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High School PAP/AP English
A Resource for Students
Deer Park High School
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Welcome to Deer Park’s English Advanced Placement
program. Under the direction of the College Board, Advanced Placement
English is a nationally recognized program that allows students to earn up
to a full year of credit in college English. To earn this credit, students must
pass a rigorous three-hour exam that includes close reading of sophisticated,
challenging passages and writing several expository essays that demonstrate
proficiency in literary and rhetorical analysis. Obviously, one of the
primary goals of our program is to give every student the best opportunity
possible to pass this exam.
Having said this, our program has an even greater goal, something more
lasting and more substantial than a score earned on any exam, even one as
important as The Advanced Placement Exam. We want all of our students
to acquire a habit of mind, to become critical readers and thinkers better
able to operate in an ever increasingly complex world. Living in the
information age, one can never be too fluent in information processing and
creation. Of course, one of the best ways to develop this fluency is reading
and writing about great works of literature.
Beyond all of these pragmatic concerns, AP Language and Literature is
designed to introduce students to the wonderful, befuddling, and
illuminating dialectic that is the world of literature. This program is
designed for students to grow academically and emotionally, to add to the
sum total of who they are. We truly believe that engaging with great
literature does not just expand one’s mind but expands one’s life.
DPHS PAP/AP Teachers
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Table of Contents
Course Descriptions _______________________________________________________________ 5
Plagiarism Policy _________________________________________________________________ 5
Titles from Open Response Questions* ________________________________________________ 6
High School PAP/AP Reading Selections ______________________________________________ 15
Annotation: What it is for, and how to do it. __________________________________________ 16
Major Works Data Sheet __________________________________________________________ 18
ASSIGNMENT WORDS/TASKS ______________________________________________________ 23
DIDLS ________________________________________________________________________ 24
DO STYLES ______________________________________________________________________ 25
Using TPCASTT and TPFASTT for Analysis of Poetry _____________________________________ 26
SOAPSTone ___________________________________________________________________ 28
Finding Themes __________________________________________________________________ 29
Thesis Statements about Literature _________________________________________________ 29
Syntax / Sentence Structure Terms __________________________________________________ 30
Patterns by Purpose ___________________________________________________________________ 30
Patterns by Structure __________________________________________________________________ 30
Patterns by Syntax ____________________________________________________________________ 30
Advanced Syntax Techniques ___________________________________________________________ 31
What AP Readers Long to See… _____________________________________________________ 33
16 DETRACTORS FROM MATURE ACADEMIC VOICE _____________________________________ 38
AP TERMINOLOGY _______________________________________________________________ 39
Literary Elements _____________________________________________________________________ 39
Poetry Terms ________________________________________________________________________ 49
Grammatical Terms ___________________________________________________________________ 51
DESCRIPTORS FOR TONE, ATTITUDE, & DICTION _______________________________________ 53
VERBS _________________________________________________________________________ 54
$50 WORD LIST __________________________________________________________________ 55
Dialogue Tag Words ___________________________________________________________________ 55
Verbs _______________________________________________________________________________ 56
Adjectives ___________________________________________________________________________ 57
Adverbs ____________________________________________________________________________ 58
Transitions __________________________________________________________________________ 60
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Rubric of All Rubrics ______________________________________________________________ 62
Literary Analysis Scoring Guide _____________________________________________________ 63
Poetry Analysis Scoring Guide ______________________________________________________ 64
Prose Analysis Scoring Guide _______________________________________________________ 65
Language Analysis Scoring Guide ___________________________________________________ 66
Persuasive Scoring Guide __________________________________________________________ 67
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Course Descriptions An AP course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers
of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for
a variety of purposes as in the college course, the purpose of the AP English Language and
Composition course is to enable students to read complex texts with understanding and to write prose
of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with mature readers.
Upon completing the AP English Language and Composition course, then, students should be able to:
analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of
rhetorical strategies and techniques;
apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing;
create and sustain arguments based on readings, research and/or personal experience;
write for a variety of purposes;
produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex
central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary
sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions;
demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic
maturity in their own writings;
demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources;
move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry
and research, drafting, revising, editing and review;
write thoughtfully about their own process of composition;
revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience;
analyze image as text; and
evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers.
An AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in the careful reading and
critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen
their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their
readers.
Puhr, Kathleen M. AP® English Language and Composition: Teacher’s Guide. The College Board.
2007
Plagiarism Policy: According to the WPA (Council for Writing Program Administrators), and with DPHS – South ELA
Department input, in an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer uses someone
else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common knowledge) material without
acknowledging its source.
Source:
Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices. Council for Writing
Program Administrators. N.d. Web. 4 May 2011.
For more information:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
http://wpacouncil.org/positions/WPAplagiarism.pdf
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Titles from Open Response Questions*
Updated from an original list by Norma J. Wilkerson.
Works referred to on the AP Literature exams since 1971 (specific years in parentheses)
Please note that only authors were recommended in early years, not specific titles..
A
Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner (76, 00, 10, 12)
Adam Bede by George Eliot (06)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (80, 82, 85, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 99, 05, 06,
07, 08,11)
The Aeneid by Virgil (06)
Agnes of God by John Pielmeier (00)
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (97, 02, 03, 08, 12)
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (00, 04, 08)
All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren (00, 02, 04, 07, 08, 09, 11)
All My Sons by Arthur Miller (85, 90)
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy (95, 96, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11)
America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan (95)
An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser (81, 82, 95, 03)
American Pastoral by Philip Roth (09)
The American by Henry James (05, 07, 10)
Angels in America by Tony Kushner (09)
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (10)
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (80, 91, 99, 03, 04, 06, 08, 09)
Another Country by James Baldwin (95, 10, 12)
Antigone by Sophocles (79, 80, 90, 94, 99, 03, 05, 09, 11)
Anthony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare (80, 91)
Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler (94)
Armies of the Night by Norman Mailer (76)
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (78, 89, 90, 94, 01, 04, 06, 07, 09)
As You Like It by William Shakespeare (92 05, 06, 10)
Atonement by Ian McEwan (07, 11)
Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson (02, 05)
The Awakening by Kate Chopin (87, 88, 91, 92, 95, 97, 99, 02, 04, 07, 09, 11)
B
“The Bear” by William Faulkner (94, 06)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (90, 99, 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 10, 11)
A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul (03)
Benito Cereno by Herman Melville (89)
Billy Budd by Herman Melville (79, 81, 82, 83, 85, 99, 02, 04, 05, 07, 08)
The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter (89, 97)
Black Boy by Richard Wright (06, 08)
Bleak House by Charles Dickens (94, 00, 04, 09, 10)
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya (94, 96, 97, 99, 04, 05, 06, 08)
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (07, 11)
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (95, 08, 09)
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Bone: A Novel by Fae M. Ng (03)
The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan (06, 07, 11)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (89, 05, 09, 10)
Brideshead Revisted by Evelyn Waugh (12)
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (79)
Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos (09)
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevski (90, 08)
C
Candida by George Bernard Shaw (80)
Candide by Voltaire (80, 86, 87, 91, 95, 96, 04, 06, 10)
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (06)
The Caretaker by Harold Pinter (85)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (82, 85, 87, 89, 94, 01, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 11)
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (01, 08, 11)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (00)
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood (94, 08, 09)
The Centaur by John Updike (81)
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko (94, 96, 97, 99, 01, 03, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12)
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov (71, 77, 06, 07, 09, 10)
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (08)
“Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau (76)
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (06, 08)
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 05, 08, 09, 12)
Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje (01)
Copenhagen by Michael Frayn (09)
The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett (10)
Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton (85, 87, 91, 95, 96, 07, 09)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevski (76, 79, 80, 82, 88, 96, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05,
09, 10, 11)
“The Crisis” by Thomas Paine (76)
The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy (09)
The Crucible by Arthur Miller (71, 83, 86, 89, 04, 05, 09)
D
Daisy Miller by Henry James (97, 03, 12)
Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel (01)
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (78, 83, 06)
“The Dead” by James Joyce (97)
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy (86)
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (86, 88, 94, 03, 04, 05, 07, 12)
Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty (97)
Desire under the Elms by Eugene O’Neill (81)
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (97)
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (06)
The Diviners by Margaret Laurence (95)
Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (79, 86, 99, 04, 11)
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Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (10)
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (71, 83, 87, 88, 95, 05, 09)
The Dollmaker by Harriet Arnot (91)
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (01, 04, 06, 08)
Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia (03)
Dutchman by Amiri Baraka/Leroi Jones (03, 06)
E
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (06)
Emma by Jane Austen (96, 08)
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen (76, 80, 87, 99, 01, 07)
Equus by Peter Shaffer (92, 99, 00, 01, 08, 09)
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (80, 85, 03, 05, 06, 07)
The Eumenides by Aeschylus (in The Orestia) (96)
F
The Fall by Albert Camus (81)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (99, 04, 09)
The Father by August Strindberg (01)
Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (90)
Faust by Johann Goethe (02, 03)
The Federalist by Alexander Hamilton (76)
Fences by August Wilson (02, 03, 05, 09, 10)
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (03)
Fifth Business by Robertson Davis (00, 07)
The Fixer by Bernard Malamud (07)
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (03, 06)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (89, 00, 03, 06, 08)
A Free Life: A Novel by Ha Jin (10)
G
A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest Gaines (00, 11)
Germinal by Emile Zola (09)
A Gesture Life by Chang-Rae Lee (04, 05)
Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen (00, 04)
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (71, 90, 94, 97, 99, 02, 08, 09, 10, 12)
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (10, 11)
Going After Cacciato by Tim O’Brien (01, 06, 10)
The Golden Bowl by Henry James (09)
The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford (00, 11)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (95, 03, 06, 09, 10, 11, 12)
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (79, 80, 88, 89, 92, 95, 96, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08,
10, 12)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (82, 83, 88, 91, 92, 97, 00, 02, 04, 05, 07, 10)
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin (83, 88, 90, 05, 09)
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (87, 89, 01, 04, 06, 09)
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H
The Hairy Ape by Eugene O’Neill (89, 0994, 97, 99, 00)
Hamlet by William Shakespeare (88, 94, 97, 99, 00)
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (03, 09)
Hard Times by Charles Dickens (87, 90, 09)
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (71, 76, 91, 94, 96, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 09, 10, 11, 12)
The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene (71)
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen (79, 92, 00, 02, 03, 05)
Henry IV, Parts I and II by William Shakespeare (80, 90, 08)
Henry V by William Shakespeare (02)
A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes (08)
The Homecoming by Harold Pinter (78, 90)
Home to Harlem by Claude McKay (10)
A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipul (10)
House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday (95, 06, 09)
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (04, 07, 10)
The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (89)
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (08, 10)
I
The Iliad by Homer (80)
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (06)
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (10)
In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien (00)
In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (05)
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (76, 77, 78, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 01, 03,
04, 05, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12)
J
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (78, 79, 80, 88, 91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 00, 05, 07, 08, 10)
Jasmine by Bharati Mukherjee (99, 10)
J.B. by Archibald MacLeish (81, 94)
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson (00, 04)
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (97, 03)
Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding (99)
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy (71, 76, 80, 85, 87, 95, 04, 09, 10)
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (82, 97, 05, 07, 09)
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (77, 78, 82, 88, 89, 90, 96, 09)
K
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (08)
King Lear by William Shakespeare (77, 78, 82, 88, 89, 90, 96, 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 08, 10, 11, 12)
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (07, 08, 09)
L
Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde (09)
A Lesson before Dying by Ernest Gaines (99, 11)
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Letters from an American Farmer by de Crevecoeur (76), 11)
The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman (85, 90, 10)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (08)
Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill (90, 03, 07)
Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe (10)
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad (77, 78, 82, 86, 00, 03, 07)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (85, 08)
The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh (89)
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (95)
“Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T. S. Eliot (85)
Lysistrata by Aristophanes (87)
M
Macbeth by William Shakespeare (83, 99, 03, 05, 09)
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (80, 85, 04, 05, 06, 09, 10)
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane (12)
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis (87, 09)
Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw (79, 96, 04, 07, 09, 11)
Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw (81)
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (03, 06)
Master Harold...and the Boys by Athol Fugard (03, 08, 09)
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (94, 99, 00, 02, 07, 10, 11)
M. Butterfly by David Henry Wang (95, 11, 12)
Medea by Euripides (82, 92, 95, 01, 03)
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers (97, 08)
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards (09)
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare (85, 91, 95, 02, 03, 11)
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (78, 89)
Middlemarch by George Eliot (95, 04, 05, 07)
Middle Passage by V. S. Naipaul (06)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (06, 12)
