English: Paper 1 Terminology

Parallelism

Sentence structure which places equal grammatical constructions near each other

Anaphora

Repetition of a word/phrase/clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row

Epistrophe

The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases/sentences

Asyndeton

Commas used with no conjunction to separate a series of words

Polysyndeton

Sentence which uses “and” or another conjunction abundantly to separate the items in a series

Antithesis

Establishing a clear contrasting relationship between two idea or concepts by joining them together/juxtaposing them through words

Chiasmus

A device in which the second half of a phrase is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed

Tricolon

A series of three words/phrases/sentences that are parallel in structure, length and/or rhythm

Hyperbole

A boldly exaggerated statement that adds emphasis without intending to be literally true

Modality

The way we express our views, whether we are very certain or somewhat less certain

Hypophora

A figure of speech in which a writer raises a question and then immediately provides an answer

Abstract Diction

Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places.

Occultatio

An act of pretense in which the what the speaker pretends not to mention is at the same really affirmed or insinuated

Assonance

The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds

Consonance

The repetition of the same or similar consonant sound

Analogy

A comparison of two similar but different things

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes an explicit or implied comparison between two unlike things without using the words “like” or “as”

Simile

A figure of speech directly comparing two essentially dissimilar things, uses “like” or “as”

Bandwagon Appeals

Arguments that urge people to do/follow/believe some action

Slippery Slope Fallacy

Claims that one first step/idea/course of action will lead to a chain of related events ending in an event that is bad in some way

Deductive reasoning

Making an inference based on widely accepted facts or premises

Inductive reasoning

Making an inference based on an observation often of a sample

Abductive reasoning

Making a probable conclusion from what you know