English Rhetoric

Epistrophe

a rhetorical and literary device where the same word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or lines

Metonymy

a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else closely connected or associated with it  

Pathos

An emotional appeal; loaded language; engages the audience’s or reader’s emotions.

Logos

A logical appeal; appeals to the audience or reader by offering reasonable, logical ideas; may rely on details, facts, and/or statistics.

Ethos

An ethical appeal; offers reader evidence that he/she/they are credible; attempts to prove that they are well-informed; knowledgeable source

Alliteration

Repetition of the same beginning sounds; usually several words in a sequence

Anaphora

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

lines

“Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring

from the curvaceous slopes of California.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in close succession.

Asyndeton

The lack of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.

Cacophonous

Language

Harsh joining of sounds

Chiasmus

When words are presented and then restated in reverse order

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your

country.” ~John F. Kennedy

Colloquial

Language

The use of informal words or slang within a written work

Connotative

Diction

Words with heavily implied meaning

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in close succession

Denotative

Diction

Direct and explicit words

Euphonious

Language

Language that is smooth and pleasant to hear

Inversion

The reversal of the normal order of words

“Tired is he who faithfully completes his homework.

Parallelism

Construction of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph that shares similar or the same

grammatical construction

“I like swimming better than I like hiking.” (swimming and hiking are parallel

construction as is the syntax)

Polysyndeton

The overuse of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words for

effect.

Allusion

Reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or work

Antithesis

Opposition; contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” ~Neil Armstrong

Apostrophe

A reference to an absent person or thing

Climax

When a writer arranges ideas in order of importance

Euphemism

A non-offensive expression for one whose meaning might be unpleasant or

offensive

Hyperbole

An exaggeration for emphasis or effect

Imagery

The use of figurative language to evoke a feeling or to describe something

Irony

Literary device that use contradictory statements or situations to reveal a reality

different from what appears to be true

Litotes/Understat

ement

Presenting something as being less significant that it is

Metaphor

Draws a comparison between two actions/objects without using like or as

Oxymoron

Juxtaposed words that contradict (for example: icy hot)

Paradox

A statement whose two ideas seem contradictory yet make sense with more

thought

Simile

A comparison between two actions/objects using like or as

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa (for

example: wheels for a car or suits for businessmen

Simple Sentence

Is one independent clause

The dogs played outside.

Complex

Sentence

s one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses

After the dogs played outside, they needed bathes

Compound

Sentence

Is two or more independent clauses

After the dogs played outside, they needed bathes, and then they took naps on

their beds

Declarative

Sentence

Makes a statement

The dog is barking

Imperative

Sentence

Makes a command

Feed the dog

Interrogative

Sentence

Asks a question

Did you feed the dog?

Exclamatory

Sentence

Makes an exclamation

The dog ate the chips!

Modifier

Alters or intensifies meaning

The dog chased the cat very suddenly. (Suddenly acts as the modifier.)

Antecedent

Word or the group of words to which a pronoun refers

The dog chased a bird but left another one alone. (Bird is the antecedent.)

Loose Sentence

Makes sense before the end of the sentence is reached

“We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom,

symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.”

~John F. Kennedy

Periodic Sentence

Needs to be read through completely to make sense

“To believe your own thought, to believe that which is true for you in your private

heart is true for all men, that is genius.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ellipsis

A trailing off; equally etc.; going off into a dreamlike state (never to be used

immediately inside of quotation marks)

Dash

Interruption of a thought; an interjection of one thought into another

Semi-colon

Parallel ideas; equal ideas; a piling up of detail

Colon

A list; a definition or explanation; a result

Italics

Used for emphasis

Capitalization

Used for emphasis

Exclamation Point

Used either for emphasis or for emotion

Ad hominem

Against the man; a personal attack on an individual rather than the issue

Bandwagon

Tries to persuade the audience to accept a position because the majority of

people already do

Begging the

Question

Circular reasoning; assumes the idea that needs to be proven as being true

Cause/Effect

Assumes that the effect is related to a cause because the events occur

simultaneously or near one another

Circular

Reasoning

An argument in which the conclusion is used as one of the premises

Either/or

False dilemma; assumes that there are only two possible outcomes or sides in an

argumen

Equivocation

When a key term or phrase is used in an ambiguous way

Faulty Analogy

Assuming that because two things are alike in one way, they are alike in other

ways

Hasty

Generalization

Bases argument on too small of a sample as the basis for a broader generalization

Non Sequitur

Does not follow; irrelevant reasons are offered to support a claim

Red Herring

A diversion; introduces a topic unrelated to the claim

Slippery Slope

Assumes a chain reaction of events will result in a terrible outcome

Straw Man

States an opponent’s argument in an exaggerated form, or attacking a weaker,

irrelevant portion of the opposition’s argument

Syllogism

a three-part method of deductive reasoning. It consists of a major premise, a minor

premise, and a logically deduced conclusion. If both premises are true and the argument is structured

correctly, the conclusion is guaranteed to be true; however, some can be faulty, so be aware…fallacies

use faulty syllogisms.

Narration

Any form of writing that tells a story. It can be fiction (like novels and short

stories) or nonfiction (such as memoirs and personal essays); primary purpose is

to entertain, educate, or evoke emotion by guiding the reader through a

connected sequence of events

Descriptive

The art of using sensory details, figurative language, and active verbs to paint a

vivid picture in the reader's mind; primary goal is to transport the audience,

allowing them to experience a scene, person, or object as if they were physically

there

Exemplification

A type of academic writing that explains a general idea or proves a thesis

statement by using detailed, specific examples, real-life cases, and concrete

evidence.

Process

A type of writing that explains how to do something or how something works by

breaking a complex task into clear, chronological steps

Cause and Effect

A type of writing that explores why an event happens (the causes) and what

happens as a result (the effects). It investigates the fundamental relationship

between actions, situations, or decisions and their consequences, answering the

question of why or what happened

Comparison and

Contrast

A type of writing that analyzes two or more subjects by exploring their

similarities (comparing) and differences (contrasting). The goal is not just to state

the obvious, but to reveal unexpected connections or subtle distinctions that

provide a deeper understanding of the subjects

Classification and

Division

A type of academic writing that takes a large, complex topic and breaks it down

into logical, distinct categories. The goal is to sort items or concepts with shared

traits into groups, and then use specific examples to explain each category and its

significance

Definition

An essay that is a short, structured piece of writing that explores a specific topic,

idea, or argument. It typically presents the author's personal perspective or

analysis, backed by evidence, logic, and reasoning.

Argumentative

A type of academic writing that takes a firm stance on a specific topic. It requires

you to investigate a subject, collect evidence, build a logical case, and

acknowledge opposing views (counterclaims) to prove your position is the most

valid

Rhetorical

Analysis Essay

In her adverb/adjective, adverb/adjective name of genre and other identifying

information such as the date the document was written, writer’s name adverb

active verb and adverb active verb name of reader or intended audience through

the use of describe or name rhetorical techniques you will focus on to describe to

the writer’s purpose.

Synthesis Essay

Open Thesis Formula:

[Although + Subordinate Clause representing a concession/counterargument], +

[Subject] + [Defensible Verb Phrase] + [Because + Reason/Line of Reasoning]

Closed Thesis Formula:

[Although / While + Counterclaim], [your claim / stance] because [Reason 1],

[Reason 2], and [Reason 3

Argumentative

Essay

Same as synthesis essay