The AP Language and Composition exam tests your ability to analyze and interpret complex texts, articulate your ideas clearly, and construct well-supported arguments. Mastering key literary and rhetorical terms is crucial for success. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of essential terminology, categorized for easy understanding and review.
I. Rhetorical Devices & Appeals
These terms describe the techniques writers use to persuade their audience. Understanding them is key to analyzing argumentative texts.
A. Rhetorical Appeals:
- Ethos: Appeals to the credibility or character of the speaker/writer. This involves establishing trustworthiness and expertise. Think of it as the "because I'm an expert" appeal.
- Pathos: Appeals to the emotions of the audience. This aims to evoke feelings like sympathy, anger, or joy to sway the reader. This is the "feel this" appeal.
- Logos: Appeals to logic and reason. This uses evidence, facts, and statistics to support a claim. Think of it as the "because it's logical" appeal.
B. Rhetorical Devices:
- Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (e.g., "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers").
- Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences (e.g., "I have a dream... I have a dream...").
- Antithesis: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas or words in a balanced grammatical structure (e.g., "Give me liberty, or give me death").
- Asyndeton: Omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., "I came, I saw, I conquered").
- Chiasmus: Reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country").
- Epistrophe: Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences (e.g., "...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth").
- Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis or effect (e.g., "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse").
- Irony: A contrast between expectation and reality. There are several types, including verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.
- Metaphor: Implied comparison between two unlike things (e.g., "The world is a stage").
- Metonymy: Substituting a word for another closely associated with it (e.g., "The White House announced..." referring to the President).
- Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds (e.g., "buzz," "hiss," "bang").
- Oxymoron: Juxtaposition of contradictory words (e.g., "jumbo shrimp," "bittersweet").
- Paradox: A statement that seems self-contradictory but may contain a deeper truth (e.g., "Less is more").
- Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects or animals (e.g., "The wind whispered secrets").
- Polysyndeton: Repetition of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., "I wore a sweater, and a hat, and gloves, and a scarf").
- Simile: Explicit comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as" (e.g., "He's as brave as a lion").
- Synecdoche: A part representing the whole or vice versa (e.g., "All hands on deck").
- Understatement: Downplaying something significant for effect (e.g., "It's a bit chilly" during a blizzard).
II. Literary & Narrative Techniques
These terms help you understand the structure and meaning of literary works.
A. Narrative Structure:
- Plot: The sequence of events in a story.
- Setting: The time and place of a story.
- Characters: Individuals involved in the story.
- Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told (first person, third person limited, third person omniscient).
- Theme: The underlying message or idea of a work.
- Tone: The author's attitude towards the subject matter.
- Mood: The emotional atmosphere created in the work.
B. Literary Devices:
- Allegory: A story with a symbolic meaning beneath the surface.
- Allusion: A reference to another work of literature, history, or mythology.
- Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about future events.
- Flashback: Interruption of the chronological sequence to show an earlier event.
- Imagery: Use of vivid language to create sensory experiences.
- Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts.
III. Argumentation & Analysis
Understanding these terms is crucial for constructing strong arguments and analyzing persuasive texts.
- Claim: The main point or argument being made.
- Evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, and other supporting details.
- Reasoning: The logic used to connect evidence to the claim.
- Counterargument: An opposing argument that acknowledges different perspectives.
- Rebuttal: A response to a counterargument.
- Synthesis: Combining ideas from multiple sources to create a new understanding.
This list is not exhaustive, but it covers many of the key terms you'll encounter in AP Language and Composition. Remember that the best way to master these terms is through practice—analyzing texts and actively applying these concepts. Good luck!
