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7387172501Connotation vs denotationAn idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing vs. Literal definition of a word.0
7387172502Pedantic vs simpleCharacterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules vs. pure, easy, plain, basic.1
7621780983Monosyllabic vs polysyllabicOne syllable vs. more than one syllable.2
7621780984Euphonic vs cacophonicPleasing or agreeable to the ear vs. discordant, unpleasant sounding, jarring.3
7621780985Literal vs figurativeWhat you see vs. what you get from language, tone, symbol, etc.4
7621780986Active vs PassiveSubject of the sentence is performing or causing the action rather than a state of being vs. subject is the object of the action or the effect of the verb.5
7621780987Overstated vs understatedExaggerated vs. expressed with restraint, lack of emphasis.6
7621780988Colloquial vs FormalInformal, conversational vs. formal, proper language.7
7621780989Non-Standard Slang/JargonNot adhering to the standard, usually associated with a language variety used by uneducated speakers or socially disfavored groups.8
7621780990AlliterationThe recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition is usually limited to two words.9
7621780991OnomatopoeiaThe use of words which in their pronunciation suggest their meaning. "Hiss," for example, when spoken is intended to resemble to sound of steam or of a snake.10
7621780992Basic OrderSubject + verb + object11
7621780993Interrupted OrderA sentence that is interrupted by a parenthetical aside12
7621780994Inverted OrderBegin with a part of speech other than the subject. These inverted sentence patterns are used sometimes to delay revealing what the sentence is about and sometimes to create tension or suspense. Still other times, these patterns can be used to connect ideas between sentences more clearly.13
7621780995Listing OrderA sentence with multiple phrases that create a list.14
7621780996Cumulative OrderBegins with subject and verb and adds modifying elements at end15
7621780997Periodic OrderOpens with modifiers, withholds subject and verb until the end.16
7621780998Parallelism- AntithesisEstablishing a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure17
7621780999Parallelism-ChiasmusA crossing parallelism, where the second part of a grammatical construction is balanced or paralleled by the first part, only in reverse order.18
7621781000Parallelism-BalancedExpressing parallel or like ideas-- often compound.19
7621781001DeclarativeA declarative sentence does exactly what its name implies: It "declares" or states something.20
7621781002Imperativecommands, requests, or instructs. The subject is most often you—unstated, but understood.21
7621781003ExclamatoryExpresses strong emotion22
7621781004Interrogative"interrogates"—it asks a question.23
7621781005Simplecontains a least one subject and at least one predicate; it can stand alone because it expresses a complete thought.24
7621781006CompoundContains two or more independent clauses25
7621781007ComplexContains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses26
7621781008Compound-ComplexContains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.27
7621781009ElipsisA rhetorical figure in which one or more words are omitted.28
7621781010AsyndentonThe omission of a conjunction from a list. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account.29
7621781011AnadiplosisA rhetorical trope formed by repeating the last word of one phrase, clause or sentence at or very near the beginning of the next. It can be generate in series for the sake of beauty or to give a sense of logical progression.30
7621781012AnaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.31
7621781013EpistropheThe repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Counterpart to anaphora.32
7621781014PolysyndetonThe use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause, and is thus structurally the opposite of asyndeton. The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton, however, often shares with that of asyndeton a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up.33
7621781015Parenthetical AsideConsists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence34
7621781016ColonThe punctuation mark (:) used to divide distinct but related sentence components such as clauses in which the second elaborates on the first, or to introduce a list, quotation, or speech.35
7621781017Semi-Colona punctuation mark (;) which connects two independent parts of a sentence.36
7621781018DashesA punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical material37
7621781019AllegoryA form of extended metaphor in which objects and persons in a narrative, either in prose or verse, are equated with meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. Many works contain allegories or are allegorical in part, but not many are entirely allegorical.38
7621781020AutobiographyThe biography of a person written by that person.39
7621781021BiographyAn account of a person's life as written or told by another.40
7621781022ChronicleAn extended account of historical events without interpretation or comment.41
7621781023DiaryA daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations.42
7621781024EssayA short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author; analytic or interpretive.43
