AP Lang Rhetorical Devices

Trope

The use of a word, phrase, or imagine in a way not intended by its normal signification

Scheme

A change in standard word order or pattern

Anaphora

A scheme in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive phrases

Anastrophe

A scheme in which normal word order (subject, verb, object) is changed for dramatic effect

Antimetabole

A phrase is repeated in reverse grammatical order to create a contrast.

Antithesis

A scheme that makes use of contrasting words, phrases, sentences, or ideas for emphasis.

Apostrophe

A scheme in which a person or an abstract quality is directly addressed, whether present or not.

Epistrophe

A scheme in which the same word is repeated at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Hyperbole

A trope composed of exaggerated words or ideals used for emphasis and not to be taken literally

Irony

A trope in which a word/phrase is used to mean the opposite of its literal meaning

Litotes

A trope in which one makes a deliberate understatement for emphasis

Metaphor

A trope in which a word or phrase is transferred from its literal meaning to stand for something else

Metonymy/Synectoy

A trope that substitues an associated word for one that is meant

Oxymoron

A trope that connects two contradictory terms

Peripharsis

A trope in which one substitues a descriptive word or phrase for a proper noun

Personification

A trope in which human qualites/abilites are assigned to abstractions or inantimiate objects

Pun

A olay on words in which a homophone is repeated but used in a different sense

Rhetorical Question

A trope in which a leading question is asked

Simile

A trope in which one states a comparison between two things that are not alike but have similarities

Synecdoche

A trope in which a part stands for the hole.

Zeugma

A trope in which one verb governs several words or clauses each in a different sense

Connotation

Emotional, cultural, or social feeling a word carries beyond its dictionary definition

Denotation

Literal, objective dictionary definition

Synesthesia

Evoking a sense

Gustatory

Taste imagery

Olfactory

Smell imagery

Parallelism

Two or more clauses share the same grammatical structure/rhythm

Juxtaposition

The intentional placement of contrasting elements side by side by the author

Dichotomy

A rigid categorization where two things are presented as completely seperate

Alliteration

Repetition of the same sound in a sequence of words in a clause

Analogy

An extended comparison between two unlike things/relationships; it is used to explain a complex relationship for the audience to understand

Allusion

A brief reference to a person, place, or thing outside the text.

Polysyndeton

Coordinating conjuctions (and, or, but, nor) are repeated in close succession instead of commas

Asyndeton

Coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but, nor) are intentionally left out between words, phrases, or clauses

Ethos

A rhetorical appeal to credibility, character, and trustworthiness

Pathos

A rhetorical appeal to