English Rhetorical Devices: Figures of Speech and Syntax

Simile

comparison using like or as

metaphor

comparison without using like or as

Personification

assigning human qualities to something that is not human

Rhetorical Question

a question asked for effect, not requiring an answer

Allusion

A brief reference to a famous person or event

Hyperbole

An obvious and

deliberate exaggeration

euphemism

A mild or pleasant word or phrase

that is used instead of one that is

unpleasant or offensive

Anaphora

Intentional repetition of the first

word(s) in sentences or clauses.

Epistrophe

Intentional repetition of words at

the end of sentences or clauses

Parallelism

Successive words, phrases, clauses

expressed with the same or very similar

grammatical structure.

Understatement

A statement that minimizes the significance of

something or says less than it means

oxymoron

figure of speech that pairs two words of opposite meaning for dramatic, comedic, or provocative effect

Paradox

figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict itself

Anastrophe

Inverting the usual order of words or

phrases

Antithesis

Opposite words or statements are

contrasted (juxtaposed) and includes a

parallel grammatical/sentence structure

(parallelism).

Hypophora

Occurs when a writer asks a question

and follows the question with the

answer

Polysyndeton

Joining phrases, clauses, or sentences

with a conjunction repeated over and

over

Asyndeton

Joining phrases, clauses, or sentences

WITHOUT a conjunction

Syllepsis

When a writer plays on the multiple

meanings of a word.

Isocolon

Parallel phrases, clauses, or sentences

of similar length in succession

Diacope

constant repetition of words

Syllogism

A logical conclusion of ideas is drawn

from two previous statements

Rhetorical Climax

Purposely ordering words, phrases, or

sentences so that the most important

comes last.