AP Comp Vocabulary List

Term Definition Example Used to persuade?

Ad hominem When the speaker abandons the argument to attack the opponent Her economic plan is impressive, but remember: this is a woman who
spent 6 weeks in the Betty Ford Center getting treatment for alcoholism.
Alliteration Using words with the same first letter repeatedly close together in a phrase or "She purchased the pretty purple parka." Can contribute to a mood of intrigue or danger.
sentence. Can create a lyrical or bouncy quality that can make
the text seem bright and cheerful
Allusion Making a brief reference to the cultural canon—e.g. the Bible, Shakespeare, "Like Eve in the Garden of Eden, George was not good at resisting A reader who recognizes the allusion would then
classical mythology, etc. temptation." think about the characteristics of the referenced
"He was a real Romeo with the ladies." Romeo was a character in teh work, person, object, or event and be able to call to
play Romeo and Juliet an was very romantic in expressing his love. mind the writer's purpose. In order for successful
communication of the allusion between the reader
and the writer, they must share common cultural
reference points.
Analogy Explaining something complex by comparing it to something more simple. "An amateur playing in a professional game is like an ibex stepping into
a lion's den."
"The operation of a computer presents an interesting analogy to the
working of the brain."
Analyze To break down into parts in order to understand the whole.
Anaphora Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive phrases, "So turn off your television sets. Turn them off now! Turn them off right
clauses, or lines (a form of parallelism). now! Turn them off and leave them off...

Anecdote A brief recounting of a relevant episode. Anecdotes are often inserted into "When I went to buy my morning coffee, I ran into an old friend. He told Often provides insight into how an issue has affected
texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor. me he had won the lottery and he was about to buy a yacht. Two months someone's life. They give a human face to facts and
later I heard he had declared bankruptcy." figures, bringing credibility to an argument by
showing the events or experiences that led a writer
to form their opinion.
Tends to be valid evidence because of its
“vividness” – it is easier to imagine
Antecedent A noun to which a pronoun refers. Example: The man on the boat thinks he is safe without a life jacket.
(man = antecdent he = personal pronoun)
Antithesis Opposition or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel Example: "We must live together as brothers or perish as fools." Creates a greater emphasis and clarity (provides a
contstruction. memorable rhythm)

Appeal to false The fallacy occurs when someone who has no expertise to speak on an issue A TV star, for instance, is not a medical expert, even though
authority is cited as an authority. pharmaceutical advertisment often use celebrity endorcement.
Argument The combination of reasons, evidence, etc that an author uses to convince an Too comprehensive a concept for a single example! In effective rhetoric,
audience of their position. every phrase serves to further build the argument.
Asyndeton A writing style where conjunctions are omitted in a series of words, phrases I have found the warm caves in the woods, filled them with skillets, Builds tension and emphasizes persuasive nature of
or clauses. It is used to shorten a sentence and focus on its meaning. (not carvings, shelves, closets, silks, innumerable goods. the argument
connected) An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was
thick, warm, heavy, sluggish.

Audience Who the author is directing his or her message towards When you create a resume, your audience is potential employers.
Bandwagon Appeal This fallacy occurs when evidence boils down to "everyone's doing it" All of my friends have a curfew of midnight! Creates emotional response
(aka ad populum)
Circular reasoning A fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence. Example: "You cant give me a C; I'm an A student!" Can be convincing- repeating the same thing makes
Insufficient biased evidence If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns. it seem self evident.