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot (90, 92, 04)
The Misanthrope by Moliere (08)
Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West (89)
Moby Dick by Herman Melville (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 89, 94, 96, 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09)
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe (76, 77, 86, 87, 95, 09)
Monkey Bridge by Lan Cao (00, 03)
The Moor’s Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie (07)
Mother Courage and Her Children by Berthold Brecht (85, 87, 06)
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (94, 97, 04, 05, 07, 11)
Mrs. Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw (87, 90, 95, 02, 09)
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare (97)
Murder in the Cathedral by T. S. Eliot (76, 80, 85, 95, 07, 11)
“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning (85)
My Ántonia by Willa Cather (03, 08, 10, 12)
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok (03)
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N
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (09, 10)
Native Son by Richard Wright (79, 82, 85, 87, 95, 01, 04, 09, 11, 12)
Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee (99, 03, 05, 07, 08)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (09, 10)
1984 by George Orwell (87, 94, 05, 09)
No Exit by John Paul Sartre (86, 12)
No-No Boy by John Okada (95)
Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevski (89)
O
Obasan by Joy Kogawa (94, 95, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10)
The Octopus by Frank Norris (09)
The Odyssey by Homer (86, 06, 10)
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (77, 85, 88, 00, 03, 04, 11)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (01)
Old School by Tobia Wolff (08)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (09)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (05, 10)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (0, 121)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (89, 04, 12)
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather (06)
The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty (94)
The Orestia by Aeschylus (90)
Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf (04)
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Othello by William Shakespeare (79, 85, 88, 92, 95, 03, 04, 07, 11)
The Other by Thomas Tryon (10)
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (90)
Our Town by Thornton Wilder (86, 97, 09)
Out of Africa by Isaak Dinesen (06)
P
Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov (01)
Pamela by Samuel Richardson (86)
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster (71, 77, 78, 88, 91, 92, 07, 09, 12)
Paradise Lost by John Milton (85, 86, 10)
Passing by Nella Larsen (11)
Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen (06)
Père Goriot by Honore de Balzac (02)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (90, 05, 07)
Phaedre by Jean Racine (92, 03)
The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (96, 99, 07, 08, 10, 12)
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (02)
The Plague by Albert Camus (02, 09, 12)
Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov (97)
Pocho by Jose Antonio Villarreal (02, 08)
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The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (10, 11, 12)
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James ( 88, 92, 96, 03, 05, 07, 11)
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (76, 77, 80, 86, 88, 96, 99, 04, 05, 08, 09,
10, 11)
The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene (95)
Praisesong for the Widow by Paule Marshall (96)
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (09)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (83, 88, 92, 97, 08, 11, 12)
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (90, 08)
Push by Sapphire (07)
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (03, 05, 08)
R
Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow (03, 07)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (87, 90, 94, 96, 99, 07, 09, 12)
The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope (81)
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (08)
Redburn by Herman Melville (87)
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (00, 03, 11)
Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie (08, 09)
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (07)
Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco (09)
Richard III by William Shakespeare (79)
A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean (08)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (10)
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (10)
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (76)
A Room with a View by E. M. Forster (03)
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (90, 92, 97, 08)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard (81, 94, 00, 04, 05, 06, 10, 11)
S
Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw (95)
The Sandbox by Edward Albee (71)
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (71, 77, 78, 83, 88, 91, 99, 02, 04, 05, 06, 11)
Sent for You Yesterday by John Edgar Wideman (03)
A Separate Peace by John Knowles (82, 07)
Set This House on Fire by William Styron (11)
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx (97)
Silas Marner by George Eliot (02)
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (87, 02, 04, 09, 10)
Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (10)
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (91, 04)
Snow by Orhan Pamuk (09)
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (00, 10, 12)
A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller (11)
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (81, 88, 96, 00, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10)
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Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence (77, 90)
Sophie’s Choice by William Styron (09)
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (77, 86, 97, 01, 07, 08)
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (96, 04)
The Story of Edgar sawtelle by David Wroblewski (11)
The Stranger by Albert Camus (79, 82, 86, 04)
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (91, 92, 01, 04, 07, 08, 09, 1, 110)
The Street by Ann Petry (07)
Sula by Toni Morrison (92, 97, 02, 04, 07, 08, 10, 12)
Surfacing by Margaret Atwood (05)
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (85, 91, 95, 96, 04, 05, 12)
T
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (82, 91, 04, 08)
Tarftuffe by Moliere (87)
The Tempest by William Shakespeare (71, 78, 96, 03, 05, 07, 10)
Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (82, 91, 03, 06, 07, 12)
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zorah Neale Hurston (88, 90, 91, 96, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10,
11)
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (91, 97, 03, 09, 10, 11)
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien (04, 09)
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (06)
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (11)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (08, 09, 11)
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (77, 86, 88, 08)
Tom Jones by Henry Fielding (90, 00, 06, 08)
Tracks by Louise Erdrich (05)
The Trial by Franz Kafka (88, 89, 00, 11)
Trifles by Susan Glaspell (00)
Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne (86)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (92, 94, 00, 02, 04, 08)
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (85, 94, 96, 11)
Typical American by Gish Jen (02, 03, 05)
U
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (87, 09)
U.S.A. (trilogy) by John Dos Passos (09)
V
The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith (06)
Victory by Joseph Conrad (83)
Volpone by Ben Jonson (83)
W
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett (77, 85, 86, 89, 94, 01, 09, 12)
The Warden by Anthony Trollope (96)
Washington Square by Henry James (90)
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The Wasteland by T. S. Eliot (81)
Watch on the Rhine by Lillian Hellman (87)
The Way of the World by William Congreve (71)
The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope (06)
We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates (07)
When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka (12)
Who Has Seen the Wind by W. O. Mitchell (11)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee (88, 94, 00, 04, 07, 11)
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (89, 92, 05, 07, 08)
The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen (78)
Winter in the Blood by James Welch (95)
Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare (82, 89, 95, 06)
Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor (82, 89, 95, 09, 10)
Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston (91, 08)
The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor (09, 10, 12)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (71,77, 78, 79, 83, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 96, 97, 99, 01, 06,
07, 08, 10, 12)
Z
The Zoo Story by Edward Albee (82, 01)
Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez (95)
http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/AP/APtitles.html
Updated 13 May 2012 *Includes both Form A and Form B
No specific works were mentioned on some of the earliest exams and others listed authors, not titles.
Specific references from 1971 have been added.
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High School PAP/AP Reading Selections
9th Grade Mythology (SR)
Lord of the Flies(SR)
Great Expectations
To Kill a Mockingbird
A Raisin in the Sun
Ethan Frome
Pride and Prejudice
Twelfth Night
The Odyssey
10th Grade Jane Eyre (SR)
1984 (SR)
Medea
The Grapes of Wrath
Cyrano de Bergerac
A Tale of Two Cities
Mrs. Dalloway
Othello
Orpheus Descending
AP Language and Composition
(11th) In Cold Blood (SR)
The Grass Harp (SR)
“A Lamp in the Window” (SR)
The Crucible
The Scarlet Letter
A Mercy
The Great Gatsby
The Sound and the Fury
The Glass Menagerie
A Streetcar Named Desire
Crime and Punishment
Macbeth
AP Literature and Composition
(12th) Brave New World (SR)
The Poisonwood Bible (SR)
Beowulf
The Canterbury Tales
Hamlet
A Modest Proposal
Oedipus Rex
The Importance of Being Ernest
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Waiting for Godot
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Annotation: What it is for, and how to do it.
Annotation is active engaged reading. It is reading with a pen or pencil in hand and responding as
one reads by underlining important passages and adding marginal notes, comments and personal
responses to what is being read. It is reading that requires the active engagement of both the mind
and the hand, rather than the mere passing of one’s eyes over an assignment hoping to get the ‘gist”
of the story.
Benefits
Annotation is the first step in analyzing and understanding a given work, whether it is a work of
literature or a newspaper or magazine article. A close reading of any work will reveal its strengths as
well as its weaknesses and is an invaluable skill for the college-bound students, as any glance at the
used-book stacks at a college bookstore will immediately make clear. In fact, it could be fairly said
that annotating assigned textbook readings in college is a way of life. However, whether you see
college in your future or not, you should make the practice of annotating as you read a life-long habit.
It will make you a more critical, analytical thinker, and that is a life skill from which you can reap
benefits regardless of the career path you choose.
How do you annotate?
In this class, we will be annotating works of literature, but the basic steps and thought processes will
be the same for any piece of reading material. An in-depth analysis requires at least two readings.
During this reading, you should underline unfamiliar words and [bracket passages] that you do not
understand, or that need further explanation. In the margin, note your initial reactions and responses
to this initial reading. Underline words or phrases that are repeated.
In literature, there are at least 12 possible areas that are open to analysis in any given work: setting,
characterization, point of view, tone, style, imagery, symbols, figures of speech, plot, structure,
conflict and theme. Focusing on these elements provides a good starting point for any analysis. The
suggested steps below are intended to aid you in making annotations. Remember: annotation is a
skill, and, like any skill, it gets better and easier with practice. Do not be intimidated. Your
annotations are essentially a reflection of your own thought processes and your interaction with the
text. There is no single “right way” to annotate.
Start like this:
1. Look carefully at the title. Are there any wordplay (pun, irony, double-meaning, etc.) or
possible symbolic or thematic implications contained in the title? Don’t wait to see if you are
right. Simply indicate your suspicions in a margin comment and move on.
2. What information is contained in the exposition (the introduction of the setting, characters and
immediate situation)? The exposition can be the first few paragraphs, or the first chapter of a
longer work. Underline significant details such as time and place (setting). What is the mood
or atmosphere in the exposition (what does the author want you, the reader, to feel)? Indicate
the mood in the margin. Does it change later? What words suggest the mood? Mark the
most extensive or important descriptions of physical place, and underline the most telling
words and phrases.
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3. Underline the name and description of each character as he/she is introduced. The details
may become significant later. Mark the “main character” or a secondary character’s
relationship to the main character (i.e. wife, husband, friend, etc.).
4. Note the point of view. Who is telling the story? Underline any repeated actions, habits or
words of characters. When the characters speak, are they being sincere or sarcastic? How do
you know? What evidence supports your speculation?
5. What is the tone? (The author’s attitude toward the subject.) Underline the words that suggest
tone and write “tone” in the margin.
6. Is the style ornate or simple? Does it rely on figurative language (repetition, alliteration,
metaphor, simile, etc.) or is the style plain and the subject directly stated?
7. If the author uses figurative language, underline examples and write in the margin what kind
of figurative language is being used. Underline images that are recurring.
8. If the sentence(s) appeal to you, underline them and put a note in the margin saying why.
9. Circle possible symbols in the work and suggest possible meanings in the margin as you read.
What evidence supports these meanings? Underline examples. Pay particular attention to
repeated words or phrases.
10. Mark the structural units of the work (i.e. exposition, introduction of conflict,
complication/conflict, climax, resolution). Be sure to mark the major conflicts and climax!
11. Consider how the title, names of characters, symbols may be related to a theme. Write
possible themes in the margin.
12. Review all your annotations. Do you see an emerging pattern? Is there a pattern? If so, does
it begin earlier than the first indication that you noted? If there is not an apparent pattern, are
there any connections or conclusions that can be made based on your annotations? Write
them in the margins.
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Major Works Data Sheet Note: Cite references in MLA format, in-text and parenthetically. Complete a Works Cited page of all references used.
Title:
Author:
Date of Authoring:
Date of Publication:
Genre:
Biographical information about the author and
historical information about the period of
publication:
Characteristics of the genre:
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Describe the author’s style:
Give examples that demonstrate this style and
explain how it does so:
Memorable Quotations: You may use additional paper if needed. Quotation, speaker, page number, and “What
does it say?”
“What does it mean?” and “Why does it matter?”
1.
2.
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3.
4.
5.
***More Quotes will be needed***
Major Characters Character’s Name What role does this
person have in the story? Why is the character
significant to the
story?
Character Traits:
What sort of person is
this?
1.
2.
3.
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4.
5.
6.
Describe the setting(s) and the mood the
setting(s) creates.
What is the significance of the opening scene?
What is the point of view?
Major symbols and what they mean:
Major allusions, images, motifs and what
function they serve:
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Themes:
What is the significance of the ending/closing scenes?
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ASSIGNMENT WORDS/TASKS
WORD Meaning/Task Analyze Break the issue or problem into separate parts and discuss, examine, or interpret
each part and the relationship between them. Sometimes this involves looking
carefully at causes and effects.
Analyze the
Argument and
Conclusion
Look at the truth and persuasiveness of the reasons given for a position and the
degree to which the conclusion is justified based on these reasons.
Compare Describe/discuss the similarities between two or more objects, situations, or ideas.
Contrast Describe/discuss the differences between two or more objects, situations, or ideas.
Critique State your own opinion on the correctness or merits; approval and/or disapproval of
an argument or idea.
Define Tell what a particular word or term means in an essay. Usually, this is not a
dictionary definition, but rather clarifies how the author is using the term
Describe Give a detailed account, naming characteristics, parts, or qualities.
Evaluate This term literally means to determine the “value” of something, to discover how
good or bad something is. It usually means that you should argue that something is
good or bad and then discuss your reasoning. Discuss some things advantages and
limitations.
Explain Help your reader understand the reasoning behind your position by showing the
logical development in step-by-step fashion. You might also be asked to show how
something works or how to do something; to tell the meaning, to make clear, to
interpret.
Illustrate To use a word picture, diagram, chart, or concrete examples to clarify a point
Interpret To give meaning of, translate
Justify Give good reasons for, give evidence, present facts to support position, incorporate
and refute opposite points of view
Prove Establish the truth by giving factual evidence and logical reasons
State Tell the reader your opinion strongly and concisely
Summarize Give the main point(s)
Trace Follow the course or trail of; give a description
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The key to unlocking tone in a piece of literature is through the following elements:
diction, imagery, details, language, and syntax. These elements are also known as
DIDLS.
D (Diction) Choose unusual and/or effective words from the passage.
Evaluate the connotations of the words and write
synonyms for each. Then, decide what the word choice
suggests about the character’s or narrator’s demeanor.
I (Images) Cite examples of imagery from the passage. Identify the
sense appealed to, and interpret the meaning.
D (Details) List facts or the sequence of events from the passage.
