The Exam
Diction & Tone
Rhetorical Strategies (Misc.)
Syntax
Logical Fallacies
100

The amount of essay (free-response) questions on the AP Language & Composition exam.

What is three?

100

The speaker/author's attitude towards the subject of a text.

What is tone?

100

A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea containing cultural, historical, literary, or political significance to the reader or author.

What is allusion?

100

The placement of contrasting elements between sentences, paragraphs or sections of text to highlight an intended disparity.

What is juxtaposition?

100
A person draws a conclusion about a population from a small sample.

What is hasty generalization?

200

The amount of time allotted for the multiple choice section of the AP Language & Composition exam.

What is 55 minutes?

200

The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.

What is denotation?

200

An inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or harsh.

What is euphemism? 

200

A set of similarly structured words, phrases, or clauses.

What is parallelism?

200

Occurs when the argument is directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining.

What is ad hominem?

300

The amount of time allotted for the free-response section of the AP Language & Composition exam.

What is two hours and fifteen minutes?

300

An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

What is connotation?

300

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

What is satire?

300

A form of a regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or strategically placed paragraphs.

What is anaphora?

300

Occurs when an argument starts with a claim, and the argument for the claim relies on the claim being truthful.

What is circular argument, or "begging the question"?

400

The percent breakdown (scoring) of the two sections of the exam. (What percent is each section worth of the overall score?)

What is 45% for multiple choice and 55% for free-response?

400

The same idea is repeating multiple times in different phrases. 

What is Tautology?

400

A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.

What is paradox?

400

The use of many conjunctions with the intended effect of overwhelming the reader with details, thus leading to a sense of concern.

What is polysyndeton?

400

Occurs when an arguer cites an expert's name in their argument rather than applying logic. 

What is appeal from authority?

500

The date and start time of the 2023 AP Language & Composition exam. 

What is May 9 at 8:00 AM?
500

Ideas that appeal to more than one of the five senses. 

What is Synesthesia?

500

A short, interesting, or funny rendition of an event or occurrence that may have happened to the speaker, author, or actor, or someone he or she purports to know.

What is anecdote?

500

The placement of directly opposite ideas and/or words within the same sentence or very close together to emphasize their disparity. Example: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" (Dickens).

What is antithesis?

500

Occurs when an intentionally misrepresented proposition is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent's real argument.

What is straw man?

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