Claim A conclusion we are seeking to establish- an assertion of belief (our thesis)

Claim of fact A claim of fact asserts that something is true or not true. Example: "The number of suicides and homicides committed by
teenagers, most often young men, has exploded in the last three
decades..."
Claim of Policy A claim of policy proposes a change.
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Claim of Value A claim of value argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong.
Closed Thesis A closed thesis is a statement of the main idea of the argument that also Example: The 3-dementional characters, exciting plot, and the complex
previews the major points the writer intends to make. themes of the Harry Potter series make them not only legendary childrens
book but also enduring literary classics.
Colloqualism The use of ordinary or familiar words or phrases Wanna – want to Can set the writer up as knowledgeable, on the
Buzz off – go away inside of a social group. A writer may also use slang
in a sarcastic manner, to attack an opponent or mock
an argument. It may also be used to appeal to a
reader's own sense of cultural identity, or reinforce a
writer's overall tone
Compare/Contrast To compare means to bring both similarities and differences with the “Hybrid cars have a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional By illustrating the differences between elements in a
emphasis on similiarities. To contrast is to stress only the differences. midsize vehicles.” similar category, you help heighten readers'
understanding of the subject or topic of discussion
Concession Agreeing with the opposing viewpoint on a certain smaller point (but not in “While I admit that hybrid cars have higher carbon production costs than Boosts speaker's credibility; demonstrates respect
the larger argument). conventional automobiles, this is dramatically offset by the much-smaller for oppositions opinion (Ethos)
lifetime carbon footprint of the vehicles.”
Connotation The implied meaning of a word; words can broadly have positive, negative, conscientious = positive connotation
or neutral connotations. fussy = negative connotation
Connotations of the word "overweight" That cat is plump. That cat is
fat. That cat is obese

