AP English Language and Composition Terms

"all hands on deck" (part represents the whole)

a verbally abusive attack

the main idea of a piece of writing

the relationship an author has toward his or her subject

the inclusion of humor to contrast with tragic elements

a brief story or episode told by the writer or character to illustrate a point

reasoning from specifics to a generalization

writing which ridicules foibles of society

clash between opposing forces

the author's choice of words

a conclusion one can draw from the presented details

a more pleasant way of saying something uncomfortable

a sustained comparison, also called a conceit

extreme exaggeration

author's attitude toward her subject

an unexpected contrast between what happens and what is expected

a brief reference to a well-known work, event, or person

"the grave topic of American funerals"

method of narration in a literary work

when a main clause comes at the end of a sentence

a work that functions on a symbolic level 

a question used to pose an idea to be considered by the audience

the shape or structure of a literary work

paragraph : prose :: stanza : poem

a mistake in reasoning

"your eyes are stars"

"all men are fallible. I am a man. I am fallible."

"I came, I saw, I conquered." 

a comic imitation of a work that ridicules the original

"the sea was angry that day, my friends." 

the speaker of a literary work

a body of devices that enables the writer to operate on levels other than the literal

grammatical structure

a word or phrase linking one idea to the next

pleasant presentation of sounds in a literary work

"the pen is mightier than the sword"

the word to which a pronoun refers

a device that enables a writer to refer to past thoughts or events

the use of slang to create an informal tone

those elements that help create coherence in a written piece

the total effect of related sensory images

the opposite of hyperbole

"buzz, gurgle, pop"

language which describes concepts instead of concrete objects

harsh and discordant sounds in a literary work

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." 

"..."

the underlying ideas illustrated by an author

a discussion on a specific topic

an attack on a person instead of his ideas

"To be or not to be" 

background information presented in a literary work

reducing an argument to an either/or choice

the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme