Ap lang common rhetoric choices

Tone

The author's or speaker's attitude toward the subject. (ex: formal, informal, optimistic, pessimistic, sarcastic, and humorous)

Diction

The choice of words and phrases used by an author or speaker to convey meaning, tone, or style. (ex:formal, colloquial, technical, or figurative)

analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification, highlighting similarities in their structure or function.

juxtaposition

The act of placing two or more ideas, characters, or settings side by side in order to develop comparisons and contrasts.

Enumeration

The listing of details or examples in a series to emphasize a point or provide clarity. Enumeration helps to organize ideas and strengthen arguments.

alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words, often used to create rhythm or emphasize a particular phrase.

parallel structure

The repeated grammatical structure across multiple phrases or clauses to create balance and rhythm in writing.

Anaphora

The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences, used to create emphasis and strengthen an argument.

Hypophora

A rhetorical device where a speaker poses a question and then immediately answers it, often used to engage the audience and introduce a point.

rhetorical question

A question posed for effect rather than to elicit an answer, prompting the audience to consider a point or viewpoint.

allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

anecdote

A short and interesting story about a real incident or person, used to illustrate a point or engage the audience.

ethos

The rhetorical appeal to credibility or character, used to persuade an audience by establishing trust in the speaker's authority on a subject.