Moran English Terms

Rhetoric

The art of using language effectively and persuasively

Rhetorical (Aristotelian) Triangle

The relationship among speaker, audience, and subject

Speaker

The voice or persona delivering the message

Audience

The intended readers or listeners of a text

Subject

The topic or focus of the test

Purpose

The writer's reason for creating the text; what they aim to achieve

Context

The background, situation, or environment that shapes a text

Occasion

The specific time and place a text is written or delivered

Exigence

The issue or situation that prompts someone to speak or write

Ethos

An appeal to the credibility or character of the speaker

Pathos

An appeal to emotion

Logos

An appeal to logic or reason

Tone

The author's attitude towards the subject or audience

Voice

The distinctive style or personality of the writer

Tone Shift

A noticeable change in mood attitude or emotion within a text

Revision

Rewriting to improve ideas, organization, and clarity

Editing

Correcting grammar, punctuation, and word choice

Genre

A category or type of writing with its own conventions

Thesis

The central idea or main argument of an essay

Thesis Statement

A sentence or two expressing the essay's main idea or claim

Unity

When every part of a piece of writing supports the central idea

Coherence

Logical flow and connection among ideas

Evidence

Concrete support—data, quotations or examples— used to justify analysis

Transition

Words or phrases that connect ideas smoothing between sentences or paragraphs

Audience Awareness

Understanding and addressing the needs and values of the reader

Division/Analysis

A method of writing and thinking that separates a subject into parts to understand how they relate to one another

Principle of Division

The consistent rule or idea used to divide a subject into parts; it determines how the analysis is organized

Inference

A conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning

Synthesis

Combining parts or insights into a new, unified understanding after analysis

Narration

Storytelling used to explain, entertain, or illustrate a point

Narrative

A structures story (factual or fiction) that conveys meaning or insight

Anecdote

A brief story used illustrate a point or add vividness to writing

Incident

A single event within a narrative used to support a point

Narrator

The teller of the story

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told (first-person "I", second-person "you", third-person "she, he, they")

Chronological Order

Arranging events in the order they occurred

In Medias Res

Latin for "in the middle of things"; starting a story in mid-action

Flashback

A return to earlier event to provide background or context

Scene

A detailed, moment-by-moment depiction of action including description and dialogue

Summary

A condensed telling of events that omits detailed description

Transition (in Narration)

Words or phrases that clarify the order, timing, or relationship of events

Dialogue

Quoted speech that reveals character and advances story

Description

A rhetorical method that reports the testimony of the senses, inviting readers to imagine that they see, hear, smell, and touch what the writer describes

Objective Description

Describes a subject clearly and accurately without emotion or personal bias; focuses on factual detail

Subjective Description

Conveys personal impressions, emotions, and tone; the writer's perspective shapes the reader's response

Dominant Impression

The single overall mood, atmosphere, or attitude a writer wants readers to feel. All descriptive details should contribute to it

Thesis (in Description)

A statement - sometimes explicit, sometimes implied - that epresses the dominant impression or main idea of the description

Organization (in Description)

The arrangement of details to achieve a sensory or emotional effect

Spatial Order

Arranging details by physical position (top to bottom, near to far, left to right, etc...)

Order of Importance

Arranging details from most to least notable—or the reverse—for emphasis

Chronological Order (in Description)

Arranging sensory details as they occur in time, often used in narrative-descriptive writing

Point of View (in Description)

The vantage point from which the writer observes and describes the subject; should remain consistent throughout

Concrete Language

Words that appeal directly to the senses and describe specific, observable details

Specific Language

Precise and exact wording that clarifies the writer's perception

Vivid details

Carefully chosen sensory details that make the subject come alive in the reader's imagination

Imagery (in Description)

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile)

Figurative Language (in Description)

Nonliteral language such as simile, metaphor, or personification used to create imagery or emotional resonance

Vagueness

The use of imprecise adjectives (like beautiful or loud) that fail to convey a clear image; strong description avoids vagueness

Example/Exemplification

A rhetorical method that uses specific instances to clarify, explain, of support a general idea or claim

Example (Definition)

From the Latin exemplum

Meaning “one thing selected from among many”; an instance that reveals or represents a larger type or category

Range of Examples

A sufficient variety of examples drawn from experience, observation, or research that establishes and strengths of generalization

Hypothetical example

An invented or imagined instance used to illustrate an idea when real examples are unavailable; effective when believable and apt

Diction

The author's word choice

Syntax

The arrangement and structure of words and sentences

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to the senses

Figurative Language

Language used in a nonliteral way to create effect

Tropes

Artful use of diction or meaning (such as metaphor, simile, or personification)

Schemes

Artful use of syntax or structure (such as parallelism or antithesis)

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical form for related ideas

Juxtaposition

Placing two ideas or images close together to highlight vontrast

Antithesis

A balanced contrast of opposing ideas in similar structure

Anaphora

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

Zeugma

Using one word to modify or govern two or more words differently

Periodic Sentence

A sentence that withholds the main idea, the main independent clause, until the end

Cumulative Sentence

A sentence that begins with the main idea, the main independent clause, until the end

Hortative Sentence

A sentence that encourages or calls to action

Imperative Sentence

A sentence that commands or requests

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect rather than an answer

Active Voice

The subject performs the action

Passive Voice

The subject receives the action

Emphasis

Making certain ideas stand out through structure, placement, or repetition

Sentence Variety

Using different lengths and structures for rhythm and interest

Concrete Language

Specific, sensory words that create clear mental images

Abstract Language

Words referring to ideas or concepts rather than tangible things

Colloquialism

Inform or conversational language

Cliché

An overused phrase that has lost originality or force

Connotation

The emotional or cultural meaning associated with a word

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word

Modifier

A word or phrase that describes or qualifies another word

Misplaced Modifier

A word, phrase, or clause that is separated from the word it describes, creating confusion and ambiguity

Dangling Modifier

A grammatical error where the modifying word or phrase is attached to the wrong subject or where the subject is missing in a sentence