L (Language) Determine the type of language used (formal, informal,
clinical, jargon, literal, vulgar, artificial, sensuous,
concrete, precise, pedantic, etc.). Site examples.
S (Syntax) How does sentence structure reveal the character’s
attitude?
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DO STYLES A quick perusal of the types of essay questions on the AP Exams reveals that at least 30-50% of the
questions will be asking you to analyze an author’s STYLE. What do we mean when we use the word
“style” in a literary sense? If you think of literary style in the same way that you think of fashion
style, then you may begin to understand. A fashion designer has certain well-known features of
her/his work which set it apart from other designers. Some designers use only a certain type of fabric,
color, or emphasize a certain level of formality in their creations. Authors do the same thing, only
with WORDS. Just like fashion designers use fabric, color, and levels of formality in their create their
style, authors use several different components to create their STYLE. To help you remember the
different aspects of writing which create STYLE, here is another (oh boy!) acronym:
Diction – word choices made by the author, consider both CONNOTATION AND DENOTATION
Objective of Author – author’s PURPOSE for writing his/her work, what does he/she hope to
teach you?
Syntax – the way the sentences are structured, the way PUNCTUATION (first key) is used,
whether the sentences are all long, all short, or a mixture, and how a rhythm is created in the prose
(much like the rhythm in a poem created by stressed and unstressed syllables). Includes parallel
structures, repetition, etc.
Tone – the attitude of the author toward his material.
You (Audience) – is the author aware of his audience? Is he/she AIMING his comments at a
certain group of people? Are his words appropriate for his audience (remember McKuen's poem?)
How does he/she use words to appeal to a certain group? Does he/she offend anyone? Please anyone?
Level of Language – which level of language is the author using? Why? Levels include
ACADEMIC, FORMAL, INFORMAL, CONVERSATIONAL, JARGON, COLLOQUIAL,
DIALECT, SLANG, BIBLICAL, LEGALISTIC, etc.
Elements and Devices – includes both LITERARY and RHETORICAL (logical argument)
elements. Literary elements include figurative language, fiction elements such as foreshadowing,
symbols, irony, etc. Rhetorical devices include rhetorical question, persuasive techniques like
bandwagon, ad hominem, and appeals to ethics, logic, or emotion.
Structure – the way the ENTIRE work (essay, story, novel, play) or large portions of it are
organized. Consider point of view, tense and time shifts, flashbacks, digressions, juxtaposition,
comparisons and contrasts, closure, patterns, and motifs.
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Using TPCASTT and TPFASTT for Analysis of Poetry
T Title What do the words of the title suggest to you? What denotations are
presented in the title? What connotations or associations do the words posses?
P Paraphrase Translate the poem in your own words. What is the poem about?
C Connotation What meaning does the poem have beyond the literal meaning? Fill in
the chart below.
Form Diction Imagery
Point of View Details Allusions
Symbolism Figurative Language Other Devices
(antithesis, apostrophe, sound devices, irony,
oxymoron, paradox, pun, sarcasm, understatement)
A Attitude What is the speaker’s attitude? How does the speaker feel about
himself, about others, and about the subject? What is the author’s attitude? How does the author feel about the speaker, about other characters, about the subject, and the reader?
S Shifts Where do the shifts in tone, setting, voice, etc. occur? Look for time and
place, keywords, punctuation, stanza divisions, changes in length or rhyme, and sentence structure. What is the purpose of each shift? How do they contribute to effect and meaning?
T Title Reanalyze the title on an interpretive level. What part does the title play
in the overall interpretation of the poem?
T Theme List the subjects and the abstract ideas in the poem. Then determine the
overall theme. The theme must be written in a complete sentence.
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T Title and
Author
Ponder the title before reading the poem.
What do you think it will be about?
P Paraphrase
Read the poem at least twice-maybe even aloud.
What is going on in the poem?
Translate and summarize the poem into your own words.
F Figurative
Language
Find at least 3 different types of figurative language such as similes and metaphors,
idioms, personification, repetition, alliteration, etc. Refer to your PAP Notebook
for other examples.
Make a list and give an example for each.
Ex: Repetition – “And then” is repeated several times to build suspense.
A Attitude
Who is the speaker?
What is the overall tone of the poem?
Look for diction, images, and details that suggest their points of view and
contribute to the understanding of the poem.
Use your list and explain how the author creates this tone.
S Shift
Notice changes in speakers and in attitudes.
Where does it happen in your poem?
Watch for changes in line length, sound, diction, and punctuation.
Explain why the author used the shift(s).
T Title
Reexamine the poem’s title again, this time looking at its meaning.
How does it relate to the poem?
Why did the author give it that title?
Would you have given the poem a different title?
T Theme
Determine what message the poet is conveying.
Look for human experience, motivation, or condition.
Start with a list of words that you can think of and make one into a statement
reflecting what the poem is trying to say.
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SOAPSTone
Speaker The voice that tells the story. The author and the speaker are NOT necessarily the same. An author may choose to tell the story from any number of different points of view. In non-fiction consider important facts about speaker that will help assess his/her point of view / position.
Occasion The time and place of the piece; the context that encouraged the writing to happen. Writing does not occur in a vacuum. There is the larger occasion: an environment of ideas and emotions that swirl around a broad issue. Then there is the immediate occasion: an event or situation that catches the writer’s attention and triggers a response.
Audience The group of readers to whom this piece is directed. The audience may be one person, a small group, or a large group; it may be a certain person or a certain people.
Purpose The reason behind the text. Consider the purpose of the text in order to examine the argument and its logic. You should ask yourself, “What does the speaker want the audience to think or do as a result of reading this text?”
Subject The general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text. You should be able to state the subject in a few words or a phrase.
Tone
The attitude of the author. The spoken word can convey the speaker’s attitude, and, thus, help to impart meaning, through tone of voice. With the written work, it is tone that extends meaning beyond the literal. Tone can be determined by examining the author’s diction (choice of words), syntax (sentence construction), and imagery (vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses).
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Finding Themes
Two-step process for identifying in a work of fiction:
1. Write a list of words (4-5) that complete this sentence:
The story is primarily about ____________.
2. Now, write a complete sentence that explains the lesson about life
learned, using one or more of the words chosen above.
NOTE: A THEME IS NEVER ONE WORD!
Thesis Statements about Literature A thesis is a single sentence that introduces 1) your topic (the SUBJECT of your
paper), 2) your position on the subject (i.e. your view/opinion/argument on the topic),
and 3) your evidence (HOW PROVENS) to prove your position.
In English Language Arts classes, in class essays and research papers are often about
pieces of fiction. As a result, you must include two additional pieces of information in
a thesis statement: 4) the author’s full name, and 5) the name of the work of literature
you will be discussing in your paper.
An easy way to remember these requirements for a thesis statement in a literary paper
is the acronym:
P-A-T-H P = Position
A = Author
T = Title
H = How provens
The strongest essays will have at least 3 HOW PROVENS (pieces of evidence) to
prove the position of the paper. A strong thesis is like a sturdy stool. You need at least
3 legs for a stool to stand up, any less and it will fall. Similarly, your essay will not
stand up unless you have 3 strong examples or pieces of evidence to support it.
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Syntax / Sentence Structure Terms One of the most important elements of syntax is the way words, phrases, and clauses are arranged.
This is a key element of the author’s style and can have a marked effect on meaning.
Syntax: The arrangement of words and the order of grammatical elements in a sentence.
Patterns by Purpose Declarative Sentence
Makes a statement:
“The king is sick.”
Imperative Sentence
Gives a command:
“Cure the king.”
Interrogative Sentence
Asks a question:
“Is the king sick?”
Exclamatory Sentence
Provides emphasis or expresses strong emotion:
“The king is dead! Long live the king!”
Patterns by Structure Simple Sentence
Contains one independent clause:
“The singer bowed to her adoring audience.”
Compound Sentence
Contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon:
“The singer bowed to the audience, hut she sang no encores.”
Complex Sentence
Contains an independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses:
“Because the singer was tired, she went straight to bed after the concert.”
Compound-Complex
Contains two or more independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses:
“The singer bowed while the audience applauded, but she sang no encores.”
Patterns by Syntax Loose or Cumulative Sentence
Makes complete sense if brought to a close before the actual ending:
“We reached Edmonton that morning after a turbulent flight and some exciting experiences,
tired but exhilarated, full of stories to tell our friends and neighbors.”
Periodic Sentence
Makes sense fully only when the end of the sentence is reached:
“That morning, after a turbulent flight and some exciting experiences, we reached
Edmonton.”
Balanced Sentence
The phrases or clauses balance each other by virtue of their likeness of structure, meaning, or
length:
“He maketh me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
Natural Order of a Sentence
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Involves constructing a sentence so the subject comes before the predicate:
“Oranges grow in California.”
Sentence Inversion
Involves constructing a sentence so the predicate comes before the predicate:
“In California grow the oranges.”
Juxtaposition
A poetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are
placed next to one another, often crating an effect of surprise and wit:
“The apparition of these faces in the crowd:/Petals on a wet, black bough.” (“In a Station of
the Metro” by Ezra Pound)
Parallel Structure
Refers to the grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of a sentence. It
involves an arrangement of words, or phrases, sentences, and paragraphs so that elements of
equal importance are equally developed and similarly phrased:
“He loved swimming, running, and playing tennis.”
Repetition
A device in which words, sounds and ideas are used more than once to enhance rhythm and to
create emphasis:
“...government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
(Address at Gettysburg by Abraham Lincoln)
Rhetorical Question
A question that requires no answer. It is used to draw attention to a point and is generally
stronger than a direct statement:
“If Mr. Ferchoff is always fair, as you have said, why did he refuse to listen to Mrs. Baldwin’s
arguments?”
Rhetorical Fragment
A sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose or to create effect:
“Something to consider.”
Advanced Syntax Techniques The techniques listed here are powerful strategies for using language. Students find it both interesting
and valuable to identify these techniques in the works of authors and to use them in their own writing.
Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses e.g.,”We
shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the
streets, we shall fight in the hills.” (Winston Churchill)
Asyndeton
Deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses: e.g., “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
(Julius Caesar)
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Chiasmus/Antithesis
A sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in the second clause is a reversal of the first:
e.g., Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” (John F.
Kennedy)
Polysyndeton
The deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis to highlight quantity or mass of detail
or to create a flowing, continuous sentence pattern: e.g., Themeal was huge — my mother fixed okra
and green beans and ham and apple pie and green pickled tomatoes and ambrosia salad and all
manner of fine country food — but no matter how I tried, I could not consume it to her satisfaction.”
Stichomvthia
Dialogue in which the endings and beginnings of each line echo each other, taking on a new meaning
with each new line, as in the following example from Hamlet:
Hamlet: Now mother, what’s the matter?
Queen: Hamlet. thou hast thy father much offended.
Hamlet: Mother, you have my father much offended.
Queen: Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.
Hamlet: Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Second Edition. ©1997 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Zeugma
The use of a verb that has two different meanings with objects that complement both meanings: e.g.,
“He stole both her car and her heart that fateful, night.”
Some suggestions for Syntactical Revision: While students are peer-editing essays, short stories, or other writing, they should work on their
syntax as well as on mechanical problems.
1. Rework most sentences beginning with the expletive “there.”
2. Change all passive voice sentences to active voice: e.g., change “The ball was caught by John,” to
“John caught the ball.”
3. Add a sentence using a comparison (simile or metaphor).
4. Replace “be” verbs with active verbs.
5. Combine any two sentences to form one compound, one complex, or one compound-complex
sentence.
6. Change one declarative sentence into an interrogative sentence and answer it with a rhetorical
fragment.
7. Move one sentence to a more effective location in the paragraph.
8. Use a sophisticated syntactical technique (anaphora, chiasmus, polysyndeton, rhetorical fragment.
etc.) in at least one of the sentences.
The AP Vertical Teams Guide for English. 2nd ed. College Board, 2002.
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What AP Readers Long to See…
This list of suggestions for AP students writing the AP exam was compiled during the 2007 AP
English reading at the Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Although its participants read
essays that answered only question number 1, their suggestions apply to other parts of the exam as
well.
The prompt, which generated the essays being scored, was from the 2007 AP English Literature
exam, as follows:
In the following two poems (A Barred Owl by Richard Wilbur & The History Teacher
by Billy Collins – not reprinted here), adults provide explanations for children. Read
the poems carefully. Then write an essay in which you compare and contrast the two
poems, analyzing how each poet uses literary devices to make his point.
I’ve done my best to encapsulate, synthesize and categorize comments – there were over 40 pages
from which to work. I also know that there are contradictions here; that’s just the way it is.
However, the similarities far outweigh the differences. We do all seem to be on the same page, so to
speak.
Structure & Composition
1. Fully develop your essays; try to write at least 2 pages. It’s a shame to read the first page of
what promises to be an 8 or 9 essay and then have the writer not fully develop their ideas and
quit after one page. However, a longer essay is not necessarily a better essay.
2. Integrate your quotations gracefully (1) into your analysis of literary devices (2) with an
interpretation of meaning (3). Thoroughly explain the relevance of the quote to the prompt and
your analysis. Don’t assume that your understanding of a quote is the same as the readers’
understanding; you have to interpret its significance to the work, your thesis and the prompt.
Show, don’t tell.
