Vocab. To currently study

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

A repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words.

Question 2

Connotation

Answer 2

Non-literal meaning of a word.

Question 3

Denotation

Answer 3

The dictionary definition of a word.

Question 4

Diction

Answer 4

A writer’s word choice, especially with regard of their clearness, effectiveness, and correctness.

Question 5

Exposition

Answer 5

A descriptive or explanation of an idea or theory.

Question 6

Extended Metaphor

Answer 6

A metaphor of great length, appearing across multiple paragraphs or an entire piece of work.

Question 7

Figurative Language

Answer 7

A writing or speech not meant to be literal, meant to be imaginative or vivid.

Question 8

Figure of Speech

Answer 8

A device to produce figurative language. “Words or phrases meant to carry non-literal meaning.”

Examples are: hyperbole, paradox, personification, irony, or apostrophe.

Question 9

Genre

Answer 9

A category in which a piece of writing fits into.

Question 10

Homily

Answer 10

A religious discourse, intended for spiritual edification, rather than a doctrinal instruction.

A sermon.

Question 11

Hyperbole

Answer 11

An exaggeration or overstatement that was written on purpose.

Question 12

Imagery

Answer 12

Sensory details of figurative language, meant to bring emotion, or represent abstractions.

Question 13

Inference

Answer 13

To draw a reasonable conclusion from information presented.

Remember: a most direct, reasonable inference is the safest choice. If a choice is directly stated, it is wrong. If an inference is implausible, it’s unlikely to be correct.

Question 14

Irony

Answer 14

Contrast between what something was intended to mean, and what it really meant. Irony is generally used for humor.

Verbal Irony: when words state the opposite of the writer’s meaning.
Situational Irony: when events turn out opposite of what’s expected.
Dramatic Irony: when facts are unknown to a character, but known to the reader/audience.

Question 15

Metaphor

Answer 15

Figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things in substitution for another.

Suggesting some similarity between two unalike things.

Question 16

Mood

Answer 16

The atmosphere or emotional aura of a work.

Setting/tone/events can affect this.

Similar to tone and atmosphere.

Question 17

Narrative

Answer 17

Telling a story based on a series of events.

Question 18

Onomatopoeia

Answer 18

Figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sound of words.

Question 19

Personification

Answer 19

A figure of speech in which the author writes animals, inanimate objects, and concepts to have human attributes and emotions.

Question 20

Prose

Answer 20

Major division of genre. Refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. The printer determines the length of the line.

Question 21

Repetition

Answer 21

Duplication, exact or approximate, of any element of language.

Sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

Question 22

Rhetorical Question

Answer 22

Not meant to be answered. Meant to create dramatic effect or to make a point instead of gaining an answer.

Question 23

Sarcasm

Answer 23

Bitter language, meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. May use irony as a device. Can be witty and insightful. Or can also just be cruel.

Question 24

Symbol

Answer 24

Something that represents itself and stands for something else. Generally an object.

Question 25

Thesis

Answer 25

A statement that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position on a subject.

Question 26

Transition

Answer 26

Word or phrase that links different ideas. Used to shift from one idea to another in expository writing.

Question 27

Understatement

Answer 27

Ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less important than it is.

Question 28

Allegory

Answer 28

A story, poem, story elements, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a HIDDEN MEANING, typically a moral or political one.

Question 29

Allusion

Answer 29

An expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly, an INDIRECT OR PASSING INFERENCE.

Question 30

Analogy

Answer 30

A COMPARISON between two things.

Question 31

Anecdote

Answer 31

A SHORT and amusing or interesting STORY about a real incident or person.

Question 32

Antecedent

Answer 32

A THING or EVENT that existed BEFORE or LOGICALLY precedes another. A pronoun generally

Question 33

Aphorism

Answer 33

Can be a memorable summation of the author’s point. An observation that contains a general truth.

Question 34

Atmosphere

Answer 34

The emotional tone or mood created by the entirety of a literary work, created by setting or an author’s choice of objects described.

Question 35

Clause

Answer 35

A grammatical unit that contains a subject and a verb. A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. Independent clause can stand alone and expresses a complete sentence.

Question 36

Didactic

Answer 36

Intended to teach, especially of moral or ethical principles.

Question 37

Euphemism

Answer 37

A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

Question 38

Motif

Answer 38

A distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.

