AP Language & Composition Rhetorical Devices

34 terms so far

What does “Hyperbole” mean?

A huge exaggeration that isn’t meant to be taken literally

What does “Understatement” mean?

Making something sound less important, serious, or extreme than it really is

What’s the difference between a “Hyperbole” and an “Understatement”?

Hyperbole makes something sound bigger, while understatement makes something sound smaller

What does “Litote” mean?

A type of understatement that expresses an idea by saying what something is not

What’s the difference between a “Litote” and an “Understatement”?

Understatement is the bigger category. Litotes is one specific way to make an understatement by using a negative.

What does “Simile” mean?

Comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”

What does “Metaphor” mean?

Comparing two things by saying one thing is another thing, without using “like” or “as”

What does “Epithet” mean?

A descriptive word or phrase that highlights a person’s quality or characteristic

What does “Personification” mean?

Giving human actions or feelings to something that isn’t human, like an object, animal, or idea

What does “Parallelism” mean?

Using the same or similar grammatical structure for multiple phrases or sentences

What does “Chiasmus” mean?

Flipping the order of two elements so the second half mirrors the first

What does “Anadiplosis” mean?

Repeating the last word or phrase of one clause at the beginning of the next clause

What does “Conduplicatio” mean?

Repeating an important word or phrase throughout a sentence or nearby sentences

What does “Polysyndeton” mean?

Using more conjunctions than usual, like “and”, “or”, or “but”, between words or phrases

What does “Anaphora” mean?

Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple sentences or clauses

What does “Epistrophe” mean?

Repeating a word or phrase at the end of multiple sentences or clauses

What is the difference between “Anaphora” and “Epistrophe”?

Anaphora repeats words at the beginning; Epistrophe repeats words at the end

What does “Hypophora” mean?

When a writer asks a question and then answers it

What does “Rhetorical Question” mean?

A question asked in order to make you think about something or make a point rather than to get an answer

What does “Procatalepsis” mean?

When a writer addresses an argument someone might have against their point and then further adds their own argument to defend it

What does “Antanagoge” mean?

When a writer makes a negative point but balances it with a positive point

What does “Aporia" mean?

When a writer expresses doubt about an idea

What does “Antithesis” mean?

Putting two opposite ideas close together to show the difference between them

What does “Analogy” mean?

Comparing two different things because they have something in common (usually an idea)

What does “Allusion” mean?

Making a comparison to something well-known

What does “Eponym” mean?

Comparing someone to a well-known person that they share qualities with

What does “Exemplum” mean?

Using a specific example or story to support an idea or argument

What does “Synecdoche” mean?

Using a part of something to represent the whole thing

What does “Metonymy” mean?

Using a word or name closely related to the actual thing to represent it

What does “Apostrophe” mean?

When a writer directly addresses or speaks to someone or something that cannot respond

What does “Parataxis” mean?

A series of short sentences or clauses without using conjunctions or many connecting words.

What does “Distinctio” mean?

When a writer defines exactly what they mean by a word or phrase

What does “Parenthesis” mean?

Adding extra information to a sentence that isn’t necessary to understand its main point.

What does “Appositive” mean?

A noun or noun phrase that renames or explains another nou

What does “Asyndeton” mean?

Leaving out conjunctions, such as “and” or “or” between items in a list

What does “Zeugma” mean?

When one word connects to two different things in the same sentence, often with a different meaning for each

What does “Hyperbaton” mean?

Changing the normal word order of a sentence to emphasize something or create a certain effect

What does “Sententia” mean?

Using a famous or wise saying to support an idea

What does “Climax” mean?

Arranging words or ideas so they become more important, powerful, or intense as the sentence continues

What does “Metabasis” mean?

When a writer finishes discussing one idea and moves to another part of the discussion