3. Spend time planning your essay (10 minutes), and find some angle, within the context of the
prompt, that you feel passionate about, whether emotionally, intellectually or philosophically
(passion moves readers). If the prompt refers to “literary devices” or any other technical aspects
of the work, ignore the reference and ask first, “What does the poem mean?” THEN, ask, “What
message does the author have for you?” THEN, ask, “How is that message delivered?” At this
point, the devices should suggest themselves in a context in which the technicalities of the work
will be seen to create its effectiveness rather than obscuring its power.
a. One reader suggested leaving some space at the beginning and write your introduction
last, once you know what you’ve actually written.
4. Don’t just jump from thought to thought; transition quickly but effectively.
5. Make sure your essay has a clear ARGUABLE thesis statement which clearly reflects what you
intend to discuss. Make sure your thesis is an EXACT reflection of what the prompt is asking
WITHOUT simply restating the prompt. A good formula is “The text shows X in order to
show/highlight/accomplish Y.” Connect the literary device back to the author’s point.
6. Spend more time thinking and analyzing the ENTIRE text rather than paraphrasing the text in
your response. Many writers miss or ignore subtle shades of meaning which show contrasts or
similarities. Look for ambiguities and ambivalence in the selection.
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7. Make sure that all your claims/analysis has effective support AND that the support you choose is
the best the text has to offer. When considering what support to use, reflect on the following:
a. Are they all equal?
b. Do they grow or diminish in importance or scale?
c. Are there different aspects of one thing or varieties?
8. The conclusion should be a separate paragraph, even if you only have time for one sentence.
Don’t just stop after your last argument, and avoid simply repeating your introduction in your
conclusion. A good conclusion could restate the thesis, emphasize salient aspects of the essay
and end with a provocative clincher.
9. While avoiding the formula of the five-paragraph essay, it would also be helpful to see more
than one or two GIGANTIC paragraphs. Because readers read through only once and quickly,
not having those cues to where ideas begin and end contributes to the incoherency of an essay.
Structure is part of essay writing, and students need to show that they can command the language and
their thoughts into a structured essay.
10. Don’t use plot summary in your response. “Summary is death!”
11. Evidence, evidence, evidence!
12. Avoid formulaic writing, especially in the opening of your essay. If you use a formula to get the
pen moving, then do, but if 10 or 15 seconds though will help you craft something more creative
or original or efficient, that that’s 10 seconds well spent. Readers will read hundreds and
hundreds of essays, 90% of which start the same way (think refrigerator word magnets simply
rearranged a thousand different ways), and if you can create something memorable (but not
wacky), it may bring more attention to your work.
13. Don’t use line numbers, but briefly quote instead. Line numbers never substitute for the actual
quote when supporting a point, AND most readers will not go back to the poem or text to see
which lines you are referring to. Finally, when quoting, don’t simply give the first and last
words with an ellipsis in between. Use the exact words that are most important in demonstrating
your point.
14. Take some time to consider point of view and audience before digging in. Many essays confuse
the actual purpose of the text by not thinking about or ignoring the proposed audience or point of
view.
15. Teachers should remind students that they can write on any work OF LITERARY MERIT which
is a PLAY or a NOVEL. Some students wrote notes that they hadn't read any of the suggested
works so they were giving up. In addition, the reading slowed down as readers searched the
table for someone who might even recognize titles that none of us had heard of.
Style
1. Avoid long, flowery (purple prose), showy, catchy, etc, introductions; stick to a few sentences
and get to the point (aka your thesis).
2. Don’t moralize or comment on the quality of the work – “I liked the poem,” etc; focus on literary
analysis as a means to convey your opinions not on how you personally felt about the selection.
And, don’t comment on the author, either: “Such and such was a great 20th
century author
who….” Or “Milton does a great job of …”
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3. Try not to be too controversial, politically speaking.
4. Avoid affective fallacy, which argues that the reader's response to a poem is the ultimate
indication of its value.
5. Creative writing is not academic writing.
6. Take some risks. Be aware of your strengths as a writer and show them off. Be critical and
analytical.
7. Develop your essay well, but be thinking about being concise, too. Less can be more.
8. Don’t repeat yourself. Find new ways to say the same thing if you must reiterate a point.
9. Write as legibly and neatly as possible; WRITE USING LARGE LETTERS. Readers will
always do their best to read every word, but stumbling through an essay which is illegible, too
small or too big does impact our understanding of the response.
10. It’s not necessary to write titles for your responses; in fact, many readers do not like them at all.
11. Don’t confuse the characters in a poem or text with the audience or the speaker of the piece.
Don’t confuse the speaker with the author, either.
12. Avoid lists: “The writer uses words such as …to show…”
13. Complex ideas require complex or multiple sentences. Don’t oversimplify.
14. Do not use little hearts, stars or circles to dot your “i’s.” It makes your essay harder to read and
takes away valuable time from your analysis.
15. Use a black pen.
16. Use an active voice, simple present tense (literary tense) and strong verbs.
17. Be yourself! Strut your stuff! Use your own voice in the essay. BUT, don’t show off or “act
smart” either. Patronizing or pretentious essays often don’t make the cut because the author is
more interested in himself or herself than in taking care of business (aka answering the prompt).
18. We don’t care about your love life, your opinions on Iraq or the US government, your ex-
boyfriend or girlfriend, how you’re having a bad hair day, your unreasonable parents, or your
lousy AP teacher (at least for the purposes set before us) – write about the literature.
19. Avoid “fluff.”
20. When editing your writing, try not to make changes within the sentence; simply cross out the
whole sentence and start over.
21. Don’t apologize in your essay for a lack of understanding, learning, etc. Show what you can do;
don’t apologize for what you can’t do.
Focus – aka THE PROMPT
1. Respond to the prompt and the prompt ONLY (AP = Address the Prompt – accurately,
completely and specifically). Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the prompt
asks before beginning, and don’t twist it into what you really want to write about. We readers
need to know what and how you understood the text and its relationship to the prompt. This
came up many, many times and is probably the most important part of your task. Too many
great essays go down in flames because the student simply did not respond to the prompt.
2. Be as specific as possible with your analysis as it refers to the prompt. Don’t over-generalize.
Generalizations don’t make good evidence to support assertions.
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3. Don’t simply restate the prompt in your introduction. Using language from the prompt is fine
when and if it is combined with an interpretation which you plan on pursuing in the essay.
4. Some literary devices are genre specific; know the difference. There is some overlap, of course,
but certain distinctions are worth noting.
5. Don’t simply list devices; focus on a few and show how AND WHY they are used – what the
device adds to the meaning of the text. Literary devices are not important in and of themselves,
and truly excellent writers don’t just observe devices, they discuss their consequences. Literary
devices are tools the author uses to create meaning. Ask yourself “So what?” If there’s a rhyme
scheme, so what? What purpose does it serve?
6. Especially when responding to poetry, explain how form relates to content. Form and content
are mutually constitutive; any discussion of one should include the other.
7. Literary terms should be used correctly and appropriately. If you’re not sure what a term means
or refers to, don’t use it in your essay, and don’t make up devices. Finally, don’t take time to
define literary terms. We’re English teachers; we already know them. Instead, focus on
explaining how the literary device is being used effectively.
8. When you analyze a work, assess the whole work from start to finish as an organic whole. Don’t
carve your analysis into paragraphs for each device; evaluate how the work builds to its
conclusion and creates its tone and effects.
9. Don’t forget what are often the most important parts of a text, especially a poem: THE TITLE
AND THE ENDING.
10. When asked to compare and contrast, remember that simply because one text uses devices X, Y
and Z does not mean that the second text uses the same devices and, therefore, must be part of
your analysis. You should be looking at overall meaning and how the author achieves that
meaning regardless of the devices involved for each text.
11. Don’t write about ANYTHING which can’t be related back to the theme and the prompt. Also,
don’t show off by alluding to other works that you have read or studied, not even in the
conclusion. Doing so almost always diminishes your other observations.
12. Take some time to review your essay and make sure it relates back to the prompt. Many essays
start our well focused and end up digressing.
13. Many readers responded that you should try to discuss rhyme, structure, etc when working with
poetry BUT ONLY if you know what you are talking about. The same is true when dealing with
structural attributes of prose passages. BUT, don’t ONLY discuss structure, and don’t assume
that structure is the end all or be all of the analysis.
14. If you don’t have much to discuss, do it quickly.
15. If you think a selection is too simple or easy, look again!
16. Don’t force symbolism into your analysis. Everything is not symbolic. It is better to miss
symbolism that only might exist than to distort the meaning of the work by creating symbols that
are simply not there.
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Vocabulary & Word Choice
1. The term “diction” does not mean “word choice.” It refers more specifically to the formality of the
writer’s language. Looking closely at the writer’s selection of words and phrases, along with his or
her use of sentence construction and syntax, all lead to determining the diction of a selection.
2. When comparing and contrasting, don’t write that the texts are similar and different or that they are
“the same and different.” This comment was made MANY times.
3. Avoid the use of clichés.
4. Put your time into answering the prompt – understatement is fine instead of litotes, for example.
5. Do not inflate your essay with jargon. Readers know “big words,” too. They may know more of
them than you. Instead, use words effectively and in context. Simple, clear, and direct diction is
preferable to high-toned literary bafflegab (pretentious and obscure talk full of technical terminology
or circumlocutions).
6. Do not misspell the names of poets, authors, poems, books, terms from the prompt, etc. It looks
sloppy. Plus, poems are not plays or novels; plays are not poems or novels; and novels are not
poems or plays.
7. Know the differences – analyzing, explaining, paraphrasing, summarizing, describing, etc.
8. “Simplistic” doesn’t mean “simple.”
9. Mastery of grammar and mechanical skills is important and strengthens the essay.
10. Writers don’t “use” diction or tone, nor do they “use literary terms” in their writing. ALL sentences
have diction and syntax. The questions is, therefore, what kind of diction and syntax is being used
AND why. Don’t write that, “The author uses diction (or syntax or whatever) to show his or her
meaning.”
11. A rhyme scheme and/or metrical pattern do not mean the poem is “sing songy” or “childlike.”
12. Avoid the word “flow”; it means nothing.
13. Poems and stories are not “journeys.”
14. Don’t talk about the effect something has on the reader’s feelings or emotions. In fact, avoid the
word “feel” altogether. Example: “…to make the reader feel…”; “…a story-like feel versus a
rhythmic feel...”; “As one reads, it will make the reader flow through the poem and feel like he is
there.”
15. Authors don’t “use” devices to make something interesting, more accessible or more complicated to
read or understand.
16. Avoid using the diminutive or augmentative forms of words simply to highlight what may be more
subtle differences in meaning.
17. Don’t create “new” words (or neologisms) in your essays.
18. Avoid empty words: unique, different, similar, negative, etc – make your own “weak word list.”
19. “Rhyme” does not mean the poem is simple.
20. Poetry is written in stanzas not paragraphs.
21. Avoid “in today’s society” and “paints a picture.”
22. Words are not a poetic device.
23. Mood and tone are not the same thing.
Downloaded from apenglish on August 28th, 2007. We all appreciate the time it took “tomrompf” to
create this list and especially that he is willing to share it.
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16 DETRACTORS FROM MATURE ACADEMIC VOICE
1. Use of first person. Avoid “I think,” “I believe,” “To me this means…”
2. Use of second person “you.” Avoid the use of the second person. No: “When you die…” Instead use: “When
humans die…” or “When one dies…” No: “The author’s use of diction makes you feel…” Rather use: “The
author’s use of diction makes the reader feel…”
3. Colloquial speech and immature, excessively informal vocabulary. Examples: “Your average Joe,” “Joe College,”
“Back in the olden days,” “Nowadays,” “A bunch of…a ton of…” (Does the writer mean a “significant
number of”?); “I would have to agree/disagree…” (because you don’t have to); “He got off…” (Rather use a
more elevated “He escaped justice…”); and so on.
4. Use of psychobabble. Do not over-emphasize psychological lasting effects (unless stated in prompts).
5. Use of absolutes. “always” “never” “everybody” “99.99% of people agree…” All of these sound false, absolutes
are a rarity.
6. Excesses of tone. Hysterical, breathless, indignant, self-righteous, cute, breezy, etc. Example: “If a homeless
man even talks he gets arrested.”
7. Cheerleading. This is a special type of excess of tone when a student lavishes praise on an author or his work.
Example: “The greatest poet…” “Does a magnificent job…” “obviously a genius…” (Note: this observation is
not intended to squelch true passion or heart-felt response to texts).
8. Silly, weak, childish examples. Students’ lack of discernment with regard to quality of examples or evidence;
using cartoons, Disney movies, etc. as legitimate evidence (unless mentioned in prompts.)
9. Rhetorical questions. Especially those with an indignant response, such as: “Do we Americans have to put up
with this? I think not!”
10. Clichés. All of them. They are old and no one wants to read another.
11. Exclamation points. Especially when a student uses a lot of them!!!
12. Most adverbs. Such as basically, obviously, surely, certainly, very, really, incredibly, totally, should be used
sparingly (if ever).
13. Writing about author and speaker or narrator as though they are the same. Weak: Dickinson greets death as a
courtly suitor. Stronger: Dickinson’s speaker greets death as a courtly suitor.
14. Misspelling the author’s name. Although misspellings are often overlooked, pay heed to the author’s correct
name.
15. Referring to authors by their first name. Unless you are close personal friends, it is appropriate to use last names.
16. Writing about an author’s life rather than his or her specific purpose in a text. Weak: “Dickinson writes about
death because she was surrounded by it.” Stronger: “Dickinson’s purpose in using this image is to….”
