Rhetoric and Style

Diction

The choice of words and phrases in speech or writing.

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

The implied or associated meaning of a word, which can vary by context.

Modifiers

Words, phrases, or clauses that add description and qualification.

Formal Diction

Language that adheres to grammatical rules and avoids slang.

Informal Diction

Conversational language that may include casual expressions.

Figurative Language

Language that uses words or phrases in a non-literal sense, often involving comparisons.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Analogy

A comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Personification

Attributing human qualities to non-human entities.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

Independent Clause

A group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought.

Compound Sentence

A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Complex Sentence

A sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Coordination

Joining clauses using conjunctions such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so.

Subordination

Joining clauses with subordinating conjunctions like when, because, until, if.

Periodic Sentence

A long sentence that holds off the main clause until the end.

Cumulative Sentence

A sentence that begins with the main clause and adds modifiers at the end.

Parenthetical

An insertion in a sentence that provides non-essential information.

Parallel Structure

The repetition of similar grammatical structures in a sentence.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device that uses contrasting ideas in parallel structures.

Punctuation

Symbols such as commas and periods that clarify meaning and relationships in writing.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject conveyed through their style.

Tonal Shifts

Changes in the author's attitude or perspective throughout a text.

Irony

A discrepancy between expectation and reality, used to convey complex perspectives.

Verbal Irony

When a speaker says one thing but means another.

Situational Irony

When an outcome is significantly different from what was expected.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something that a character does not.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration in language for emphasis or effect.

Understatement

A technique used to make a situation seem less important than it is.