Counterargument The argument(s) against the author's position. If I want to eliminate the dress code, a counterargument might be that
this will place a burden on students of a lower socioeconomic status, who
must now afford an entire school wardrobe or risk unwanted attention.
Cumulative Clarifies or qualifies an idea stated in a preceding base clause. You'' love Casablanca (base clause) if you're the kind of person who They give more information to make the base idea
Sentence likes to cry at movies. (trailer) more powerful or more vivid. It can enable a slow
build of description, a build of tension, of thought,
argument or image
Declarative A declarative sentence simply states a fact or argument without requiring It had rained for days; the town was flooded.
Sentence either an answer or action from the reader. You punctuate your declarative
sentences with a simple period.
Deductive reasoning A logical process whereby the writer reasoning goes through a logical Major Premise- Exercise contributes to better health. Allows logical and systematic problem-solving.
process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple Yoga is a type of exercise. Helps analyze complex situations, identify pattersn,
premises that are assumed to be true (known as top down). Yoga contribues to better health. make informed decisions
Denotation The literal, dictionary-definition meaning of a word. The denotation of "chair" is "a place to sit."
Diction The style of language used; generally tailored to be appropriate to the You might say "What's up, loser?" to your little brother, but you would
audience and situation. (WORD CHOICE) probably say "How are you doing today?" to your principal.
Ethos An appeal based on the character of the speaker. Appeal to trust and "Given my PhD in the subject and years of experience in the field" is an
credibilty of speaker. appeal to ethos.
Euphemism Referring to something with a veiled phrase instead of saying it directly "She let Bob go," is a euphemism for "she fired Bob." “neutralize” or “soften” topics that are often
considered offensive, embarrassing, or taboo
Evaulate To assess: to show worth or lack of worth of a particular "something" To
give a judgement of value both postive and negative.
Exemplification Providing examples in service of a point. “The Town Beautification Funds are being sorely misused; the streets are
full of litter, the parks are full of broken equipment, and City Hall's
facade is drab and crumbling.”
Figurative language The use of language in a non-literal way; i.e. metaphor, simile, etc. "The sky's like a jewel box tonight!" to clarify and add force to an argument through
connections made with images and feelings that are
more familiar to the participants in an argument
First Hand Evidence Evidence based on something the writer knows, whether it's from personal
experience, observations, or general knowledge of events.
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Fragment Incomplete sentences. They usually lack a subject, predicate, or an
Sentence agreement between the two.
Hasty Generalization A fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached between inadequate Example: "Smoking isn't bad for you; my great aunt smoked a pack a day Generalization allows one to recognize the
evidence and lived to be 90. similarities in knowledge acquired in one
circumstance, allowing for transfer of knowledge
onto new situations.
Hyperbole Overstating a situation for humorous or dramatic effect. "My backpack weighs tons!" To emphasize the information that contributes most
to achieving the arguer's aims in the stage
concerned. To make one's argument “more
forceful,” “a strong case” or “more difficult to
attack”
Idiom A commonly used phrase that signifies something very different than its "This costs an arm and a leg!" is an idiom which means "This is very Help you express your emotions and thoughts
literal meaning. expensive." accurately, making your communication more
effective and compelling.
Imagery Any descriptive language used to evoke a vivid sense or image of something; "The water was a pearl-studded sea of azure tipped with turquoise." Appeal to the reader's senses, portray an emotional
includes figurative language. experience (pathos)
Imperative A sentence that requests or commands. "Wash the dinner plates."
Sentence
Implication When something is suggested without being concretely stated. "Watch your wallet around Paul," implies that Paul is a thief without Relationship presented between two propositions in
coming out and saying "Paul is a thief." which the second is a logical consequence of the
first (Logos)
Inductive reasoning Logical process in which multiple premises, all believed true or found true Regular exercise promotes weight loss
moste of the time, are combined to obtatin a specific conclusion (known as Exerecise lowers stress levels. Your audience accepts the general statement and is
bottom up) Exercise improves mood and outlook. then logically compelled by the development of the
Conclusion/Generalization: Exercise contributes to better health. argument to accept your conclusion.
Interrogative Asks a direct question and aways ends in a question mark.
Sentence
Irony A state of affairs or an event that seems delibeartely contrary to what one "I do so hope there are more papers to sign," is something that might be Convey meaning, create depth, engage audience
expects and is often amusing as a result said ironically.
"As clear as mud"
Juxtaposition Placing two very different things together for effect. "There they stood together, the beggars and the lords, the princesses and Draw attention, elicit an emotional response,
the washerwoman, all crowding into the square." encourage thinking/questioning from audience.
Logical fallacy Logical fallacies are potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an arguement. Mislead, trick audience into believing something
They often arise from a failure to make logial connections between the claim they otherwise wouldn't
and the evidence used to support it.
Logos Appealing to someone's sense of concrete facts and logic. An appeal based Citing peer-reviewed scientific studies is an appeal to logos.
on logic or reason. Documents distributed by companies or corporations are
logos driven, as well as, scholoary documents.
Metaphor A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it
does not literally indicate in order to suggest a similarity (NOT USING 'like'
or 'as')
Metonymy Using a single feature to represent the thing itself, The White House supports the bill (using White House instead of
President).
He wrapped his hand around the green as the women gave him a
donation. Power to change audience's perception
Occasion When and where and in what situation; place, context, or current situation When giving a graduation speech, the occasion is graduation.
that created the reason for the author to write. The reason or moment for
writing or speaking.
Onomatopoeia Using "sound-effect" words (e.g. "clap," "buzz). "We heard an ominous hiss from the kitchen." Enhances emotions (pathos)
Oxymoron Conjoining contradictory terms Example: "deafening silence" "jumbo shrimp" Grab attention, distract audience, makes audience
stop and think
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Paradox Self contradicion; A phrase or assertion that appears to contradict itself (but "I might not always be right, but I'm never wrong" Use confusion to distract audience
the contradiction itself may have its own meaning). Paradoxical phrases include "dark angel," "fresh rot," "blissful hell," etc.
Parallelism Repeated structural elements in a sentence. "We went to sea; we went to war; we went to bed." Clear communnication, audience more likely to
remember
Parody Using the form of something to mimic and make fun of it. Weird Al is the master of the musical parody genre.
Pathos An appeal based on emotion. Advertisments tend to be pathos-driven. Animal shelters ads with pictures of cute sad animals and dramatic music
are using pathos.
Periodic A long, complex, grammatically correct sentence. The main clause comes Example: For a long time these demonstrations were confined to tragic- Arouse interest and curiosity, to hold an idea in
Sentence last and is preceded by the subordinate clause. It's effective when it's used to comedies, or comedies larmoyantes, in which the gesticulating suspense before final revelation.
arouse interest and curiosity, to hold an idea in suspense before its final characters, often morbid, always extravagant, were united at curtain fall,
revelation. but when they transposed to a form of tragedy, dealing with
contemporary problems, as they were in the works of the pre-
Revelutionary dramatist Louise-Sebastien Mercier, one is already very
close to the more rhetorical aspect of Romantic paintings.
Personification Giving human characteristics to a nonhuman object or idea. "The sun was shining happily today."
Polysyndeton A literary technique in which conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or) are used “And we’re going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Slow down, make it memorable, or emphasize each
repeatedly in quick succession, often with no commas, even when the Michigan, and then we’re going to Washington, D.C. to take back the listed item
conjunctions could be removed. (bound together) White House!”
Purpose The author's persuasive intention. If you are trying to convince your mother you should get a dog, your
purpose in addressing an essay on the subject to her would be to
convince her that you should get a dog.
Quantitative Evidence Quantitative evidence includes things that can be measured, cited, counted,
or otherwise represented in numbers- for instance, statistics, surverys, polls,
census information.
Rebuttal Statements recognizing the opposing side, while refuting their claims. “Eating ice cream makes you happy. Therefore, if everyone ate ice cream
daily, there would be no sadness in the world.” Your rebuttal could
involve logical reasoning: “While ice cream might provide a temporary
boost, it doesn’t address complex causes of sadness or depression.”
Red Herring Cheap ploy to divert the audience from the real or central issue to some "Hey look! It's Elvis!" in a crowded room after spilling red wine on one's
irrelevant detail shirt.

