Rhetorical Strategies

Flashcards of Rhetorical Strategies and Patterns of Development

Allusion

A brief reference to a person, place, event, artwork, or passage assumed to be well-known.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words or phrases.

Anaphora

The repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses.

Anecdote

A short, interesting account of some happening, personal or biographical.

Anticipation of objection

A technique to anticipates objections and points out the error in their objections.

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas or words, expressed in parallel structure.

Aphorism

A brief saying embodying a moral.

Asyndeton

Conjunctions are omitted, resulting in a fast-paced and rapid prose.

Bandwagon

Convincing the audience that accepting the writer's view will put them on the popular side.

Comparison

Points out similarities in ideas.

Concession

An acknowledgement of objections to a proposal.

Contrast

Points out striking differences.

Call to action

The writer asks the audience to take action or reconsider.

Ellipsis

The omission of a word or words that are superfluous or understood from context.

Emotional language

Words intended to convince the audience through emotional responses.

Epistrophe

The regular repetition of the same word at the end of successive phrases or clauses.

Euphemism

Replacing harsh words with less offensive words.

Flattery

Excessive, untrue, or insincere praise given to ingratiate the speaker with the audience.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis, sometimes for a comic effect.

Imagery

Lively descriptions which impress the images (senses) of things upon the mind.

Irony

What is meant is the opposite of what is expressed; sarcastic expression. Dramatic, situational, or verbal.

Juxtaposition

Two things placed close together with a contrasting effect.

Litotes/Understatement

Opposite of hyperbole; intensifies by understating significance.

Metaphor

A comparison between two unlike things, often not explicitly stated.

Name-calling

The use of disparaging names to attack those who oppose the speaker

Onomatopoeia

The use of words whose sound reinforces their meaning.

Oxymoron

Two contradictory or opposite terms or ideas paired closely together.

Paradox

A statement that appears contradictory but has truth.

Parallelism/Parallel Structure

Similar ideas presented in a similar grammatical structure.

Personification

When human characteristics are applied to an inanimate object.

Polysyndeton

The use of many conjunctions to slow the pace of a text.

Pun

A clever 'play' on words.

Repetition

The act of repeating a word, phrase, or idea for emphasis.

Rhetorical question

A question that does not require a direct answer but is used to make the audience consider something.

Sarcasm

A taunting, cutting, or caustic remark used ironically.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize stupidity or vices.

Simile

An explicit comparison between two unlike things using the words 'like' or 'as'.