Glossary of Rhetorical Devices and Terms – AP English Lang and Comp

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering common rhetorical devices and terms from the AP English Language and Composition glossary.

Juxtaposition

Placement of two or more ideas, images, or elements side by side for comparison or contrast.

Logos

Logical appeal using facts, evidence, and reasoning to persuade.

Metaphor

A direct or implied comparison between two unlike things without using like or as.

Oxymoron

Two opposite words placed together to create a paradoxical effect.

Paradox

A self-contradictory statement that reveals a truth upon closer examination.

Parallelism

Repetition of similar grammatical structures to create rhythm and clarity.

Pathos

Emotional appeal aimed at provoking feelings in the audience.

Personification

Giving human traits to nonhuman things, such as animals or objects.

Polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions in succession to create a sense of multiplicity.

Repetition

Duplication of a word, phrase, clause, or sound for emphasis or effect.

Rhetoric

The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing; strategic choices made for audience and purpose.

Rhetorical Question

A question posed for effect with an obvious or implied answer; not meant to be answered aloud.

Satire

A work that uses irony, parody, or exaggeration to critique human follies or social norms.

Syllogism

A deductive argument with a major premise and a minor premise that leads to a conclusion.

Syntax

The arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences; sentence structure.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience; differs from mood, which is the reader’s feeling.

Transition

A word or phrase that links ideas and signals a shift from one point to another.

Understatement

A deliberately restrained or ironic minimization of a fact; often humorous or satirical.