V. Stevenson
7/31/02
Patrick Henry High School
[email protected]
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AP TERMINOLOGY
Literary Elements
*Red = Introduced in JH PAP, reinforced at all grade levels **Blue = Introduced in 9th Grade PAP ***Green = Introduced in 10th Grade PAP ****Light Blue = AP Language and Composition *****Purple = AP Literature and Composition Allegory a narrative in which characters, action, and sometimes setting represent
abstract concepts or moral qualities
Allusion* brief, often direct reference to a person, place, event, work of art,
literature, or music which the author assumes the reader will recognize
Ambiguity doubtfulness or uncertainty of intention or meaning – subject to more than
one interpretation
Anachronism assignment of something to a time when it was not in existence
Anadiplosis*** repetition in the first part of a clause or sentence of a prominent word from
the latter part of the preceding clause or sentence, usually with a change or
extension of meaning.
Analogy a comparison of points of likeness between two otherwise dissimilar
things, a familiar object or idea is used to explain a more abstract concept
Anaphora** the regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of
successive phrases or clauses: We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight
on the landing rounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets . . .
Anecdote a brief story that focuses on a single episode or event in a person’s life and
that is used to illustrate a particular point
Antithesis** opposite of thesis
2) juxtaposition of contrasting ideas
Aphorism*** a brief statement, usually one sentence long, that expresses a general
principle or truth about life, e.g., “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of
little minds” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Apostrophe* an absent person, abstract concept or an inanimate object is addressed
directly; a form of personification
Apposition* the placing next to a noun another noun or phrase that explains it, e.g.,
Pollution, the city’s primary problem, is an issue.
Students will be expected to learn the following terminology. This study of terminology is a three-step process:
1. Learning the definition, 2. Identifying the device when it appears in literature, and 3. Being able to discuss the effect or purpose of the device.
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Archetype* a character, action or situation that is a prototype or pattern on human life
generally; a situation that occurs over and over again in literature, such as a
quest, an initiation or an attempt to overcome evil. Examples include such
recurrent symbols as the rose, the serpent, and the sun; common themes
like love, death, and conflict; mythical settings like the paradisal garden;
stock characters like the femme fatale, the hero, and the magician; and
some basic patterns of action and plot such as the quest, the descent to the
underworld, or the feud. The most fundamental of these patterns is often
said to be that of death and rebirth, reflecting the natural cycle of the
seasons.
Asyndenton* conjunctions are omitted, producing a fast-paced and rapid prose: I came, I
saw, I conquered
Attitude*** see tone
Autobiography the story of a person’s life written by that person; can vary from a
chronological account to an impressionistic narrative
Begging the question**** Assuming something to be true that really needs proof. For example,
Shopping now for a dress to wear to the ceremony is really begging the
question--she hasn't been invited yet. This phrase, whose roots are in
Aristotle's writings on logic, came into English in the late 1500s. In the
1990s, however, people sometimes used the phrase as a synonym of "ask
the question" (as in The article begs the question: "What are we afraid
of?")
Catharsis** “purging (originally “vomiting”) of emotions through pity and fear”; effect
on the audience through vicarious participation in the actions of the tragic
hero
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Character Types:
Developed Character*
(round)
Stock Character**
(flat)*
Caricature
Dynamic Character*
Static Character*
Protagonist*
Antagonist*
people or animals who take part in the action of a literary work; readers
learn about characters from a) what they say, b) what they do, c) what they
think, d) what others say about them, and d) through the author’s direct
statement
complex, many sided, fully rounded personality
a single important trait is emphasized; definite type of character
conventionally used, stereotype occurring often in fiction (usually short
stories); examples: cowboy or mad scientist; stock characters provide
quick individualization and save time
a character development which ludicrously exaggerates prominent features
of appearance or character
undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of personality because of
action or events in plot
remains same at end of story as at beginning (usually not a main character)
leading character, not always the hero – but the principal character
character who opposes the protagonist
Characterization*
Direct*
Indirect*
techniques used by the writer to create a character (fictional personality
created by the author)
what the author says
what the other characters say
what the character says
what the character does
Chiasmus the grammatical structure of the first clause or phrase is reversed in the
second, sometimes repeating the same words; derived from Greek letter
CHI (X): “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can
do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” John F. Kennedy
Colloquialism**** expression used in informal conversation but not accepted as standard
English
Comedy story with a happy ending (from Greek word for “merrymaking” and
“singing:
Conceit***** exaggerated comparison between two unlike objects (often used in
metaphysical poetry
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Conflict*
Complications
Dramatic climax
Crisis
interplay between opposing forces
man vs. man
man vs. nature
man vs. society
man vs. self
man vs. fate, destiny, supernatural
entanglement of affairs by conflict
point of most intense excitement in a narrative
the point at which the opposing forces that create the conflict interlock in
the decisive action on which the plot will turn
Connotation* the feeling or attitude associated with a word, related to but quite distinct
from its literal meaning
Conundrum*** a paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma; a puzzle
Cynicism an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of
the integrity or professed motives of others: the public cynicism aroused by
governmental scandals.
Denotation* literal meaning of the word; dictionary definition of a word
Detail* facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone;
e.g., the desert
Deus ex Machina **
the employment of some unexpected and improbable incident in a story or
play to make things turn out right; in ancient Greek theater when gods
were lowered to the stage from the “machine” above
Dialect* moralized tale, medieval; such as Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale
Dialogue* analysis of the meaning, relationships and ambiguities of words, images,
and small units that make up a literary text
Diction* a writer’s or speaker’s choice of words which is intended to convey a
certain effect; includes both vocabulary and syntax; can be formal or
informal, technical or common, abstract or concrete
Didacticism*** language used in such a way as to force words out of their literal meaning,
and, by emphasizing their connotations, bring new insight to the subject
described
Dramatic monologue interruption of the narrative to show an episode that happened before the
story opens
Empathy Direct identification with, understanding of, and vicarious experience of
another person's situation, feelings, and motives.
Epanalepsis*** Repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning:
“Blood hath bought blood, and blows answer’d blows:/ Strength match’d
with strength, and power confronted power.” Shakespeare, King John II, I,
329-30
Epic** simile
Epigram the organization of the elements of a work of art in relation to its total
effect; in poetry, the relationship among rhythmic units in a line, stanzas;
interrelationships among images; the organization of thought or structure
in a work
Epiphany ** Sudden awakening or realization
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Episode a story inside a narrative setting or framework; story within a story, e.g.,
Canterbury Tales
Epistolary type, kind of literature (short story, essay, drama, poetry – ode, elegy,
sonnet)
Epistrophe** repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive
clauses (opposite of anaphora): Shylock: “ I’ll have my bond! Speak not
against my bond! / I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond!”
Epithet ** word or phrase used to point out a characteristic of a person or thing, noted
for its aptness, freshness, pictorial quality (Homeric epithet – a compound
adjective such as “swift-footed” Achilles)
Ethos (Ethical Appea*l) See Rhetorical Appeals
Euphemism* substitution of an inoffensive word for one considered offensive, e.g.,
“kicked the bucket” for “dead”
Exemplum***** moralized tale, medieval; such as Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale
Explication analysis of the meaning, relationships and ambiguities of words, images,
and small units that make up a literary text
Fiction
a work of prose that contains imaginary elements; may be based on actual
events and real people
Figurative language words or phrases that describe one thing in terms of something else; always
involving some sort of imaginative comparison between seemingly unlike
things; not meant to be taken literally; used to produce images in a reader’s
mind and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, imaginative ways, and, by
emphasizing their connotations, bring new insight to the subject described;
the most common are simile, metaphor, personification
Flashback* a scene which interrupts the action to show a previous event; as in an
episode before the story opens
Foil** (literally a leaf or sheet of metal placed under a piece of jewelry to increase
its brilliance); a person or sometimes an object that through strong contrast
underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another (e.g.,
Laertes or Fortinbras or Hamlet)
Foreshadowing* the use of hints or clues which suggest future action
Form the organization of the elements of a work of art in relation to its total
effect; in poetry, the relationship among rhythmic units in a line, stanzas;
interrelationships among images; the organization of thought or structure
in a work
Framework story ** a story inside a narrative setting or framework; story within a story, e.g.,
Canterbury Tales
Genre type, kind of literature (short story, essay, drama, poetry – ode, elegy,
sonnet)
Gothic*** term referring to a type of fiction which aims at evoking terror through a
gloomy, medieval setting, and sensational supernatural action.
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Grotesque***** in decorative art, fantastic representations of human and animal forms
often combined into formal distortions of the natural to the point of comic
absurdity, ridiculous ugliness, or ludicrous caricature; in modern literature,
the term applies to types of fiction dealing with the irrational; it exhibits a
distrust of any cosmic order, merges the comic and the tragic (resulting
from a loss of faith in the moral universe essential to tragedy or rational
social order essential to comedy); presents characters physically,
emotionally, spiritually deformed
Hero ** central character, refers to a relationship of character to action
Homily form of religious instruction given by a minister – gives practical moral
counsel rather than doctrine
Hyperbole* obvious and deliberate, sometimes outrageous, exaggeration for a serious
or comic effect, e.g., the shot heard ‘round the world.
Idyll***** narrative dealing with an idealized picture of rural life (also idyl)
Imagery* words or phrases a writer uses to represent persons, objects, actions,
feelings and ideas descriptively by appealing to the senses – sight, smell,
taste, sound
Interior monologue***
Direct
Indirect
technique which records the internal, emotional experience of the character
on any level or on combinations of several levels of consciousness,
reaching downward to the non-verbalized level where images represent
sensations or emotions; sometimes appears illogical, associational; two
forms:
where author seems not to exist and the interior self of the character is
given directly
where author serves as a selector, presenter, guide, and commentator.
Irony *
Dramatic irony**
Situational irony*
Verbal irony*
technique of indicating an intention or attitude opposed to what is actually
stated (reality different from appearance); akin to sarcasm, hyperbole,
understatement; three types:
a character or speaker says or does something that has different meanings
from what he thinks it means, though the audience and other characters
understand the full implications of the speech or action
a situation turns out differently from what one would normally expect,
though the twist is oddly appropriate, e/g/, a deep sea diver drowning in a
bathtub
saying one thing while meaning the (not sarcasm or satire)
Jargon ** technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group
Juxtaposition** placement side by side
Kenning***** a Norse poetic device based on analogy - referring to the sea as a "whale
road," for example, from the analogy that "sea is to whale as road is to
horse".
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Litote*** form of understatement in which a thing is affirmed by stating the negative
of its opposite; e.g., “She was not unmindful,” meaning “she gave careful
consideration
Local color ** use in fiction of the speech, customs, and setting of a particular region for
the author’s own interest
Logos (Logical Appeal*) See Rhetorical Appeals
Melodrama play that intensifies sentiment, exaggerates emotion, and relates sensation
and thrilling action
Memoir ** a form of autobiographical writing in which a person recalls significant
events in his or her life, usually in first-person; true accounts of actual
events; include the writers’ feelings and opinions about historical events
Metaphor* an implied comparison between two things which are not alike in their
general nature, e.g., It’s raining cats and dogs; the clouds are ships
floating on a sea of blue. Extended
Metonymy*** substitution of a related or closely associated word for the word actually
meant; e.g., the bench ruled = judge; a form of metaphor
Microcosm*** a small representative system having analogies to a larger system in
constitution, configuration, or development (a small universe, e.g., Billy
Budd
Mood* the atmosphere or predominant emotion; a state of mind in which one
feeling, emotion or range or sensibility has ascendancy, the emotional or
emotional-intellectual attitude that the author takes toward the subject or
theme
Motif*** a pattern or strand of imagery or symbolism; a recurring element (images,
words, objects, phrases, actions) that serves to unify a novel
Myth** an anonymous story with roots in the primitive folk-beliefs of races or
nations and presenting supernatural episodes as a means of interpreting
natural events in an effort to make concrete and particular a special
perception of human beings or a cosmic view
Narrator anyone who recounts a narrative, the ostensible author or teller of a story
Non-fiction writing about real people, places and events; largely concerned with factual
information, although the writer shapes the information according to his or
her purpose or viewpoint; biography, autobiography, newspaper articles
Novel any extended fictional prose narrative
Novella a long short story; short novel
Oxymoron* combining of opposites for emphasis (concise paradox, contradiction in
terms), e.g., jumbo shrimp; deafening silence, wise fool
Parable*** an illustrative story answering a question or pointing a moral or lesson
Paradox* a statement that is self-contradictory on the surface, but which reveals a
subtler meaning on reflection; the statement may appear illogical,
impossible or absurd, but turns out to have a coherent meaning that reveals
a hidden truth
Parallelism* the use of a series of words, phrases, or sentences that have similar
grammatical form, e.g., He tried to make the law clear, precise, and
equitable
Parody*** one of the various types of humorous poetry, songs, or literature in which
the language or sentiment of an author is mimicked
Pastoral*** poem treating of shepherds and rustic life
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Pathetic fallacy***** a phrase coined by Ruskin to denote the tendency to credit nature with the
emotions of human beings; any false emotionalism resulting in a too
impassioned description of nature
Pathos (Emotional
Appeal*)
See Rhetorical Appeals
Persona the author’s mask – the “second self” created by the author and through
whom the narrative is told – do not confuse author with persona
Personification* a human characteristic is attributed to an inanimate thing, abstraction,
animals, or ideas; a kind of metaphor, e.g., the wind cried in the dark
Picaresque
novel (chronicle, episodic in nature), usually autobiographical, presenting
the life story of a rascal or low degree engaged in menial tasks and making
his/her living through wits rather than industry
Plot*
Freytag Pyramid
(plot diagram)
a) Exposition
(b) Conflict
c) Rising Action
d) Climax
f) Dénouement
pattern of happenings in a narrative – sequence of events
d
/ \
c / \e
a______b_/ \f
Setting and background
Central problem of story
first part of narrative during which the tension between opposing
characters builds toward the climax; conflict begins during rising action
point where the conflict is definitively faced by the protagonist; highest
emotional peak.
final unraveling of plot; catastrophe; resolution
Point of view *
(narrative point of view)
First person
Omniscient
Limited Omniscient
Objective
Shift****
perspective from which a narrative is told; the relation assumed between
the narrator and the characters – who tells the story and how it gets told
the person telling the story is one of the characters (major or minor
character, participant or observer, first person), similar to limited
the author has unlimited knowledge about characters’ thoughts and
feelings; told in third person
the author tells the story from one character’s viewpoint (major or minor
character, third person) author reveals everything about the narrator’s
character but knows nothing about other characters except through
thoughts of narrator
the author does not presume to know the thoughts and feelings of the
characters; the author simply reports what can be seen or heard
in POV
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Polysyndenton* the use of many conjunctions slows the pace “. . . and how quietly she ran
on the moonlight sails, when the older boys played their mandolins and the
girls sang and we ate doughnuts dipped in sugar, and how sweet the music
was on the water in the shining night, and what it has felt like to think
about girls then.”
