Rhetorical Devices & Strategies #5

Syntax

grammatical arrangement & grouping of words

Sentence

group of words (subject + verb) that expresses a complete thought

Appositive

a words or group of words placed beside a noun or noun substitute to supplement its meaning

Clause

a grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb

Independent clause

complete thought that can stand alone in a sentence

Dependent/subordinate clause

cannot stand alone and needs to be with the independent clause

Balanced sentence

a sentence in which two parallel elements are set off against each other like equal weights on a scale (both parts are parallel grammatically)

Compound sentence

contains at least 2 independent clauses but no dependent clauses

Complex sentence

contains only one independent clause and at least one dependent clause

Compound-complex sentence

contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause

Cumulative sentence (loose sentence)

when the writer begins with an independent clause, then adds subordinate elements

Periodic sentence

main idea is at the end of the sentence, the writer begins with subordinate elements and postpones the main clause

Simple sentence

contains only one independent clause

Declarative sentence

states an idea, does not give a command a request nor does it ask a question

Imperative sentence

issue a command

Interrogative sentence

sentences incorporating interrogative pronouns (what, which, who, whom, whose)

Exclamatory sentence

sentence that expresses sudden or strong emotions and feelings (begins with a capital letter and end with an !)

Anastrophe (inverted sentence)

type of syntax inversion that changes the order of a sentence structure for effect. can specifically refer to a specific type of inversion (adjective after the noun)