AP English Language and Composition Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms, List 2

Ensure you're prepared for the AP English Language and Composition Exam by learning the words in this collection of essential vocabulary. Our lists cover the language you'll see in test questions and writing prompts, important rhetorical and literary terminology, and vocabulary related to writing and grammar.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. invective
    abusive language used to express blame or censure
  2. inversion
    the act of turning inside out
  3. juxtaposition
    the act of positioning close together
  4. logos
    a rhetorical appeal to the audience's reason or rationality
  5. pathos
    a quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow
  6. rebuttal
    the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary argument
  7. repetition
    the act of doing or performing again
  8. rhetoric
    study of the technique for using language effectively
  9. straw man
    a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted
  10. synthesis
    the combination of ideas into a complex whole
Created on Wed Jun 04 12:32:29 EDT 2025

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