7621781025FictionA literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact44
7621781026Non-FictionA work that draws its information from history or fact, rather than the imagination.45
7621781027ParodyA literary form in which the style of an author or particular work is mocked in its style for the sake of comic effect.46
7621781028ProseWriting distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech.47
7621781029SatireA literary work which exposes and ridicules human vices or folly. Historically perceived as tending toward didacticism, it is usually intended as a moral criticism directed against the injustice of social wrongs.48
7621781030SermonAn oration by a prophet or member of the clergy.49
7622222942stream of consciousnessA technique that records the multifarious thoughts and feelings of a character without regard to logical or narrative sequence. The writer attempts by the stream of consciousness to reflect all the forces, external and internal, influencing the psychology of a character at a single moment.50
7622222943AllusionAn indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place or artistic work, the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader's familiarity with what is thus mentioned.51
7622222944AmbuiguitySomething of doubtful meaning; an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context, may have more than one meaning52
7622222945AnachronismThe representation of someone as existing or something as happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order.53
7622222946AphorismA brief statement which expresses an observation on life, usually intended as a wise observation.54
7621780275Monosyllabic vs polysyllabicOne syllable vs. more than one syllable.55
7621780276Euphonic vs cacophonicPleasing or agreeable to the ear vs. discordant, unpleasant sounding, jarring.56
7621780277Literal vs figurativeWhat you see vs. what you get from language, tone, symbol, etc.57
7621780278Active vs PassiveSubject of the sentence is performing or causing the action rather than a state of being vs. subject is the object of the action or the effect of the verb.58
7621780279Overstated vs understatedExaggerated vs. expressed with restraint, lack of emphasis.59
7621780280Colloquial vs FormalInformal, conversational vs. formal, proper language.60
7621780281Non-Standard Slang/JargonNot adhering to the standard, usually associated with a language variety used by uneducated speakers or socially disfavored groups.61
7621780282AlliterationThe recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition is usually limited to two words.62
7621780283OnomatopoeiaThe use of words which in their pronunciation suggest their meaning. "Hiss," for example, when spoken is intended to resemble to sound of steam or of a snake.63
7621780284Basic OrderSubject + verb + object64
7621780285Interrupted OrderA sentence that is interrupted by a parenthetical aside65
7621780286Inverted OrderBegin with a part of speech other than the subject. These inverted sentence patterns are used sometimes to delay revealing what the sentence is about and sometimes to create tension or suspense. Still other times, these patterns can be used to connect ideas between sentences more clearly.66
7621780287Listing OrderA sentence with multiple phrases that create a list.67
7621780288Cumulative OrderBegins with subject and verb and adds modifying elements at end68
7621780289Periodic OrderOpens with modifiers, withholds subject and verb until the end.69
7621780290Parallelism- AntithesisEstablishing a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure70
7621780291Parallelism-ChiasmusA crossing parallelism, where the second part of a grammatical construction is balanced or paralleled by the first part, only in reverse order.71
7621780292Parallelism-BalancedExpressing parallel or like ideas-- often compound.72
7621780293DeclarativeA declarative sentence does exactly what its name implies: It "declares" or states something.73
7621780294Imperativecommands, requests, or instructs. The subject is most often you—unstated, but understood.74
7621780295ExclamatoryExpresses strong emotion75
7621780296Interrogative"interrogates"—it asks a question.76
7621780297Simplecontains a least one subject and at least one predicate; it can stand alone because it expresses a complete thought.77
7621780298CompoundContains two or more independent clauses78
7621780299ComplexContains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses79
7621780300Compound-ComplexContains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.80
7621780301ElipsisA rhetorical figure in which one or more words are omitted.81
7621780302AsyndentonThe omission of a conjunction from a list. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account.82
7621780303AnadiplosisA rhetorical trope formed by repeating the last word of one phrase, clause or sentence at or very near the beginning of the next. It can be generate in series for the sake of beauty or to give a sense of logical progression.83
7621780304AnaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.84
7621780305EpistropheThe repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Counterpart to anaphora.85
7621780306PolysyndetonThe use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause, and is thus structurally the opposite of asyndeton. The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton, however, often shares with that of asyndeton a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up.86
