English Comp Test Flashcards
Ambiguity
When a word, phrase, or statement has more than one meaning or interpretation. Example: “The bark was painful” could refer to the sound of a dog barking or the rough exterior of a tree
Analogy
A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”
Anaphora
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. Example: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets…”
Anastrophe
The inversion of the usual order of words for emphasis or poetic effect. Example: “Patience I lack” instead of “I lack patience.”
Antithesis
The contrast or opposition between two things. Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
Apostrophe
When a speaker addresses someone or something that isn’t present or alive. Example: “O Death, where is thy sting?”
Catalogue
A list of items or people, often used for poetic or rhetorical effect. Example: “She packed her bags: shoes, dresses, hats, scarves…”
Chiasmus
A reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases. Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Conceit
An extended metaphor comparing two very dissimilar things. Example: “Love is a battlefield.”
Consonance
Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of nearby words. Example: “The boat floats on the moonlit moat.”
Diction
The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing. Example: The poet’s diction was simple yet powerful, using words like “gleaming” and “gentle.”
Dramatic Monologue
A poem in which a single character speaks to a silent listener, revealing their thoughts and feelings. Example: In the forest, the ancient oak whispered its secrets to the passing breeze.
Elegy
A poem mourning the loss of someone or something. Example: The sunset cast a solemn hue over the landscape, as if nature itself were mourning the passing of the day.
End rhyme, internal rhyme
End rhyme occurs at the end of lines, while internal rhyme occurs within lines. Example of end rhyme: The cat sat on the mat, wearing a hat. Example of internal rhyme: I wandered lonely as a cloud.
End-stopped lines
Lines of poetry that end with punctuation, creating a pause. Example: The river flowed gently, its waters clear and calm.
Enjambment
The continuation of a sentence or clause from one line of poetry to the next without a pause. Example: The sun set behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold.
Epigram
A short, witty poem or saying expressing a single thought or observation. Example: “I can resist everything except temptation.” - Oscar Wilde
Euphony
The quality of being pleasing to the ear, achieved through the use of harmonious sounds. Example: The gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze created a sense of euphony in the forest.
Free verse
Poetry that does not follow a regular meter or rhyme scheme. Example: The poet’s words flowed freely, unrestricted by the constraints of form or structure.
Heroic couplet
A pair of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter. Example: The knight rode forth into the fray, With sword in hand and heart so brave.
Image
A word or phrase that appeals to the senses, creating a mental picture. Example: The scent of roses filled the air, mingling with the sound of distant laughter.
Imagery
The use of vivid language to create mental images or sensory experiences. Example: The waves crashed against the shore, their foam sparkling in the sunlight.
Line length
The number of metrical feet or syllables in a line of poetry, such as monometer, dimeter, trimeter, tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, etc.
