AP Language & Composition

Rhetorical Devices

allegory

second meaning found in symbolic fictional narrative that is not explicitly writtin within

alliteration

the repetition of the same consonant sound found in either the beginning of several consecutive or neighboring

allusion

referencing to the bible, mythology, literary or historical person, place, or idea

analogy

comparing the familiar with the unfamiliar to emphasize the unfamiliar

anecdote

short entertaining story that is either personally or biographical

antithesis

contrasting sentences, clauses, words, or ideas strongly

aphorism

brief statement of the truth or given principle

apostrophe

addressing the absent or abstract as if present

assonance

repetition of vowels

cartharsis

moral and spiritual cleanse; empathy towards others

consonance

repetition of constant sounds within or at end

epigram

a single observation expressed through a short, witty poem

epilogue

closing section and provides further information on literary works

ethos

credibility of

logos

logic

pathos

emotion

euphemism

mild or indirect expression less harsher than the original

hyperbole

exaggeration

irony

said by one thing, that means another

juxtaposition

combined words that compare or contrast each other

litotes

an understatement in which uses negation to explain the positive

metaphore

comparing two unlike things without the use of “like” or “as”

simile

comparing two unlike things with the use of “like” or “as”

metonymy

closely relative terms substituting the original

onomatopoeia

BOOM! POW! WOW!

oxymoron

combination of opposite terms to create unusual expressions

paradox

contradiction with little truth

parable

short, simple narrative that teaches a moral or valuable lesson

personification

adding human characteristics to inanimate objects

prologue

an introduction to the narrative or play

pun

a play on words that are either identical or similar to one another, but hold completely different meanings

satire

play on human folly; comical; humerous

symbolism

person, place, or thing that holds meaning, but also stands for something much larger such as quality, attitude, belief, or value

synecdoche

a part representing as a whole as the whole can represents as a part

synesthesia

words used to describe sense and general used to describe another

diction

word choice

tone

author’s attitude towards subject

denotation

dictionary definition

connotation

additional meaning; emotional, sense