Rhetorical Devices to Know for the AP Lang Exam (AP)

Rhetorical Device

Techniques used in speech or writing to persuade, inform, or evoke an emotional response.

Analogy

A comparison between two things based on their structure, often simplifying complex ideas.

Antithesis

The use of contrasting ideas within parallel structures to highlight differences.

Diction

The deliberate choice of words to create a specific effect or mood.

Ethos

An appeal to credibility or authority to persuade the audience.

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting ideas close together for comparison.

Logos

Using logical reasoning and evidence to support an argument.

Pathos

Appealing to emotions to sway the audience.

Rhetoric

The art of using language effectively to convey ideas.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

Tone

The author's attitude toward a subject, conveyed through word choice and style.

Purpose of Rhetorical Devices

To identify and analyze rhetorical devices in texts for the AP English Language exam.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid pictures.

Alliteration

Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of successive words.

Allusion

A reference to a historical event, literary work, or well-known figure.

Anecdote

A brief narrative used to illustrate a point.

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where one thing is substituted for another that is closely associated with it.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole or vice versa.

Colloquial

Language that imitates informal, everyday speech.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the end of words.

Epistrophe

Repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive clauses.

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals an underlying truth.

Pacing

The speed at which a piece of writing flows.

Polysyndeton

The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession.

Rhetorical Question

A question posed by the speaker not meant to be answered.

Inductive Reasoning

Drawing broad generalizations from specific observations.

Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning moving from general principles to specific instances.

Elegiac

A tone of mourning or sorrow for something that has passed.

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor developed throughout several lines or sentences.

Irony

Expressing something contrary to what is meant.

Thesis

The main statement or central argument in a work.