7621780307Parenthetical AsideConsists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence87
7621780308ColonThe punctuation mark (:) used to divide distinct but related sentence components such as clauses in which the second elaborates on the first, or to introduce a list, quotation, or speech.88
7621780309Semi-Colona punctuation mark (;) which connects two independent parts of a sentence.89
7621780310DashesA punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical material90
7621780311AllegoryA form of extended metaphor in which objects and persons in a narrative, either in prose or verse, are equated with meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. Many works contain allegories or are allegorical in part, but not many are entirely allegorical.91
7621780312AutobiographyThe biography of a person written by that person.92
7621780313BiographyAn account of a person's life as written or told by another.93
7621780314ChronicleAn extended account of historical events without interpretation or comment.94
7621780315DiaryA daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations.95
7621780316EssayA short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author; analytic or interpretive.96
7621780317FictionA literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact97
7622222947AudienceThe people the author is speaking to (listeners, readers, onlookers)98
7622222948InvectiveAbuse (tongue-lashing, diatribe, condemnation)99
7622222949JuxtapositionPlacing two things side by side, usually to show contrast.100
7622222950MalapropismAn incorrect usage of a word, usually with comic effect.101
7622222951Rhetorical QuestionA question posed b y the speaker or writer not to seek an answer but instead to affirm or deny a point simply by asking a question about it.102
7622222952Sensory DetailAn item used to appeal to the sense (sight, taste, touch, etc)103
7622222953ShiftA general term in linguistics for any slight alteration in a word's meaning, or the creation of an entirely new words by changing the use of an expression104
7622222954ToneThe writer's attitude toward his reader and his subject; his mood or moral view. A writer can be formal, informal, playful, ironic, and especially, optimistic or pessimistic. While both Swift and Pope are satirizing much the same subjects, there is a profound difference in their tone.105
7622222955Point of ViewA way the events of a story are conveyed to the reader, it is the "vantage point" from which the narrative is passed from author to the reader. In the omniscient point of view, the person telling the story, or narrator, knows everything that's going on in the story. In the first-person point of view, the narrator is a character in the story. Using the pronoun "I," the narrator tells us his or her own experiences but cannot reveal with certainty any other character's private thoughts. In the limited third-person point of view, the narrator is outside the story—like an omniscient narrator—but tells the story from the vantage point of one character.106
7622222956Theme-ThesisThe message conveyed by a literary work107
7622222957VoiceThe textual features, such as diction and sentence structure, that convey a writer's or speaker's persona108
7622222958AnalogyThe comparison of two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or object by showing how the idea or object is similar to some familiar one. While simile and analogy often overlap, the simile is generally a more artistic likening, done briefly for effect and emphasis, while analogy serves the more practical purpose of explaining a thought process or a line of reasoning or the abstract in terms of the concrete, and may therefore by more extended.109
7622222959ApostropheThe direct address of a person or personified thing, either present or absent. Its most common purpose in prose is to give vent to or display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back.110
7622222960ClichéAn expression so often used that its original power has been drained away.111
7622222961ConceitAn elaborate, usually intellectually ingenious poetic comparison or image, such as an analogy or metaphor in which, say a beloved is compared to a ship, planet, etc.112
7622222962EpithetAn adjective or adjective phrases appropriately qualifying a subject (noun) by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject.113
7622222963euphemisimThe expression of an unpleasant or embarrassing notion by a more inoffensive substitute.114
7622222964HyperboleExaggeration used for emphasis. Hyperbole can be used to heighten effect, to catalyze recognition, or to create a humorous perception.115
7622222965ImageryThe collection of images within a literary work. Used to evoke atmosphere, mood, tension.116
7622222966Verbal ironythe contrast is between the literal meaning of what is said and what is meant.117
7622222967Situational ironythe result of an action is the reverse of what the actor expected.118
7622222968extended metaphorA metaphor which is drawn-out beyond the usual word or phrase to extend throughout a stanza or an entire poem, usually by using multiple comparisons between the unlike objects or ideas.119
