Ex) I don't wish to go to school, even though I might learn something interesting.

Satire

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform human behavior, ____ is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. It can be recognized by the many devices used effectively the satirist: iron, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm. The effects of _____ are varied, depending on the writer's goal, but good _______, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition.

Undertone

An attitude that may lie under the ostensible tone of the piece. Under a cheery surface, for example, a work may have threatening __________.

Invective

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

Assonance

Assonance takes place when two or more words close to one another repeat the same vowel sound but start with different consonant sounds. (Ex) "Men sell the wedding bells"

Consonance

Consonance refers to repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. This repetition often takes place in quick succession. (Ex) "A quietness distilled As Twilight long begun/ Or Nature spending with herself/ Sequestered afternoon." -Emily Dickenson

Enumeration

Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may included a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something. (Ex) I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips. "Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate; it's peppermint; it's delicious... It's very refreshing!" - Kramer (Seinfeld).

Antithesis

Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. Antithesis creates a definite and systematic relationship between ideas. (Ex) "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -Jim Elliot "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" -Neil Armstrong

Hypophora

Figure of speech in which one or more questions is/are asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker; raising and responding to one's own question(s). A common usage is to ask the question at the beginning of a paragraph and then use the paragraph to answer it. You can use hypophora to raise questions which you think the reader obviously has on his/her mind and would like to see formulated and answered. (Ex) "when the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Euphemism (yoo-fuh-miz-uhm)

From the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept. The euphemism may be sued to adhere to standards of social or political correctness or to add humor or ironic understatement. (Ex) Saying "earthly remains" rather than "corpse" is an example of euphemism. Saying "passed away" instead of "died" is a euphemism.

Syllogism (sil- uh-jiz-uhm)

From the Greek for "reckoning together, " a ______________ (or syllogistic-reasoning or syllogistic logic is a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the firs one called "major" and the second, "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion. A frequently cited example proceeds as follows; Major premise: All men mortal Minor premise: Socrates is a man. Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal. A _______________'s conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid. ______________ may also present the specific idea first ("Socrates") and the general second ("All men"). (Ex) All men are mortal. Socrates is man. Therefor, Socrates is mortal.

Sacrasm

From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," ________ involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony is a device, but not all ironic statements are _________, that is, intended to ridicule. When well done, ________ can be witty and insightful; when done poorly, it's simply cruel.

Symbol/symbolism

Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually a _________ is something concrete -- such as object, action, character, or scene -- that represents something more abstract. However, ______, and _____________ can be much more complex. One system classifies ____________ in three categories (1) Natural _______are objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them (dawn _________ing hope or a new beginning, a rose _________ing love, a tree symbolizing knowledge). (2) Conventional ________ are those that have been invested with meaning by a group (religious _________ such as a cross or Star of David; national ________, such as a flag or an eagle; or group ________, such as skull and crossbones from pirates or the scales of justice for lawyers). (3) Literary ________ are sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are generally recognized. However, a work's symbols may be more complicated as is the whale in Moby Dick and the jungle in Heart of Darkness. On the AP exam, try to determine what abstraction an object is a ________ for and to what extent it is successful in representing that abstraction.

Diction

Related to style, diction refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. For the AP exam, you should be able to describe an author's diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author's purpose. Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author's style.

Diacope

Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase: word/phrase X... word/phrase X. (Ex) We will do it, I tell you; we will do it. We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks (Psalm 75:1)

Tone

Similar to mood, _____ describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. _____ is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's _____. Some words describing ______ are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, somber, etc.

Theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually ______ is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the _______ may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing.

Style

The consideration of style has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other Some authors' _________s are so idiosyncratic that we can quickly recognize works by the same author (or writer emulating that author's style)/ Compare, for example, Jonathan's Swift to George Orwell or William Faulkner to Ernest Hemingway. We can analyze and describe an author's personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author's purpose. _________ can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, laconic, etc. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparison, we can see how an author's ______ reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental, or realist movement.

Ellipsis

The deliberate omission of a word or phrase from prose done for effect by the author. (Ex) (words in parenthesis are supplied where ellipses was) Let us, then, take up the sword, trusting in God, who will defend the right, remembering that these are other days than those of yore; (remembering)* that the world is on the side of universal freedom. Or it was almost nightfall. The whole day (there was)* rain, torrents of rain.

Allegory

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction lie hope or freedom. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. (Ex) "Animal Farm," by George Orwell

Repetition

The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. More specifically it inlcudes alliteration, anadiplosis, anaphora, anti-strophe, consonance, assonance, diacope, parallelism.

