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Allegory
A story where characters and events represent qualities or concepts, revealing an abstraction or truth.
Alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.
Allusion
An indirect reference to something with which the reader is supposed to be familiar.
Anecdote
A brief recounting of a relevant episode to develop a point or inject humor.
Antecedent
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
Adage
A folk saying that imparts a lesson.
Ambiguity
The multiple meanings of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things to explain something unfamiliar.
Comic relief
A humorous scene inserted into a serious story to lighten the mood.
Diction
Word choice as an element of style that affects meaning.
Colloquial
Ordinary or familiar type of conversation not acceptable for formal writing.
Connotation
The suggested associations of a word beyond its literal definition.
Denotation
The literal, explicit meaning of a word without its connotations.
Jargon
Specialized diction used by a particular group or profession.
Vernacular
The language or dialect of a particular country or group.
Euphemism
A less offensive substitute for unpleasant words or concepts.
Extended metaphor
A metaphor developed at great length, recurring throughout a work.
Figurative language
Writing that is not intended to carry literal meaning, often imaginative.
Hyperbole
Exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Idiom
A common expression that doesn’t make sense if taken literally.
Metaphor
An implied comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.
Metonymy
Replacing a word or idea with a related concept.
Simile
A direct comparison between two different things using 'like' or 'as'.
Personification
Giving human-like qualities to non-human things.
Figure of speech
A device used to produce figurative language.
Foreshadowing
Hints about what will happen later in a story.
Genre
The major category into which a literary work fits.
Imagery
Words that create a picture in the reader's mind, often involving the senses.
Irony
When the opposite of what is expected occurs.
Verbal irony
When one says something but means the opposite.
Juxtaposition
Placing things side by side for comparison.
Mood
The atmosphere created through word choice and syntax.
Oxymoron
Contradictory terms grouped together, suggesting a paradox.
Paradox
A seemingly contradictory situation that is actually true.
Parallelism
Sentence construction that places equal grammatical constructions near each other.
Parody
An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous effect.
Poetic device
A device used in poetry to manipulate sounds.
Pun
A humorous play on words that has multiple meanings.
Rhetoric
The art of effective communication.
Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle
The relationships between writer, audience, and subject in writing.
Rhetorical Question
A question asked for effect, not for information.
Sarcasm
A bitter comment that is ironically or satirically worded.
Satire
A work that critiques life elements to humorous effect.
Appositive
A word or group of words placed beside a noun to supplement its meaning.
Clause
A grammatical unit containing a subject and verb.
Declarative sentence
A sentence that states an idea.
Imperative sentence
A sentence that issues a command.
Interrogative sentence
A sentence that asks a question.
Style
The choices in diction, tone, and syntax made by a writer.
Syntax
The grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence.
Theme
The central idea or message of a literary work.
Thesis
A statement expressing the author's opinion, purpose, or meaning.
Tone
The writer's attitude toward the subject matter as revealed through writing.
Understatement
The ironic minimization of fact, presenting something as less significant.
Argument
A piece of reasoning that includes premises leading to a conclusion.
Premises
Statements offered as reasons to support a conclusion.
Conclusion
The end result of an argument, the main point being made.
Aristotle’s appeals
Persuasive techniques using ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos
Appeal to credibility or character of the author.
Pathos
Appeal to the reader's emotions.
Logos
Appeal to logical reasoning.
Concession
Accepting part of an opposing viewpoint to strengthen one's argument.
Counterexample
An example opposing a generalization.
Fallacy
An attractive but unreliable piece of reasoning.
Alter-ego
A character used by the author to express their own thoughts.
Note 
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