Prose ordinary language of speaking and writing
Pun** humorous play on words in which one word will have a double meaning,
e.g. “Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man,” said as
Mercutio is bleeding to death
Refutation*** to prove to be false or erroneous
Regionalism**** emphasis in fiction on the environment of a specific region – distinguished
from local color in that it applies to fiction that emphasizes the effect of the
setting on the characters
Repetition* recurrence of sounds, words, phrases, lines, or stanzas
Rhetoric art of persuasion
Rhetorical appeals:*
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
the character or quality of the speaker
the quality that stimulates pity, tenderness or sorrow in the reader
the speaker’s use of logic
Rhetorical Fragment*** A sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose or to create
a desired effect.
Rhetorical question*** a question to which no answer is expected because the answer is obvious;
often used in a persuasive writing to emphasize a point or create an
emotional effect
Rhetorical Shift** A change in mood accompanied by a change in nuance. The focus may
shift and it is frequently introduced with “But” or “so”
Sarcasm* use of exaggerated praise to imply dispraise – bitter ridicule
Satire***
Juvenalian satire*****
Horatian satire*****
use of humorous devices like irony, understatement and exaggeration to
highlight a human folly or a societal problem; the purpose is to bring the
flaw to the attention of the reader in order that it may be addressed,
remedied or
biting, bitter, angry; points with contempt and moral indignation to the
corruption and evil or human beings and institutions
gentle, urbane, smiling; it aims to correct by gently and broadly
sympathetic laughter
Scene specific setting for a given event in a narrative, or the shortest major
division of a play. It indicates
stage in action, shift in time or place, change in number of actors on stage
Semantics the study of meaning and meanings of language
Sentimentalism***** attempt of an author to arouse more emotion in a work than the situation
calls for
Setting* time and place of an event
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Shift a change or movement in a piece resulting from an epiphany, realization,
or insight gained by the speaker, a character or the reader; could result
from a word like “but”
Simile* a direct comparison made explicit by using the words like or as
abstract quality courageous
▲ ▲ object object David lion
David was like a lion in battle.
Soliloquy* a character in a drama, alone on stage, voices his thoughts (monologue)
Speaker persona; author’s mask; who speaks a poem
Stereotype ** an over-simplified image of a person, group, or institution, e.g., all
Southerners, every used-car dealer
Stream of
consciousness***
manner of writing that attempts to set forth the inner thoughts and
perceptions of a character as they randomly occur
Structure planned framework or organization of a piece of literature; usually
determined by plot and by chapter division (play: acts, scenes; essay:
organization of ideas; poetry: rhyme scheme and stanzaic form; see form
Style* the distinctive or characteristic handling of the language by a given author
Suspense* quality that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the
outcome of events
Syllogism**** formula for presenting an argument logically, consisting of a major
premise, minor premise, and conclusion:
All men are mortal.
Socrates is a man; therefore,
Socrates is mortal.
Fallacious use of syllogisms or the dialectic results in non sequiturs or
logical fallacies
Symbol* use of any object, person, place or action that both has a meaning in itself
and that stands for something larger than itself, such as a quality, attitude,
belief or value; two basic types: universal and contextual, e.g., a symbol
that is common to all mankind or a symbol used in a particular way by an
individual author; e.g., the raven as a symbol of evil
Synecdoche*** using a part of something to represent the whole; e.g., “all hands on deck”
meaning “all people on deck”; also the reverse: Canada played the United
States in the Olympic hockey finals; a form of metaphor
Syntax arrangement of words and order of grammatical elements in a sentence; as
the way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses or
sentences
Technique the conscious methods used by an author to shape his material
The Three Unities**
(part of Aristotle’s Rules
for Tragedy)
Time: a 24 hour period
Place: the action is set in one place
Action: one hero and one plot
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Theme* controlling idea or central insight of a literary work (not always a moral);
not the same as a subject, which can be expressed in a word or two:
courage, survival, war, pride; the idea the author wishes to convey about
that subject; expressed as a sentence or general statement about life or
human nature; a work can have more than one theme
Thesis the main idea of a paper, usually occurring at the end of the first, or
introductory, paragraph
Tone* the attitude a writer or speaker takes toward a subject, character or
audience, and is conveyed through the author’s diction, imagery, detail*,
and syntax; serious, humorous, sarcastic, indignant, objective, etc.; a tone
may shift**
Tragedy***
(part of Aristotle’s Rules
of Tragedy)
in a general sense, any narrative writing in which the protagonist suffers
disaster after a serious and significant struggle, but faces his downfall in
such a way as to attain heroic stature – Aristotelian definitions:
Tragic hero
Noble***
Falls***
Hamartia**
Types :
Hubris**
Recognition**
Reversal of fortune**
(peripety)
Catharsis**
a great and noble character
one who faces his/her destiny with courage and nobility
who falls from the heights to the depths (catastrophe)
because of his hamartia
fatal or tragic flaw that leads to the tragic hero’s down fall
arrogance before the gods; overweening (excessive) pride
the tragic hero experiences recognition (anagnorisis) of the causes of
his/her suffering; the hero must recognize
is when the opposite of what the hero intends occurs; the hero faces this
reversal of fortune (peripety) with courage and nobility of spirit in facing
his fate
the release of emotion (pity and fear) from the audience’s perspective; in
Greek, a “vomiting”
Understatement** the opposite of hyperbole; a form of humor or irony that deliberately
represents something as much less than it is
Unity the quality achieved by an artistic work when all its elements are so
interrelated as to form a complete whole
Wit humor relying on intellect, mental activity, usually incisive, rapid
Zeugma*** a sort of “yoking”: “I had fancied you were gone down to cultivate
matrimony and your estate in the country,” Goldsmith; “He bolted the
door and his dinner.”
Poetry Terms Accent ** stress on a syllable – basic element of rhythm
Alliteration
recurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely
succeeding words
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Cross alliteration
alliteration of two separate consonants of clusters arranged as xyxy or xyyx;
e.g., “As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame”
Assonance the repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words(So long lives this, and
this gives life to thee)
Ballad ** short narrative song/poem handed down in oral tradition, or a composed
poem of similar nature; it tells of some tragic incident of brave deed; three
subjects: love-tragedy, people, historical event; ancient ballads were
handed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next; literary
ballads are written upon the example of and hold much of the spirit of old
ballads, yet have a much more polished form
Blank verse unrhymed iambic pentameter – poetry written without regard to stanzas
Cadence ** sound pattern that precedes a marked pause of the end of a sentence,
making it interrogatory, horatory, pleading, etc.
rhythm – sequence of stressed and unstressed syllables
rhythmical movement of verse or prose when read aloud
Carpe Diem “seize the day”; a motif in poetry – the idea that one should enjoy life to
the fullest
Caesura*** a pause or break in a line of verse
Canto***** section or division of a long poem
Cinquain ** a stanza of five lines
Concrete Poem*** a poem that stresses the visual appearance of the words and lines on the
page
Consonance the repetition of consonant sounds within a series of words to produce a
harmonious effect, e.g., “And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.”
Couplet ** pair of successive lines of verse that rhyme
Dramatic poetry*** made up of conversation or speeches in verse form, which, taken together,
form a story
Elegy*** traditional poetic form treating the death of a person in a formal,
philosophical way (mournful, melancholy poem)
End-stopped line ** lines of verse in which both the grammatical structure and the sense of
reaching completion at the end of a line
Enjambment ** continuation of the sense of grammatical construction of a verse or couplet
to the next verse or couplet (also called run-on lines)
Epic ** long narrative poem dealing with national heroes having a world-wide or
cosmic setting and written in a deliberately ceremonial style
Epitaph*** verse on grave markers; epitaphs that rhyme have been a source of laughter
for years
Free verse** a type of modern poetry without a strict rhythm or regular rhyme scheme
Heroic couplet*** iambic pentameter lines rhymed in pairs
Jingles one, two, or more lines of humorous verse more commonly used on radio
or television
Limerick** a short humorous poem composed of five lines. The first, second and fifth
lines rhyme, and the third and fourth lines contain from five to six syllables
Lyric*** brief subjective poem strongly marked by imagination, melody, and
emotion and creating a single, unified impression (originally song/poetry
accompanied by a lyre)
Internal rhyme** similarity in the sound of two words, one in the middle of the line, one at
the end, e.g., “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and
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weary”
Meter* the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables established in a line of
poetry
Narrative*** Poetry primarily interested in telling a story
Octave*** a stanza of eight lines; the first eight lines of a Petrarchan sonnet; it
presents the problem
Ode*****
a long lyric poem, formal in style and complex in form, often written for a
special occasion; originally a Greek form
Onomatopoeia* the use of a word whose sound mimics the sounds it describes (plop,
splash, boom); it is called imitative harmony when it is used on an
extended scale in a poem
Poetry
communication of thought and feeling through the careful arrangement of
words for their sound, rhythm, connotation and sense – verse
Quatrain** a stanza of four lines, usually with alternating lines which rhyme
Refrain** repeated stanza
Rhyme*
End rhyme
Internal rhyme
Near or Slant rhyme
repetition of sounds in two or more words or phrases that appear close to
each other in a poem
occurs at the end of lines
within a line
rhyme which is not exact
Rhyme scheme regular pattern of rhyming words in a of poetry which is repeated in
following stanzas – a different letter of the alphabet is assigned for
different sounds
Scansion*** system for marking off the feet in a verse of poetry; analysis of stressed
and unstressed syllables; includes analysis of rhyme scheme
Sestet*** second, six-line division of a Petrarchan sonnet – usually makes specific a
general statement that has been presented in the octave; six line stanza
Sonnet**
Petrarchan***
Shakespearean**
lyric poem with a traditional form of fourteen lines, written in iambic
pentameter
Italian sonnet = octave: abbaabba; sestet: cdecde or cdcdcd
English sonnet = three quatrains: abab cdcd efef; couplet gg
Stanza a group of verses forming a division of a poem
Tercet*** a stanza of three lines
Terza rima a series of triplets having 10 or 11 syllable lines of which the middle line
of one triplet rhymes with the first and third lines of the following triplet,
aba bcb cdc ded, etc.
Verse a single line of poetry
Grammatical Terms Antecedent the noun or pronoun to which a pronoun refers (if Adam forgets his
raincoat…)
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Clause* a group of words that contains a verb and its subject; may be an adjective,
adverb, noun, elliptical, main (independent) or subordinate (dependent)
clause
Ellipsis** a series of three periods (space period space period space period space) to
indicate an omission . . . in words or thought; if the sentence ends, the three
periods will follow the sentence period. . . .
Modifier makes another word precise, usually adjectives and adverbs
Subject complement follows a linking verb and renames or describes the subject (the coach
seemed anxious)
Subordinate clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand by itself (while the
nation watched)
Syntax the way in which words and clauses are ordered and connected so as to form
sentences; or the set of grammatical rules governing such word order.
Syntax is a major determinant of literary style: while simple English
sentences usually have the structure ‘subject verb object’ (e.g. Jane
strangled the cat), poets often distort this syntax through inversion, while
prose writers can use syntactic structures such as the periodic sentence.
Absolute Phrases*** A group of words that modifies an independent clause as a whole.
Infinitive* The word “to” plus a verb. Infinitives can function as adjectives, adverbs,
or nouns
Appositive Phrase* A phrase that refers to, and helps explain another noun or pronoun. When it
adds information that is nonessential, it is set off by commas.
Gerund* An –ing verb form functioning as a noun.
Participle*
Present Participle
Past Participle
A verb that functions as an adjective.
ends in –ing
usually (but not always) ends in -ed
Active Voice** The subject of the sentence is performing the action
Passive Voice** The subject of the sentence does not act but is acted upon
The AP Vertical Teams Guide for English. 2nd ed. College Board, 2002.