Atmosphere

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently atmosphere foreshadows events.

Understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. ________________ is the opposite of hyperbole. (Ex) The 1906 San Francisco earthquake interrupted business somewhat in the downtown area. "Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her person for the worse." -Jonathan Swift

Genre

The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. However, genre is a flexible term; within these broad boundaries exist many subdivisions that are often called genres themselves. For example, prose can be divided into fictions (novels and short stories) or nonfiction (essays, biographies, autobiographies, etc). Poetry can be divided into lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic, etc. Drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, etc.

Alliteration

The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants 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.

Imagery

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, imagery uses terms related to the five sense; we fer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfacotry imagery. On a broader and deeper level, however one image can represent more than one thing. For example, a rose may present visual imagery while also representing the color in a woman's cheeks and/or symbolizing some degree of perfection. An author may use complex imagery while simultaneously employing other figures of speech, especially metaphor and simile. In addition, this term can apply to the total of all the images in work. On the AP exam, pay attention to how an author creates imagery and to the effect of this imagery.

Subject complement

The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clauses that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it. The former is the technically a predicate nominative, the latter a predicate adjective. Multiple-choice questions.

Exposition

In essays, one of the four chief types of composition, the others being argumentation, description, and narration. The purpose of exposition is to explain something. In drama, the exposition is the introductory material, which creates the tone, gives the setting, and introduces the characters and conflict.

Thesis

In expository writing, the _____ statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position. Expository writing is usually judged by analyzing how accurately, effectively,and thoroughly a writer has proven the _______.

Point of view

In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. There are two general divisions of point of view, and many subdivisions within those. (1) The first person narrator tells the story with the first person pronoun, "I," and is a character in the story. This narrator can be the protagonist, a participant (a secondary character) or an observing character. (2) The third person narrator relates the events with the third person pronouns, "he," "she," and "it." There are two main subdivisions to be aware of: omniscient and limited omniscient. In the "third person Omniscient _____ __ ____ , the narrative, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. This all-knowing narrator can reveal what each character feels and thinks at any given moment. The "third person limited omniscient" ______ ___ _____, as its name implies, presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all remaining characters.

Wit

In modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A ___ty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speakers verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. ___ usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. Historically, ___ originally meant basic understanding. Its meaning evolved to include speed of understanding, and finally, it grew to mean quick perception including creating fancy and a quick tongue to articulate an answer that demanded the same quick perception.

Anadiplosis

It refers to the repetition of a word or words in successive clauses in such a way that the second clause starts with the same word which marks the end of the previous clause. (Ex) "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear from you." - Yoda, Star Wars

Subordinate clause

Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, the subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. Also called a dependent clause, the subordinate clause depends on a main clause (or independent clause) to complete its meaning. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses. For example: although, because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as, while, who, when, where, how and that. Example: Yellowstone is a national park in the West that is known for its geysers. underlined phrase = subordinate clause

Antecedent

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.

Rhetorical modes

This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. The four most common __________ ______ and their purposes are as follows: (I) The purposes of exposition (or expository writing) is to explain and analyze information by pressing an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion. The AP language exam essay questions are frequently expository topics. (2) The purpose of argumentation is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, discussion, and argument that thoroughly convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation having an additional aim of urging some form of action. (3) The purpose of description is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event or action so that the reader can picture that being described. Sometimes an author engages all five senses in description; good descriptive writing can sensuous and picturesque. Descriptive writing may be straightforward and objective or highly emotional and subjective. (4) The purpose of narration is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events. This writing mode frequently uses the tools of descriptive writing. These four modes are sometimes referred to as ode of discourse.

Generic conventions

This term describes traditions for each genre. These conventions help to define each genre; for example, they differentiate an essay and journalistic writing or an autobiography and political writing. On the AP language exam, try to distinguish the unique features of a writer's work from those dictated by convention.

Mood

This term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker's attitude. The indicative mood is used only for factual sentences. For example, "If I were you, I'd get another job.' The imperative mood is used for commands. For example, "Shut the door!" The second meaning of mood is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to tone and atmosphere.

Homily (hom-uh-lee)

This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Inference/infer

To draw reasonable conclusions from the information presented. When a multiple-choice question asks for an inference to be drawn from a passage, the most direct, most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice, If an inference is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct answer. Note that if the answer choice is directly stated, it is not inferred and is wrong. You must be careful to note the connotation -negative or positive - of the choices.