Diction
A writer's or speaker's choice of words
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
Tone
Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character
figurative language
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
shift
change
detail
Facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in the work
Syntax
The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
Connotation
an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told
Pacing
the movement of a literary piece from one point or one section to another
ad hominem
a fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Allusion
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art
Alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Apostrophe
a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction
Aphorism
A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.
Analogy
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
Anaphora
repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines
anecdote
a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Antithesis
the direct opposite, a sharp contrast
Asyndeton
omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words
cacophony
A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Chiasmus
A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
Colloquialism
a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.
Conceit
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.
cumulative sentence
sentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on
Denotation
The dictionary definition of a word
didactic
intended to teach
Ellipsis
three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation
Epiphany
A moment of sudden revelation or insight
Epistrophe
the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences
euphony
pleasant, harmonious sound
Ethos
Ethical appeal
Euphemism
An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
Genre
A category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.
homily
This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
Hyperbole
exaggeration
invective
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
Irony
the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
Litotes
A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite
Logos
Appeal to logic
Metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
Metonymy
A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it
Motif
A recurring theme, subject or idea
non sequitur
something that does not logically follow
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates the sound it represents.
Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.
Parallelism
similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses
Parody
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
Paradox
A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
Pathos
Appeal to emotion
pedantic
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.
periodic sentence
A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Polysyndeton
Deliberate use of many conjunctions
Repetition
Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis
Sarcasm
harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule
Satire
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as"
Syllepsis/Zeugma
a construction in which one word is used in two different senses
Syllogism
A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.
Symbol
A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.
Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa
Style
the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work
tautology
needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words; a redundancy
Understatement
the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.
epitaph
an inscription on a tombstone or burial place
elegy
a sad or mournful poem
eulogy
a formal speech praising a person who has died
Canon
accepted works of literary quality
Slant Rhyme/Near Rhyme
Rhyme that is similar but not exactly the same.
Consonance
Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.
Assonance
Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity
ballad
a poem or song narrating a story
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter
couplet
two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme and share meter
free verse
Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme
monometer
one foot
tetrameter
four feet
pentameter
five feet
octameter
eight feet
metrical feet
a group of a single pattern of stressed/ unstressed syllables
monosyllabic
having only one syllable
octave
8 line stanze
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