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DESCRIPTORS FOR TONE, ATTITUDE, & DICTION
Accusatory Affectionate aggravated Agitated Agreeable Allusive Aloof
Amiable Amorous Amused Anger Antiquated Apathetic Appealing
Appreciative Apprehensive Archaic Argumentative Arrogant Artificial Authoritative
Bantering Belittling Belligerent Benevolent Bitter Bizarre Boastful
Bold Bombastic Boring Burlesque Calm Candid Caustic
Cautionary Ceremonial Charming Cherry Clandestine Clinical Colloquial
Comical Commonplace Compassionate Complementary Concerned Concrete Confident
Connotative Contemptuous Contented Contentious Contradictory Critical Crucial
Cultured Cynical Deflated Dejected Depressed Despairing Desperate
Despondent Detached Dialect Didactic Diffident Disappointed Disdainful
Disgusted Disinterested Distant Doubtful Dramatic Dull Earnest
Ecstatic Effusive Elated Elegiac Emotional Encouraging Enthusiastic
Erotic Erudite Esoteric Euphemistic Exact Excited Explanatory
Exuberant Facetious Factual Fanciful Fantastic Fear Figurative
Flat Flight of fancy Flippant Foreboding Formal Forthright Furious
Gloomy Grotesque Grouchy Hackneyed Happiness Haughty Homespun
Homily Hopeful Hopeless Humor Hurt Ideal Idiomatic
Impartial Incisive Incongruous Incredulous Indignant Inflammatory Inflated
Informal Informative Inoffensive Insipid Insolent Instructive Inspiring
Insulting Intense Intimate Ironic Irreverent Irritated Jargon
Jovial Joyful Jubilant Judgmental Languid Learned Lighthearted
Literal Logic Loving Lugubrious Lustful Lyrical Malicious
Manipulative Matter-of-fact Meditative Melancholy Metaphoric Mock-epic Mocking
Moralistic Mordant Morose Mournful Mundane Narrow Nervous
Neutral Nonchalant Nostalgic Objective Obscure Obsequious Obtuse
Old Optimistic Ordinary Ostentatiously Outdated Outraged Overblown
Paranoid Passive Patronizing Peaceful Pedantic Persuasive Pessimistic
Petty Petulant Picturesque Plain Plaintive Pleading Poetic
Pompous Positive Precise Pretentious Proud Provincial Quaint
Querulous Rational Reduced Reflective Regretful Relaxed Reminiscent
Restrained Ribald Ridiculing Romance Sadness Sanguine Sarcastic
Sardonic Satiric Savage Scholarly Scornful Sensual Sensuous
Serene Serious Showy Simple Sincere Slang Solemn
Somber Soothing Spiritual Staid Suggestive Sullen Supercilious
Superficial Sympathetic Taunting Tender Thoughtful Threatening Tragic
Tranquil Trite Turgid Unclear Urgent Vibrant Vulgar
Whimsical Whining Wistful Wrathful
This list is by no means exhaustive, so you should add below as you encounter new descriptors.
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VERBS
Precise language is of the utmost importance in Pre-AP/AP English. In order to assist you in
your word choice, below is a list of verbs to replace immature and outdated language like
“said.” Accentuate Accept Achieve Acknowledge Add Admit
Adopt Advise Advocate Affect Agree Alleviate
Allow Allude Analyze Announce Approach Ague
Answer Approve Argue Ascertain Assert Assess
Assume Assure Ask Attack Attempt Attribute
Avoid Babble Bargain Base Began Believe
Boast Brag Call Challenge Change Characterize
Choose Chronicle Claim Command Comment Compare
Complain Complete Concern Conclude Condescend Conduct
Conform Confront Consider Contend Dramatize Elevate
Elicit Empathize Encounter Enrich Enumerate Envision
Estimate Evoke Exclaim Exclude Expand Experience
Explain Express Extend Extrapolate Fantasize Fear
Focus Force Foreshadow Function Generalize Giggle
Grin Grunt Guide Heighten Highlight Hint
Hold Honor Identify Illustrate Imagine Impel
Imply Include Indicate Infer Insist Inspire
Instruct Intend Interpret Interrupt Inundate Justify
Lampoon Laugh Lecture Lie List Maintain
Make Manage Manipulate Mention Minimize Moan
Moralize Mumble Murmur Muse Nag Note
Notified Object Observe Oppose Order Organize
Overstate Outline Patronize Perform Permit Personify
Persuade Plead Point out Ponder Portray Postulate
Pray Predict Prepare Present Presume Produce
Project Promote Propose Provide Qualify Question
Rationalize Reason Reassure Recall Recite Recollect
Record Recount Reflect Refer Regard Regret
Reject Relate Repeat Reply Represent Request
Respond Restate Result Reveal Ridicule Roar
Rule Satirize Scold Scream Seem See
Select Serve Shout Shriek Snap Sneer
Sob Specify Speculate Spoke Sputter Stammer
State Strive Storm Suggest Summarize Supply
Support Suppress Symbolize Sympathize Taunt Thought
Told Trace Understand Understate Use Urge
Utter Vacillate Value Verify View Vow
Wail Want Wanton Warn Whisper Wish
This list is by no means exhaustive, so you should add below as you encounter new descriptors.
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$50 WORD LIST
This chart is set up as a progression of synonymous word choices. The most mature words on
the list are the Fifty Dollar words (* indicates SAT word). You should be working your way to
the far right column of the list, including as many $50 words into your natural vocabulary as
possible. By your Junior and Senior years especially, quarter and dollar words should be
limited within your writing.
NOTE: Synonyms DO NOT equate across the board equivalents! Though these columns are set up as
progressions, not all words will “fit” as perfect replacements. THIS IS NOT PLUG AND PLAY! This means you
must understand HOW each of these words work in order to use them properly.
Dialogue Tag Words: Quarter Dollar Five Dollar Fifty Dollar
admitted allowed yielded conceded*
admitted confessed professed acquiesced*
agreed confirmed assented acceded*
answered replied responded retorted*
asked strongly demanded commanded adjured*
asked questioned queried inquired*
asked for requested solicited entreated*
babbled rambled chattered prattled*
begged pleaded implored beseeched*
bragged boasted gloated blustered*
claimed charged accused alleged*
claimed held insisted maintained*
complained whined whimpered clamored*
complained groaned griped groused*
cracked joked quipped bantered*
cried wailed howled brayed*
cried sobbed blubbered bawled*
declared announced reported proclaimed*
disagreed bickered quarrelled quibbled*
laughed giggled chuckled chortled*
lied fibbed paltered perjured*
praised congratulated raved lauded*
remembered recalled reminisced recollected*
reminded nagged pestered heckled*
said stated uttered articulated*
said (brokenly) stuttered sputtered stammered*
said (casually) noted commented remarked*
said (forcefully) stated declared averred*
said (in a monotone) chanted intoned canted*
said (in defense) argued contended vied*
said (indirectly) hinted alluded insinuated*
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said (loudly) shouted roared vociferated*
said (meanly) spit hissed jeered*
said (out of breath) panted wheezed rasped*
said (out of turn) broke in interrupted interceded*
said (secretly) whispered confided divulged*
said (unclearly) mumbled muttered pattered*
said (with regret) sighed lamented bemoaned*
said again repeated echoed reiterated*
said triumphantly exclaimed whooped crowed*
sang warbled crooned trilled*
scolded chided reproved admonished*
screamed exclaimed squealed shrieked*
spoke discussed lectured orated*
swore promised pledged avowed*
teased mocked taunted gibed*
told related recounted narrated*
warned (maliciously) threatened snarled menaced*
wondered pondered conjectured speculated*
yelled barked roared bellowed*
Verbs: Quarter Dollar Five Dollar Fifty Dollar
Add increase supplement with append*
Advise recommend counsel advocate*
Allow permit consent to acquiesce*
Annoy Irritate Provoke Nettle*
Approve Endorse Authorize Sanction*
Be amazed Wonder Admire Marvel*
Be angry Rage Fume Seethe*
Be Like Resemble Reflect Mirror*
Beat Pound Clobber Pommel*
Begin Launch Commence Embark*
Calm Soothe Appease Placate*
Certify guarantee Assure Attest*
Change... mind Submit Concede Relent*
Chew Munch Gnaw Masticate*
Continue Carry on Advance Proceed*
Copy Imitate Ape Mimic*
criticize condemn Decried Denounce*
Declare Proclaim Blare Avow*
Destroy Ruin Raze Demolish*
Differ Vary Belie Contradict*
Entertain Amuse Delight Enthrall*
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Express Voice Convey Evince*
Fall Plop Settle Collapse*
Flap Thrash Flail Convulse*
Glow Flicker Glimmer Scintillate*
Guess Hypothesize Assume Presume*
Jump Leap Bound Gambol*
Leave (forever) Desert Abandon Forsake*
Like Enjoy Appreciate Relish*
make noise rattle Clank Clang*
Mess up Disorganize Disturb Disrupt*
Pause Hesitate Blanch Falter*
Plan Organize Dictate Arrange*
Prance Caper Cavort Frolic*
Predict Forewarn Foretell Presage*
Remove Eject Expel Oust*
Rise Climb Soar Ascend*
Search Investigate Scrutinize Probe*
Smile Grin Beam Simper*
Sneak Creep Edge Sidle*
Spread Penetrate Infuse Permeate*
Stick Attach Cement Adhere*
Stick out Bulge Jut Protrude*
Take Steal Pilfer Purloin*
Tell Reveal Expose Divulge*
Think about Contemplate Muse Ponder*
Turn Spin Whirl Purl*
Use up Consume Exhaust Deplete*
Watch Study Observe Analyze*
Adjectives: Quarter Dollar Five Dollar Fifty Dollar
many numerous countless myriad*
mad furious livid vehement*
small tiny petite slight*
exciting thrilling riveting scintillating*
happy joyous elated blithe*
awful horrible vile atrocious*
loud roaring ear-splitting vociferous*
friendly outgoing extroverted gregarious*
shy timid reserved reticent*
mean evil malicious malevolent*
big large enormous immense*
tacky showy gaudy obtrusive*
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kind giving generous munificent*
perfect ideal quintessential exemplary*
harmful lethal toxic deleterious*
hardworking thorough diligent assiduous*
firm stubborn unyielding tenacious*
short brief temporary transitory*
nice cordial genial amicable*
secret undercover covert surreptitious*
snobby conceited egotistic arrogant*
kind caring benevolent humane*
wise cautious shrewd prudent*
private isolated reclusive sequestered*
mean hateful spiteful rancorous*
annoying irritating inflammatory aggravating*
noisy feisty boisterous obstreperous*
secret undercover stealthy furtive*
wrong untrue misleading fallacious*
not related unrelated irrelevant extraneous*
brave courageous fearless intrepid*
arguable debatable contentious litigious*
cheap thrifty frugal parsimonious*
model typical classic archetypal*
aggressive argumentative belligerent pugnacious*
grouchy irritable cantankerous irascible*
angry furious enraged irate*
harsh bitter biting acrid*
different disagreeing inconsistent discrepant*
guilty responsible liable culpable*
doubtful suspicious skeptical dubious*
irregular unpredictable haphazard erratic*
boring dull bland banal*
unoriginal commonplace cliched trite*
extra unnecessary excess superfluous*
nasty foul vile squalid*
fake mock contrived spurious*
pale sickly ashen pallid*
fancy extravagant lavish opulent*
Adverbs: Quarter Dollar Five Dollar Fifty Dollar
almost nearly approximately virtually*
angrily crossly fiercely ferociously*
badly poorly unfavorably abominably*
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bravely courageously fearlessly gallantly*
busily briskly diligently assiduously*
calmly peacefully tranquilly placidly*
carefully attentively conscientiously meticulously*
clearly obviously blatantly conspicuously*
correctly properly fittingly decorously*
easily smoothly effortlessly facilely*
excitedly brightly enthusiastically exuberantly*
fairly justly impartially equitably*
fast rapidly swiftly expeditiously*
gently softly tenderly fondly*
happily merrily joyously felicitously*
on purpose thoughtfully deliberately intentionally*
kindly warmly cordially genially*
loudly noisily deafeningly vociferously*
nervously uneasily tensely anxiously*
nicely pleasantly affectionately fondly*
politely civilly graciously complaisantly*
quickly speedily hastily agilely*
sadly glumly mournfully morosely*
cheaply thriftily stingily parsimoniously*
seriously earnestly solemnly gravely*
sleepily dozily drowsily somnolently*
secretly slyly stealthily furtively*
now immediately promptly proximately*
worriedly uneasily apprehensively timorously*
by accident accidentally unintentionally incidentally*
clumsily ungracefully awkwardly unwieldily*
foolishly carelessly blindly heedlessly*
proudly jauntily boastfully pretentiously*
happily cheerfully jovially affably*
meanly severely cruelly mercilessly*
rebelliously defiantly impudently insolently*
beautifully elegantly magnificently superbly*
later someday eventually ultimately*
strictly faithfully expressly vigilantly*
wildly chaotically frenziedly frantically*
innocently ignorantly naively innocuously*
interestedly curiously questioningly inquisitively*
crossly irritably testily peevishly*
lazily lethargically listlessly languidly*
strongly powerfully potently robustly*
cautiously hesitantly warily reluctantly*
legally justly rightfully legitimately*
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shyly bashfully timidly timorously*
enthusiastically zestfully zealous vivaciously*
very extremely vastly severely*
Transitions: Quarter Dollar Five Dollar Fifty Dollar
Compare
like as similar to akin to
like in comparison likewise similarly*
like also more or less in like manner
Contrast
but in contrast on the other hand whereas...
but instead meanwhile alternatively
Contradict
but however on the contrary contrarily*
but rather conversely contradictorily*
but even though although despite
still yet nevertheless [contrasting object]
notwithstanding
still besides in spite of even so
still anyways in any case in any event
Cause/Effect
because since as a result of... on account of...
because where due to... owing to...
so it follows [that]... hence subsequently*
so accordingly
then thus therefore consequently*
Summarize
in summary in short in brief briefly
to sum up to summarize to review in other words
Conclude
in conclusion on the whole all in all by and large
in conclusion after all above all ultimately
in conclusion wrapping up overall all things considered
Order/sequence
also plus in addition additionally
after afterwards thereafter subsequently*
also besides beyond apart from
at the same time meanwhile simultaneously concurrently*
before earlier previously formerly
before in advance of prior to preceding
first in the beginning/to begin originally
in the first place first of all primarily initially
last finally in the end ultimately*
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later in time eventually thereafter
later someday after all yet
now at the present presently for the time being
then next immediately in turn
Emphasize
absolutely certainly definitely unconditionally
absolutely positively unquestionably without reservation
always constantly invariably unceasingly
always traditionally habitually customarily
always regularly routinely perennially*
basically practically in effect essentially
for real in fact actually veritably*
importantly significantly critically principally
in particular particularly specifically singularly
more importantly further moreover furthermore
most importantly most significantly fundamentally cardinally
obviously clearly explicitly blatantly*
obviously of course naturally inevitably*
often usually frequently ofttimes
rarely scarcely occasionally infrequently
without a doubt doubtlessly undeniably indubitably*
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Rubric of All Rubrics
9-8 Superior papers are specific in their references, cogent in their definitions, and free of plot summary
that is not relevant to the question. These essays need not be without flaws, but they demonstrate the
writer's ability to discuss a literary work with insight and understanding and to control a wide range
of the elements of effective composition. At all times they stay focused on the prompt, providing
specific support--mostly through direct quotations--and connecting scholarly commentary to the
overall meaning.