7622222969MenotymyAnother form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche, in which the thing chosen for the metaphorical image is closely associated with (but not an actual part of) the subject with which it is to be compared.120
7622222970OxymoronA paradox reduced to two words, usually in an adjective-noun ("eloquent silence") or adverb-adjective ("inertly strong") relationship, and is used for effect, to emphasize contrasts, incongruities, hypocrisy, or simply the complex nature of reality.121
7622222971ParadoxA statement that seems untrue on the surface but is true nevertheless122
7622222972PersonificationThe metaphorical representation of an animal or inanimate object as having human attributes—attributes of form, character, feelings, behavior, and so on. As the name implies, a thing or idea is treated as a person.123
7622222973PunA play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.124
7622222974SimileA figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by "like" or "as."125
7622222975synaesthesiaA condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color. A sensation felt in one part of the body as a result of stimulus applied to another, as in referred pain. The descriptions of one kind of sense impression by using words that normally describe another.126
7622222976SynecdocheA figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole or the whole for a part127
7622222977UnderstatementExpressing an idea with less emphasis or in a lesser degree than is the actual case. The opposite of hyperbole. Understatement is employed for ironic emphasis.128
7622222978ArgumentA way of reasoning where a subject is proved correct/incorrect129
7622222979EthosA rhetorical appeal to an audience based on the speaker/writer's credibility.130
7622222980PathosThe emotional appeal to an audience in an argument.131
7622222981LogosRhetorical appeals based on logic or reasoning.132
7622222982ClaimTo make an assertion; to state as true133
7622222983deductive reasoningReasoning that utilizes elements of persuasion by asserting a claim; consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion134
7622222984inductive reasoningReasoning that begins by citing a number of specific instances or examples and then shows how collectively they constitute a general principle.135
7622222985EvidenceSupport from a claim/assertion136
7622222986WarrantAn assumption that there is a connection between evidence and claim137
7622222987ad hominem argumentAn attack on another person instead of their point of view138
7622222988Begging the questionThe situation that results when a writer or speaker constructs an argument on an assumption that the audience does not accept.139
7622222989Doubtful authorityThe authority is not an expert, their colleagues disagree, or the reference to the authority is out of context of the situation140
7622222990either/or reasoningAn argument that something complex can be looked at in only two different ways141
7622222991false analogyComparing two things that are irrelevant, do not pose a valid comparison142
7622222992Hasty GeneralizationNot enough support for the inductive reasoning used143
7622222993Circular ArgumentThis restates the argument rather than actually proving it.144
7622222994Slippery slopeThis is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur A must not be allowed to occur either.145
7622222995Non-sequiturA conclusion that had no visible connection to the support for the claim146
7622222996OversimplificationReducing an idea too much so it loses the point trying to be made147
7622222997Expository writingInforms, instructs or presents ideas and general truths148
7622222998ClassificationIdentifies the subject as part of a larger group with shared features149
7622222999Cause of EffectArguing from the presence/absence of the cause to the (non) existence of the result150
7622223000comparisonThe subject is shown more clearly by point out similarities or differences151
7622223001DefintionPlaces the subject in a group and then differentiates the subject from other sections of the group152
7622223002ExampleExplains the subject with instances that show readers its nature or character153
7622223003Process AnalysisTo inform readers how a sequence of actions leads to a particular result154
7622223004Division AnalysisTo explain a conclusion about your subject by showing the subject's parts or elements155
7622223005DescriptionDepicts images verbally in space and time; arranges those images in a logical pattern156
7622223006NarrationOrganizes the events or actions in time or relates them in space. Tells what happened, when it happened, and where it happened.157
7622223007Persuasion ArgumentConvinces an audience by proving or refuting a point of view using induction or deduction158
7621780318Non-FictionA work that draws its information from history or fact, rather than the imagination.159
7621780319ParodyA literary form in which the style of an author or particular work is mocked in its style for the sake of comic effect.160
7621780320ProseWriting distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech.161
7621780321SatireA literary work which exposes and ridicules human vices or folly. Historically perceived as tending toward didacticism, it is usually intended as a moral criticism directed against the injustice of social wrongs.162
7621780322SermonAn oration by a prophet or member of the clergy.163

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