AP Lang Rhetorical Devices and Figures of Speech

These flashcards cover key rhetorical devices and figures of speech with definitions and examples.

Metaphor

A comparison in which something is said to figuratively be something else.

Hyperbole

An intentional exaggeration used for emphasis.

Alliteration

Repeating the same or similar sounds at the beginning of words.

Analogy

A comparison between two similar things, typically using figurative language.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it refers to.

Allusion

The act of casually referencing something, usually a work of popular culture.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that uses two opposite words together.

Satire

Using humor to criticize public figures or societal issues.

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but actually makes sense.

Simile

A comparison in which something is said to figuratively be like something else.

Irony

Using language to mean the opposite of their literal meaning.

Personification

The act of giving human elements to non-human things.

Anecdote

A brief story about something that happened to the speaker, usually something funny or interesting.

Euphemism

Using alternative language to refer to explicit or unpleasant things.

Connotation

Using words to suggest a social or emotional meaning rather than a literal one.

Apostrophe

When a writer or speaker directly addresses an absent person or a concept.

Antithesis

Using parallel sentences or clauses to make a contrast.

Sarcasm

Using irony to mock something or show contempt.

Consonance

A repetition of consonants or consonant sounds.

Rhetorical Question

A question that isn't intended to be answered, designed to provoke thought.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or words at the start of phrases or clauses.

Climax

Ordering words so that they build up in intensity.

Pun

Humorously using words with multiple meanings or similar sounds to create wordplay.

Parallelism

Using grammatically similar phrases or sentences together.

Syllogism

An argument based on deductive reasoning following the format 'A is B. B is C. So, A is C.'

Parenthesis

An interruption used for clarity or emphasis.

Asyndeton

The removal of conjunctions from a sentence.