AP English Language Rhetorical Devices (Flashcards)

Allusion

A brief, indirect reference to a well-known person, event, story, or work.

Analogy

A comparison between two dissimilar things to explain or clarify.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Antithesis

A figure of speech that juxtaposes two sharply contrasting ideas in parallel structure.

Asyndeton

The deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses.

Polysyndeton

The use of many conjunctions between clauses or words, often more than needed.

Hyperbole

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality, where the actual meaning is different from what’s said.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating one is the other.

Simile

A comparison of two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Personification

Attributing human qualities or actions to non-human things or abstractions.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create mental images.

Parallelism

Using the same grammatical structure in successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer.

Anecdote

A short, personal story relevant to the topic.

Diction

The author’s choice of words or level of language.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice and style.

Ethos (Appeal to Credibility)

Establishing the author’s credibility or moral authority.

Pathos (Appeal to Emotion)

Appealing to the audience’s emotions to persuade.

Logos (Appeal to Logic)

Using logical reasoning, facts, statistics, or well-structured arguments to persuade.