Rhetorical Devices

Anectodal Evidence

A short personal story used to illustrate a point
Ex: When I was a child, my family struggled to…

Cause and Effect Reasoning

Shows how one event leads to another
Ex: Because ___, they ___

Appeals

-Ethos (credibility): As a doctor, I recommend…

-Pathos (emotion): Imagine a child going to bed hungry…

-Logos (logic/facts): Studies show that 60% of teens…

Author’s Purpose

The reason an author writes a text, whether to inform, persuade, entertain, or reflect. (Why did the author write this?)

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration for effect (I have told you a million times)

Understatement

Downplaying something important (“It is just a scratch” when referring to a big dent)

Synecdoche

A part represents the whole (All hands on deck, hands=people) or a whole represents a part (The United States won gold in the relay, where US refers to the team).

Parallel Structure

Repetition of grammatical structure (She likes cooking, cleaning, and jogging)

Euphemism

Mild word substituted for a harsh one (Passed away instead of died)

Satirical Exaggeration

Over-the-top statements used to mock or criticize (The government is so efficient, they take only a decade to fix a pothole; sarcasm)

Irony

The opposite of what is expected (A fire station burns down)

Analogy

Comparison to clarify an idea (Writing a paper is like building a house)

Enumeration

Listing items to emphasize (He brought pencils, pens, erasers, and notebooks)

Paradox

A statement that contradicts but reveals a truth (Less is more)

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not to get an answer (Who doesn’t want to be successful?)

Refutation of Counterargument

Addressing and disproving opposing views