Vocabulary Flashcards (Rhetorical Devices)

A set of vocabulary flashcards focused on rhetorical devices and reading-strategy terms found in Kennedy's Inaugural Address.

Anaphora

Deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis (e.g., the repeated 'Let us' in Kennedy's speech).

Antimetabole

Repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order (e.g., 'Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country').

Antithesis

A contrast of opposing ideas placed in a parallel or balanced structure to highlight differences (e.g., contrasting freedom with tyranny).

Asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases or clauses to speed or intensify the rhythm (e.g., 'Pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship…').

Cumulative sentence

A sentence that starts with a main clause and then adds modifying details or phrases, expanding the idea.

Hortative sentence

A sentence that urges or calls to action, often starting with 'Let' (e.g., 'Let us never negotiate out of fear').

Imperative sentence

A command or direct request directing the audience to take action (e.g., 'Ask not…').

Inversion

A reversal of the normal word order for emphasis (e.g., 'United there is little we cannot do').

Juxtaposition

Placing two or more ideas side by side to highlight contrasts or comparisons (e.g., strong vs. weak, power vs. vulnerability).

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between unlike things (e.g., 'The torch has been passed').

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical structures or patterns to create rhythm and emphasize related ideas (e.g., repeating 'pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship').

Periodic sentence

A sentence whose main clause is withheld until the end to build suspense and emphasis (e.g., long introductory phrases leading to a final clause).

Rhetorical question

A question posed for effect, not to elicit an answer, to engage the audience and provoke thought (e.g., 'Can we forge…?').

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words to create rhythm (e.g., 'Let us go forth to lead the land we love').

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work (e.g., Isaiah from the Bible) to add meaning or authority.

Context clue

A strategy for guessing a word's meaning from surrounding text and context clues.

Restatement (context clue strategy)

Inferring meaning by restating the unfamiliar word in simpler words found nearby.

Cause & Effect (context clue strategy)

Deducing meaning from the relationship between a cause and its effect in the surrounding text.

Contrast (context clue strategy)

Using nearby opposites or contrasting ideas to hint at a word's meaning.

Tone/Emotion (context clue strategy)

Using the emotional context surrounding a word to infer its meaning.

Example (context clue strategy)

A following example that clarifies the meaning of the word.

Word Parts (context clue strategy)

Breaking the word into roots, prefixes, and suffixes to deduce meaning.