7-6 These papers are less thorough, less perceptive or less specific than 9-8 papers. They are well-written
but with less maturity and control. While they demonstrate the writer's ability to analyze a literary
work, they reveal a more limited understanding and less stylistic maturity than do the papers in the 9-
8 range.
5 Safe and “plastic,” superficiality characterizes these essays. Discussion of meaning may be
formulaic, mechanical, or inadequately related to the chosen details. Typically, these essays reveal
simplistic thinking and/or immature writing. They usually demonstrate inconsistent control over the
elements of composition and are not as well conceived, organized, or developed as the upperhalf
papers. However, the writing is sufficient to convey the writer's ideas, stays mostly focused on the
prompt, and contains at least some effort to produce analysis, direct or indirect.
4-3 Discussion is likely to be unpersuasive, perfunctory, underdeveloped or misguided. The meaning
they deduce may be inaccurate or insubstantial and not clearly related to the question. Part of the
question may be omitted altogether. The writing may convey the writer's ideas, but it reveals weak
control over such elements as diction, organization, syntax or grammar. Typically, these essays
contain significant misinterpretations of the question or the work they discuss; they may also
contain little, if any, supporting evidence, and practice paraphrase and plot summary at the
expense of analysis.
2-1 These essays compound the weakness of essays in the 4-3 range and are frequently unacceptably
brief. They are poorly written on several counts, including many distracting errors in grammar
and mechanics. Although the writer may have made some effort to answer the question, the views
presented have little clarity or coherence.
From Conni M. Shelnut ,Lakeland, FL
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Literary Analysis Scoring Guide
9-8 With apt and specific references to the story, these well-organized and well-written essays clearly
analyze how _____ uses literary techniques to _____. The best of these essays will acknowledge the
complexity of this _____. While not without flaws, these papers will demonstrate an understanding of
the text as well as consistent control over the elements of effective composition. These writers read
with perception and express their ideas with clarity and skill.
7-6 These papers also analyze how ___ uses literary techniques to ___, but they are less incisive,
developed, or aptly supported than papers in the highest ranges. They deal accurately with technique
as the means by which a writer _____, but they are less effective or less thorough in their analysis
than are the 9-8 essays. These essays demonstrate the writer's ability to express ideas clearly, but they
do so with less maturity and precision than the best papers. Generally, 7 papers present a more
developed analysis and a more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do
essays scored 6.
5 These essays are superficial. They respond to the assignment without important errors in
composition, but they may miss the complexity of _____'s use of literary techniques and offer a
perfunctory analysis of how those techniques are used to _____. Often, the analysis is vague,
mechanical, or overly generalized. While the writing is adequate to convey the writer's thoughts,
these essays are typically pedestrian, not as well conceived, organized, or developed as upper-half
papers. Usually, they reveal simplistic thinking and/or immature writing.
4-3 These lower-half papers reflect an incomplete understanding of the _____ (story, passage, essay,
poem, etc.) and fail to respond adequately to the question. The discussion of how _____ uses literary
techniques to _____ may be inaccurate or unclear, misguided or undeveloped; these papers may
paraphrase rather than analyze. The analysis of technique will likely be meager and unconvincing.
Generally, the writing demonstrates weak control of such elements as diction, organization, syntax, or
grammar. These essays typically contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or misreadings and lack of
persuasive evidence from the text.
2-1 These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the 4-3 range. They seriously misunderstand
the _____ or fail to respond to the question. Frequently, they are unacceptably brief. Often poorly
written on several counts, they may contain many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics.
Although some attempt may have been made to answer the question, the writer's views typically are
presented with little clarity, organization, coherence, or supporting evidence. Essays that are
especially inexact, vacuous, and/or mechanically unsound should be scored 1.
0 This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all.
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Poetry Analysis Scoring Guide
9-8 These well-organized and well-written essays clearly demonstrate an understanding of how the
speaker / author in ________ uses ________ to convey ________. In their references, they are apt
and specific. Though not without flaws, these papers will offer a convincing interpretation of the
poem, as well as consistent control over the virtues of effective composition, including the language
unique to the criticism of poetry. They demonstrate the writer’s ability to read perceptively and to
write with clarity and sophistication.
7-6 These essays also demonstrate an understanding of _________’s poem; but, compared to the best
essays, they are less thorough or less precise in their analysis of how the speaker / author uses
________ to convey ________. In addition to minor flaws in interpretation, their analysis is likely to
be less well-supported and less incisive. While these essays demonstrate the writer’s ability to
express ideas clearly, they do so with less mastery and control over the hallmarks of mature
composition than do papers in the 9-8 range.
5 While these essays deal with the assigned task without important errors, they have little to say beyond
what is easiest to grasp. Their analysis of how ________ conveys ________ may be vague. As a
critical explanation, they deal with the poem in a cursory way. Though the writing is sufficient to
convey the writer’s thoughts, these essays are typically pedestrian, not as well conceived, organized,
or developed as upper-half papers. They may reveal simplistic thinking or immature writing.
4-3 These lower-half essays often reflect an incomplete or over-simplified understanding of the poem.
Typically, they fail to respond adequately to part of the question. Their analysis may be weak, meager
or irrelevant, inaccurate or unclear. The writing demonstrates uncertain control over the elements of
effective composition. These essays usually contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or misreadings, and
they often lack persuasive evidence from the text. Essays scored 3 exhibit more than one of the above
infelicities; they are marred by a significant misinterpretation, insufficient development, or serious
omissions.
2-1 These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the 4-3 range. Writers may seriously
misread the poem. Frequently, these essays are unacceptably brief. They are poorly written on several
counts and may contain many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. While some attempt may
have been made to answer the question, the writer’s observations are presented with little clarity,
organization, or supporting evidence. Essays that are especially inexact, vacuous, and/or
mechanically unsound should be scored 1.
0 This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all.
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Prose Analysis Scoring Guide
9-8 Answers all parts of the question completely. Using specific evidence from the work and showing
how that evidence is relevant to the point being made. Fashions a convincing thesis and guides reader
through the intricacies of argument with sophisticated transitions. Demonstrates clear understanding
of the work and recognizes complexities of attitude/tone. Demonstrates stylistic maturity by an
effective command of sentence structure, diction, and organization. Need not be without flaws, but
must reveal an ability to choose from and control a wide range of the elements of effective writing.
7-6 Also accurately answers all parts of the question, but does so less fully or effectively than essays in
the top range. Fashions a sound thesis. Discussion will be less thorough and less specific, not so
responsive to the rich suggestiveness of the passage or precise in discussing its impact. Well written
in an appropriate style, but with less maturity than the top papers. Some lapses in diction or syntax
may appear, but demonstrates sufficient control over the elements of composition to present the
writer’s ideas clearly. Confirms the writer’s ability to read literary texts with comprehension and to
write with organization and control.
5 Discusses the question, but may be simplistic or imprecise. Constructs a reasonable if reductive
thesis. May attempt to discuss techniques or evidence in the passage, but may be overly general or
vague. Adequately written, but may demonstrate inconsistent control over the elements of
composition. Organization is attempted, but may not be fully realized or particularly effective.
4-3 Attempts to answer the question, but does so either inaccurately or without the support of specific
evidence. May confuse the attitude / tone of the passage or may overlook tone shift(s) or otherwise
misrepresent the passage. Discussion of illustrations / techniques / necessary parts of the prompt may
be omitted or inaccurate. Writing may convey the writer’s ideas, but reveals weak control over
diction, syntax, or organization. May contain many spelling or grammatical errors. Essays scored
three are even less able and may not refer to illustrations / techniques at all.
2-1 Fails to respond adequately to the question. May misunderstand the question or the passage. May fail
to discuss techniques / evidence used or otherwise fail to respond adequately to the question.
Unacceptably brief or poorly written on several counts. Writing reveals consistent weakness in
grammar or other basic elements of composition. Although may make some attempt to answer the
question, response has little clarity and only slight, if any, evidence in its support. Although the writer
may have made some attempt to answer the prompt, the views presented have little clarity or
coherence; significant problems with reading comprehension seem evident. Essays that are especially
inexact, vacuous, and /or mechanically unsound should be scored 1.
0 A blank paper or one that makes no attempt to deal with the question receives no credit.
Rubric from Sharon Kingston
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Language Analysis Scoring Guide
A 9 essay has all the qualities of an 8 essay, and the writing style is especially impressive, as is the
analysis of the specifics related to the prompt and the text.
An 8 will effectively and cohesively address the prompt. It will analyze and/or argue the elements
called for in the question. In addition, it will do so using appropriate evidence from the given text.
The essay will also show the writer's ability to control language well.
A 7 essay has all the properties of a 6, only with a more complete, well-developed analysis/argument
or a more mature writing style.
A 6 essay adequately addresses the prompt. The analysis and/or argument is on target and makes use
of appropriate specifics from the text. However, these elements are less full developed than scores in
the 7, 8, and 9 range. The writer's ideas are expressed with clarity, but the writing may have a few
errors in syntax and/or diction.
A 5 essay demonstrates that the writer understands the prompt. The analysis/argument is generally
understandable but is limited or uneven. The writer's ideas are expressed clearly with a few errors in
syntax or diction.
A 4 essay is not an adequate response to the prompt. The writer's analysis/argument of the text
indicates a misunderstanding, an oversimplification, or a misrepresentation of the given passage. The
writer may use evidence which is inappropriate or insufficient to support the analysis/argument.
A 3 essay is a lower 4, because it is even less effective in addressing the prompt. It is also less mature
in its syntax and organization.
A 2 essay indicates little success in speaking to the prompt. The writer may misread the question,
only summarize the passage, fail to develop the required analysis/argument or simply ignore the
prompt and write about another topic. The writing may also lack organization and control of language
and syntax. (Note: No matter how good the summary, it will never rate more than a 2.)
A 1 essay is a lower 2, because it is even more simplistic, disorganized, and lacking in control of
language.
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Persuasive Scoring Guide
9-8 Papers meriting these scores persuasively defend, challenge, or qualify the _____ through a
well-reasoned presentation of evidence from observation, experience, or reading. Evidence from
reading does not, of course, automatically put papers in this scoring range. Papers in this category
aptly support what they have to say and demonstrate stylistic maturity by an effective command of
sentence structure, diction, and organization. The writing reveals an ability to choose from and
control a wide range of the elements of effective writing, but it need not be without flaws.
7-6 Essays earning these scores defend, challenge, or qualify the _____ through a coherent
presentation of evidence from observation, experience, or reading, but lack the more carefully
nuanced thought or the more detailed development of examples of 9-8 papers. Some lapses in diction
or syntax may be present, but the writing demonstrates sufficient control of the elements of
composition to present the writer's ideas clearly. The arguments in these essays are sound, but may be
presented with less coherence or persuasive force than essays in the 9-8 range.
5 These essays present a position that attempts to defend, challenge, or qualify the _____ but do not
sustain a coherent presentation. They are adequately written, but may demonstrate inconsistent
control over the elements of composition. Organization is evident but may not be fully realized or
particularly effective.
4-3 Essays earning these scores do not respond adequately to the question's tasks. They may not
define a clear position or may attempt to develop a position with evidence that is not well chosen or
well integrated for the purpose. The writing is sufficient to convey the writer's ideas, but may suggest
weak control over diction, syntax, or organization. These essays may contain consistent spelling
errors or some flaws in grammar.
2-1 These essays fail to respond adequately to the question's tasks. Although the writer attempts to
respond to the _____, the response exhibits little clarity about the writer's attitude or only slight or
misguided evidence in its support. These essays may be poorly written on several counts, be
unpersuasively brief, or present only assertions without substantive evidence. They may reveal
consistent weaknesses in grammar or other basic elements of composition. Essays that are especially
inexact, vacuous, and/or mechanically unsound should be scored 1.
0 This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all