Question 39

Paradox

Answer 39

A statement that appears self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon further inspection it contains some truth or validity.

Question 40

Parody

Answer 40

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim to ridicule or comic effect.

Question 41

Point of View

Answer 41

Perspective of someone or something. An attitude or way of considering a matter.

Question 42

Rhetoric

Answer 42

Describes the principles of governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Question 43

Satire

Answer 43

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices.

Question 44

Semantics

Answer 44

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

Question 45

Syntax

Answer 45

The way an author chooses to join words or phrases together. Similar to diction. Creates tone.

Question 46

Theme

Answer 46

The subject of talk, a piece of writing, a person’s thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic

Question 47

Tone

Answer 47

Describes an author’s attitude to his material, audience, or both.

Question 48

Vernacular (dialect)

Answer 48

A regional or cultural manner of speaking

Question 49

Ambiguity

Answer 49

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation

Question 50

Antithesis

Answer 50

A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else

Question 51

Anaphora

Answer 51

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Question 52

Apostrophe

Answer 52

An exclamatory passage in a speech or poem addressed to a person (typically dead or absent) or thing (typically personified)

Question 53

Asyndeton

Answer 53

Absence of conjunctions between parts of sentences (ex: and, or)

Question 54

Chiasmus

Answer 54

Words like grammatical constructions or concepts are repeated in reverse order. (Ex: Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.)

Question 55

Colloquialism

Answer 55

A word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically used in familiar conversations

Question 56

Coherance

Answer 56

Quality of being logical and consistent

Question 57

Conceit

Answer 57

Excessive pride in oneself. OR An elaborate metaphor

Question 58

Diacope

Answer 58

Repetition of a word or phrase with 1 or 2 intervening words

Question 59

Enumeratio

Answer 59

Listing of details— a type of amplification and division

Question 60

Expletive

Answer 60

Oath or swear word OR Serving to fill out a sentence or line of verse

Question 61

Generic Conventions

Answer 61

Features shown by texts that allow them to be put into a specific genre

Question 62

Hypophora

Answer 62

A figure of speech where the speaker poses a question and then answers the question. Also referred to anthypophora or antipophora

Question 63

Invective

Answer 63

Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language

Question 64

Juxtaposition

Answer 64

Two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect (syntax type)

Question 65

Litotes

Answer 65

Ironic understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary (you won’t be sorry, meaning you’ll be glad)

Question 66

Loose sentence

Answer 66

A type of sentence where the independent clause is followed by the clauses that modify the main clause

Question 67

Metonymy

Answer 67

The substitution of the name of an attribute or abjunct for that of the thing meant. (Ex: suit for business executive)

Question 68

Parallelism

Answer 68

Corresponding in grammatical structure, sound, meter, etc.

Question 69

Pedantic

Answer 69

An adjective that is overly scholarly or academic

Question 70

Periodic Sentence

Answer 70

A sentence that presents its central meaning or main clause at the end

Question 71

Polysyndeton

Answer 71

When conjunctions are used in quick succession (and, or, but)

Question 72

Predicate adjective

Answer 72

It modifies the subject of the sentence (the flowers are blue)

Question 73

Predicate nominative

Answer 73

A word that completes a linking verb. (The word son in Charlie is my son)

Question 74

Rhetorical modes

Answer 74

Describe the variety, conventions, and purpose of the major kinds of language-based communication. Also for narration, description, exposition, and argmentation

Question 75

Style

Answer 75

Describes the way the author uses words; diction, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement all establish mood, images, tone, and meaning

Question 76

Subject complement

Answer 76

An adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb

Question 77

Subordinate clause

Answer 77

A clause typically introduced by a conjunction, it forms a part of and is dependent on a main clause

Question 78

Syllogism

Answer 78

A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed prepositions. Each share a term with the conclusion. The first two must be true. Ex: all dogs are animals, all animals have four legs, therefore all dogs have four legs

Question 79

Synecdoche

Answer 79

A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa (Cleveland won by six runs; meaning Cleveland’s baseball team)

Question 80

Undertone

Answer 80

An attitude that lies under the correct tone of a literary work. An implied meaning that usually points towards the underlying theme of the piece

Question 81

Wit

Answer 81

Form of intelligent humor, the ability to say or writ things that are clever and usually funny