Advanced English 2- Rhetoric Devices

Simile

Comparing two terms using “like” or “as”

Metaphor

Comparing two terms with out using “like” or “as”

Analogy

Comparing two terms based on resemblance of a particular aspect

Onomatopoeia

Written representation of sounds

Cacophony

Harsh, discordant sounds

Alliteration

Repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words

Assonance

Repeated internal vowel sounds

Consonance

Repeated internal consonant sounds

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent a whole

Oxymoron

Word or phrase that contain opposites

Paradox

Phrase or concept that seems to contradict itself

Allusion

Reference to something well known by a wide audience

Symbolism

Object or image that represents an idea

Personification

Human like features to an object

Repitition

Repeating one word/phrase for impact

Parallel Structure

Pattern of sentence structure to create rhythm

Rhetorical Question

A question or statement that leads to an implied answer

Isocolon

Type of parallelism that uses syllable length to create a rhythm in multiple clauses

Juxtaposition

Place of two unlike things side by side to bring in different and show contrast

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of a clause

Asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions within list or set

Polysyndeton

Uses conjunctions between every item in a list or set

Understatement

Down playing extent of something, usually sarcastically

Litotes

Specific type of understatements that tell us what something is by describing what it isn’t

Antithesis

Pair of statements or images in which one reverses the other

Ambiguity

Intentional confusion created by a word/phrase with multiple meaning.

Chiasmus

Repetition of thematic elements in reverse order.

Apostrophe

Addressing someone or something that is no longer there (because it’s dead)

Ellipsis

Ammison of words/phrases that don’t take away from the overall meaning

Kenning

Replacing ordinary nouns with metaphors

Metonymy

Replace words with related/associated words

Zeugma

One verb serves two clauses, which may have two different meanings

Aphorism

Simple statement used ti illustrate a commonly held belief or piece of advice.

Anadiplosis

Beginning clause with words that the last clauses ended with

Comparisons

metonymy, metaphor, kenning, synecdoche, analogy, simile

Oppositions

oxymoron, litotes, antithesis, paradox, juxtaposition

Poetic Devices

assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, alliteration, cacophony

Repitition

anadiplosis, anaphora, repetition, chiasmus

Structures

polysyndeton, zeugma, ellipsis, parallelism, rhetorical question, isocolon, asyndeton

Miscellaneous

personification, ambiguity, hyperbole, aphorism, symbolism, apostrophe, allusion, understatement