A.P. Lang Rhetorical Devices and Strategies Guide

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience as conveyed through their writing.

Syntax

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

Diction

The choice and use of words in writing or speech.

Connotation

The implied or suggested meaning of a word.

Denotation

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Style

The manner in which an author writes, including word choice, sentence structure, and tone.

Figurative Language

Language that uses figures of speech, such as metaphors and similes, to express ideas in a non-literal way.

Structure

The organization of ideas in a written work.

Argument (Thesis)

The central claim or assertion that a writer presents and supports with evidence.

Tropes

Figures of speech that deal with meaning.

Schemes

Figures of speech that deal with word order, syntax, and sounds.

Repetition

The deliberate use of the same word or phrase multiple times for emphasis.

Ethos

Appeal to the credibility or character of the speaker.

Pathos

Appeal to the audience's emotions.

Logos

Appeal to logic and reason.

Describe (Description)

Providing vivid details to create a picture in the reader's mind.

Explain (Exposition)

To make an idea clear or to provide an explanation.

Inform (Exposition)

To give information or knowledge to the audience.

Persuasion

Convincing the audience to take a particular action or adopt a belief.

Argument

Presenting a reasoned case to support a conclusion or position.

Entertain

Writing with the purpose of amusing or engaging the audience.

Cause/Effect

Analyzing the reasons for an event and the consequences that follow.

Process Analysis

Explaining the steps or stages in a process.

Narration

Telling a story or recounting events.

Compare/Contrast

Examining similarities and differences between two or more things.

Parallelism

The repetition of similar grammatical structures in sentences for balance and rhythm.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device that contrasts ideas in a balanced structure.

Anecdote

A short, personal story used to illustrate a point.

Non-sequitur

A statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

Allegory

A narrative in which characters, events, or settings symbolize abstract qualities or concepts.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize or mock.

Deductive Reasoning

Moving from general principles to specific conclusions.

Inductive Reasoning

Drawing general conclusions from specific observations.

Syllogism

A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

Absolute

A phrase that modifies a noun and includes a noun and its modifiers without a verb, making it dependent on the rest of the sentence.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two contrasting elements side by side for effect.

Archetype

A recurring symbol or character type that appears in literature, myth, and culture.

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

Periodic Sentence

A sentence that builds toward and ends with the main clause.

Cumulative Sentence

A sentence that starts with the main clause and adds additional details afterward.

Simple Sentence

Contains one independent clause.

Compound Sentence

Contains two or more independent clauses.

Complex Sentence

Contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Declarative Sentence

A statement.

Exclamatory Sentence

A sentence that expresses strong emotion.

Interrogative Sentence

A question.

Ellipsis

The omission of words that are implied by the context.

Solecism

A grammatical mistake or incorrect usage of language.

Active Voice

The subject performs the action.

Passive Voice

The action is performed upon the subject.

Zeugma

A figure of speech in which a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.

Syllepsis

A type of zeugma in which a single word governs or modifies two or more other words, but the word applies differently to each.

Hyperbaton

A literary device in which the normal order of words is reversed for emphasis.

Anastrophe

Inversion of the typical word order in a sentence.

Appositive

A noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it.

Parenthesis

An insertion of a word, phrase, or sentence that interrupts the flow of the sentence.

Climax

The most intense or important point of a narrative or argument.

Concrete Details

Specific facts or descriptions that create clear, vivid images or support logical reasoning.

Asyndeton

The omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence.

Polysyndeton

The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession.

Expletive

A word or phrase added to a sentence for emphasis, often unnecessary to the meaning.

Irony

The expression of meaning through language that normally signifies the opposite, often for humorous or emphatic effect.

Understatement

A rhetorical device in which the speaker downplays the significance of something.

Litotes

A form of understatement that uses negation to express a positive.

Hyperbole

Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.

Emphatic Word Order

Arranging words in a sentence to emphasize the most important information.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.

Symploce

The combination of anaphora and epistrophe.

Anadiplosis

The repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next.

Conduplicatio

The repetition of a key word from one sentence or clause at the beginning of the next.

Epanalepsis

Repetition of the same word at the beginning and the end of a sentence or clause.

Diacope

Repetition of a word or phrase broken up by other intervening words.

Epizeuxis

The immediate repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis.

Antimetable

The repetition of words in successive clauses, but in reverse grammatical order.

Scesis Onomaton

Repetition of an idea using synonymous words or phrases.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

Pun

A play on words that suggests two or more meanings. Example: 'A horse is a very stable animal.'

Anthimeria

The substitution of one part of speech for another, often turning a noun into a verb. Example: 'I could use a good sleep.'

Euphemism

A polite or mild word or expression used to refer to something unpleasant. Example: 'Passed away' instead of 'died.'

Jargon

Specialized language used by a particular group or profession. Example: Medical jargon like 'hypertension' for high blood pressure.

Vernacular

The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular region or country.

Dialect

A particular form of language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.

Implication/Inference

Implication: A suggestion or hint at something without directly stating it. Inference: Drawing a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning.

Epiphany

A moment of sudden realization or insight.

Cliché

An overused expression or idea. Example: 'What goes around, comes around.'

Idiom

A phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the individual words. Example: 'It's raining cats and dogs.'

Aphorism

A concise statement that expresses a general truth or principle. Example: 'Actions speak louder than words.'

Adage

A traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation. Example: 'A stitch in time saves nine.'

Maxim

A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct.

Malapropism

The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one. Example: 'He is the pineapple of politeness' (instead of pinnacle).

Epithet

An adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned. Example: 'Alexander the Great.'

Epigram

A brief, witty, and often paradoxical statement. Example: 'I can resist everything except temptation.'

Synesthesia

Describing one kind of sensation in terms of another. Example: 'A loud color' or 'a sweet sound.'

Tautology

The redundant or repetitive use of words or ideas. Example: 'Free gift.'

Bathos

An abrupt transition from the elevated to the trivial or ridiculous, often creating a humorous effect.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'As brave as a lion.'

Analogy

A comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Time is a thief.'