Key Literary and Rhetorical Devices for Analyzing Texts

Active voice

Sentence where the subject does the action.

Passive voice

Sentence where the subject receives the action.

Allusion

Reference to a well-known person, event, or work.

Analogy

Comparison showing how two things are similar.

Anecdote

Short personal story used for effect.

Antecedent

Word a pronoun refers back to.

Antithesis

Opposite ideas placed close together.

Aphorism

Short, clever statement of truth or advice.

Appeal to emotion

Persuasion using feelings.

Appeal to ethics

Persuasion using credibility/character.

Appeal to logic

Persuasion using facts and reason.

Cliché

Overused expression.

Colloquialism

Informal, everyday language.

Complex sentence

Sentence with one main clause + one dependent clause.

Compound sentence

Sentence with two or more main clauses.

Compound-complex sentence

Sentence with 2+ main clauses + at least one dependent clause.

Imperative sentence

Gives a command.

Balanced sentence

Sentence with equal parts in length or structure.

Abstract

Refers to ideas, not physical things.

Concrete

Refers to things you can see or touch.

Connotation

Emotional meaning of a word.

Denotation

Dictionary meaning of a word.

Dialect

Regional variety of language.

Diction

Word choice.

Didactic

Writing meant to teach.

Ellipsis

Omission of words, often shown with '...'.

Euphemism

Softer word for something harsh.

Figurative language

Words not meant literally (simile, metaphor, etc.).

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration.

Idiom

Expression with meaning different from literal words.

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to senses.

Implication

Hinting at something without saying it directly.

Inductive reasoning

Specific examples → general conclusion.

Deductive reasoning

General principle → specific conclusion.

Inference

Logical guess based on evidence.

Invective

Harsh, insulting language.

Inverted syntax

Reversing normal word order.

Irony

Contrast between expectation and reality.

Jargon

Specialized language of a group/profession.

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side by side for contrast.

Logical fallacy

Error in reasoning.

Malapropism

Mistaken use of a word that sounds similar.

Paradox

Statement that seems contradictory but reveals truth.

Parallelism

Repetition of grammar structure for balance.

Parody

Humorous imitation.

Parenthetical

Extra info set off by parentheses, commas, or dashes.

Rhetoric

Art of persuasion.

Rhetorical question

Question asked for effect, not answer.

Satire

Humor that criticizes or mocks.

Style

Author's unique way of writing.

Syntax

Arrangement of words in a sentence.

Thesis

Main argument or claim in writing.

Tone

Author's attitude toward subject.

Understatement

Making something seem less important.

Vernacular

Everyday spoken language of a region.