Rhetorical Strategies

AP Lang

Visual Imagery

Visual representation of a literary text being described and represented in one’s mind

Olfactory Imagery

The description of smells and odors being represented in a literary text and one’s mind.

Auditory Imagery

The use of descriptive language to create imagery that appeals to our sense of hearing.

Gustatory Imagery

Imagery used to describe objects that can be tasted.

Tactile Imagery

In descriptive writing, tactile imagery is simply the sense of touch in a particular place.

Kinesthetic Imagery

Creates a visual of motion.

Organic Imagery

This imagery pertaining to a character’s internal sensations and emotions. It constructs a visual/tangible equivalent of an intangible experience.

Synesthesia

When one sense could be described or felt through another.

Climax (grammatical)

Literary technique in which words, clauses, or phrases are arranged in order of increasing importance.

Anticlimax

A suspenseful moment that ends in a rather disappointing way.

Chiasmus

A two-part sentence or phrase, where the second part is a mirror image of the first.

Zeugma

The use of a single verb/noun to modify two or more words, in two different ways. It doesn’t always make grammatical sense.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings.

Juxtaposition

Two things being related with contrasting effect.

Antithesis

A contrast or opposition between two things in a sentence or phrase.

Paradox

A statement that seemingly contradicts itself.

Apposition

When two noun phrases are used next to each other in a clause that refer to the same person or thing.

Circumlocution

Using more words than needed, trying to evade saying something.

Euphemism

An inoffensive, mild term used to substitute a term considered too offensive and harsh that refers to something unpleasant.

Anthimeria

The intentional misuse of one word’s part of speech, such as using a noun as a verb.

Simile

The comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.”

Metaphor

A figure of speech where a word/phrase is an object or action where it doesn’t literally make sense but figuratively does; usually uses the “to be" verb

Analogy

Comparison of two otherwise unrelated things to show their similarities. Not just a comparison, it is an argument that assists with making a point.

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that continues through the whole work or multiple lines or sentence rather than just for one.

Conceit

An extended metaphor that makes a strained or unlikely comparison between two things.