Repetition Re-using a word or phrase repeatedly for effect or emphasis. "We run, and we run, and we run, like rats on a wheel." Makes memorable, emphasize the importance, helps
audience remember
Rhetoric The use of spoken or written word (or a visual medium) to convey your ideas Almost everything is an example of rhetoric!
and convince an audience.
The art of finding ways to persuade.
Sarcasm Mockingly stating the opposite of what you mean. Easier to convey in the "Did you come up with that all by yourself?" might be delivered Lighten the mood, hook audience
spoken word than via writing. sarcastically after someone delivers a poorly-thought out idea.
Satire A genre of humorous and mocking criticism to expose the ignorance and/or Draw attention to social or cultural criticism and
ills of society. bring change or improvement
Second-hand Evidence Evidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation. It
includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative
data.
Simile A figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different
kinds (usually formed with 'like' or 'as')
Speaker The person or group who creates a text. This might be a politician who
delivers a speech, a commentator who writes an article, an artist who draws a
cartoon, or even a company that commissions an advertisement.
Subject The topic of a text. What the text is about.
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Synecdoche Referring to one part of something as a way to refer to the whole. (a type of "Ask for her hand" is a synecdoche for marriage; the "hand" stands in for
(sinectikey) metonmy when a whole is representd by naming one of its parts or vice the whole woman.
versa) The ship was lost with all hands [sailors]." OR "His parents bought him Emphasize importance, create image in audience's
a new set of wheels [car]." mind, memorable
Syntax The way sentences are grammatically constructed. "She likes pie," is syntactically simple. On the other hand, "As it so
happened, when Barbara got out of class early she liked to have a piece
of pie—key lime or pecan, always—at the corner diner; while she was
there she watched the people passing by the window and imagined
herself inside each of their lives, riding in their heads for moments and
moments until the afternoon was whiled away and she'd become fifty
people," is syntactically complicated.
Synthesis Combining sources or ideas in a coherent way in the purpose of a larger A typical research paper involves synthesizing sources to make a broader
point. point about the topic.
Tone The use of stylistic devices to reveal an author's attitude toward a subject. Only a narrow distinction from attitude. The phrase "the deplorable state
of this school" reveals a negative attitude, but the word choice of
"deplorable" is part of the author's tone.
Understatement Deliberately minimizing something, usually for humorous effect. "My mom's a little bit irritated I crashed the car—I'm grounded for the
next twenty-four months."