parallelism
similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses
isocolon
parallel elements that are similar in not only grammatical structure but also in length
tricolon
parallel construction in groups of three
antithesis
contrasting ideas in parallel structure
alliosis
alternatives presented in a balanced manner
tautology
phrase or sentence repeating an idea in the same words
anastrophe
inversion of natural word order
parenthesis
parenthetical remark that is off on a tangent and is grammatically unrelated tot he sentence
apposition
an explanation or modification of the first coordinate element
aposiopesis
when the sentence is broken off
ellipsis
deliberate omission of a word or of words implied by the context
asyndeton
deliberate omission of a conjunction
polysyndeton
deliberate use of many conjunctions
alliteration
repetition of consonants
assonance
repetition of vowels
anaphora
repetition of a group of words at the beginning of clauses
epistrophe
repetition of a group of words at the end of clauses
epanalepsis
repetition at the end of a clause that occurred at the beginning of a clause. (must be in the same sentence)
anadiplosis
repetition of the last word of a sentence at the beginning of the following clause
conduplicatio
key word in one sentence is repeated in the next sentences
climax
arrangement of order of increasing importance
anticlimax
opposite of climax where the least important item appears at the end (humor/satire)
antimetabole
repetition oof words in reverse grammatical order (changes meaning)
chiasmus
reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses (no repetition of words)
polyptoton
repetition of words derived from the same root