rhetorical devices

test

argument

  piece of reasoning with one or more premises and a conclusion. 

• a claim supported by evidence, and logical reasoning to persuade the reader.

allusion

a brief reference to famous people

analogy

arguing that the relationship between the first pair is the same as the relationship between the second pair.

• comparing 2 different things to show similarities.

allegory

a narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey deeper meanings, often delivering moral, social, or political messages.

• fictional or non-fictional, in which characters, things, and events represent qualities or concepts.

adage

A folk saying with a lesson.

antecedent

a narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey deeper meanings, often delivering moral, social, or political messages.

aphorism

statement expressing general truth or moral principle. It can be a memorable summation of the author's point.

alter-ego

A character used by the author to speak the author’s own thoughts; when an author speaks directly to the audience through a character.

anecdote

a brief recounting of a relevant episode.  inserted into fictional or non-fictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.

active voice

The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is a more direct and preferred style of writing in most cases.

antimetobole

A rhetorical device in which the same words or phrases are used twice in succession, but the second time, the order of the words is reversed.

asyndeton

When a writer creates a list of items, but omits conjunctions (usually "and" or "or") between parts of a sentence.

anaphora

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences or clauses in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent.

classicism

to emphasize order, reason, clarity, harmony, and restraint for artistic expression.

comic releif

humor to lighten the mood

connotation

an implied meaning rather than literal. not from dictionary.

chiasmus

When the same concepts are used twice in succession, but the second time, the order of the concepts is reversed.

colloquialism

Ordinary or familiar type of conversation

concession

Accepting at least part or all of an opposing viewpoint. Often used to make one’s own argument stronger by demonstrating that one is willing to accept what is obviously true and reasonable, even if it is presented by the opposition.

counterexample

An example that runs counter to (opposes) a generalization, thus falsifying it.

didactic

a term to teach moral, ethical, or phylosical lessons rather than entertaining.

denotation

lieral explicit meaning of the word

diction

word choice of a author

euphemism

a replacment from harsh words/ expressions to avoid offense.

ellipsis

The deliberate omission of a word or phrase from prose done for effect by the author.

elliptical construction

a grammatical shortcut where words are deliberately omitted from a sentence without losing its meaning

Fallacy

An attractive but unreliable piece of reasoning.

forshadowing

to give hints/clues of events that will come

gothic

Writing is characterized by gloom, mystery, fear, and/or death.

hyperbole

to exaggerate

imagery

use of language to appeal sense in a mental picture

invective

A long, emotionally violent attack using strong, abusive language.

irony

expressing opposite of the literal meaning to highlight contradictions

Jargon 

The diction used by a group which practices a similar profession or activity

juxtaposition

placing elements side by side to highlight contrasts or similarities

motif 

a recurring image, theme, or symbol for the overall meaning

Metonymy

Replacing an actual word or idea with a related word or concept.

metaphor

Making an implied comparison, not using "like," "as," or other such words.

Oxymoron

When apparently contradictory terms are grouped together and suggest a paradox.

pacing

the speed of a shaped sentence.

persona

the voice the author adopts for narration distinct to their true self

paradox

revealing a deeper deeper truth

parody

an exaggeration of humor for entertainment

personification

giving like human traits to non-human objects

Polysyndeton

When a writer creates a list of items which are all separated by conjunctions (usually "and" and "or"). Normally, a conjunction is used only before the last item in a list.

pun

When a word that has two or more meanings is used in a humorous way

parallelism

Sentence construction which places equal grammatical constructions near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns. Used to add emphasis (through comparison), organization, or sometimes pacing to writing.

rhetorical question

A question not asked for information but for effect.

Romanticism

Art or literature characterized by an idealistic, perhaps unrealistic view of people and the world, and an emphasis on nature. Does not rely on traditional themes and structures.

synesthesia

a description involving a “crossing of the senses”

synecdoche

a whole represented by some of its parts to be identified

Syntax

The grammatical arrangement of words. This involves examining the length and structure of sentences (short or long) and how they relate to tone and meaning.

theme

the central idea or message

thesis

The sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition. It should be short and clear.

tone

authors attitude through words

understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact, presenting something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous

Litote

 particular form of understatement, generated by denying the opposite of the statement which otherwise would be used.

Vernacular

Language or dialect of a particular country, regional clan, or group. Also known as plain, every-day speech (not embellished).

Zeugma

When a single word governs or modifies two or more other words, and the meaning of the first word must change for each of the other words it governs or modifies