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| 4727809676 | Allusion | A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. Ex: He was destined to fail; he always flew too close to the sun. (An allusion to the Greek myth of Icarus.) | 0 | |
| 4727810136 | Analogy | A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. Ex: Getting politicians to agree is like herding cats. (In other words...it's very difficult!) | 1 | |
| 4727810137 | Anaphora | Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginnings of successive clauses. Always used deliberately, this pattern of repetition helps to establish a marked rhythm and often produces strong emotional effect. Ex: We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans... (Winston Churchill) | 2 | |
| 4727810138 | Antithesis | The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure. The contrast may be in words or in ideas or both. When used well, antithesis can be very effective, even witty. Ex: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. (Neil Armstrong) 3 | 3 | |
| 4727810724 | Clause | A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause. | 4 | |
| 4727810725 | Connotation | The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes. Ex: the connotation of a knife might be fear, violence, anger, foreboding, etc. | 5 | |
| 4727811063 | Dentotaion | The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color. Ex: the denotation of a knife would be a tool used to cut. | 6 | |
| 4727811064 | Diction | Refers to a writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. Be able to describe an author's diction (Ex: formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement an author's purpose. Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author's style. | 7 | |
| 4727812712 | Figurative Language | The generic term for any artful deviation from the ordinary mode of speaking or writing (Exs: metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, and many others). The general thinking is that we are more likely to be persuaded by rhetoric that is interesting, even artful, rather than mundane. | 8 | |
| 4727812713 | Imagery | The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, imagery uses terms related to the five senses: visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory. On a broader and deeper level, however, one image can represent more than one thing. Ex: It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions... (1984) | 9 | |
| 4727813361 | Juxtaposition | When two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side in a text for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts. Ex: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age ofwisdom, it was the age offoolishness... (A Tale ofTwo Cities) | 10 | |
| 4727813362 | Metaphor | A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Metaphorical language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful. Ex: With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. (Martin Luther King) | 11 | |
| 4727813661 | Paradox | An apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure of truth. Ex: Whoever loses his life, shall find it. (Matthew, 16:25) | 12 | |
| 4727814133 | Parallelism | Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses. (This basic principle demands that equivalent things be set forth in coordinate grammatical structures: nouns with nouns, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, adverb clauses with adverb clauses, etc.) Ex: So Janie waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time. But when the pollen again gilded the sun and sifted down on the world she began to stand around the gate and expect things. (Their Eyes Were Watching God) | 13 | |
| 4727814134 | Repititon | The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. | 14 | |
| 4727814565 | Rhetoric | From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively. | 15 | |
| 4727814566 | Rhetorical Question | Asking a question, not for the purpose of eliciting an answer, but for the purpose of asserting or denying something indirectly. Ex: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate. (Shakespeare, Sonnet 18) | 16 | |
| 4727814845 | Syntax | The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Think of syntax as the way a writer organizes groups of words or clauses - sentence structure. | 17 | |
| 4727815017 | Transition | A word or phrase that links different ideas. Transitions effectively signal a shift from one idea to another. Ex: furthermore, consequently, nevertheless, for example, in addition, likewise, similarly, on the contrary, etc. More sophisticated writers use more subtle means of transition. | 18 | |
| 4727815575 | Tone | Describes the author's attitude toward his/her material, the audience, or both. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's tone. Some words describing tone are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, somber, etc. | 19 | |
| 4730055989 | Independent clause | expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. Has both a subject and a verb. | 20 | |
| 4730055990 | Dependent clause | A clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that functions within the sentence as a noun or adjective or adverb | 21 | |
| 4730056413 | Parrallel structure | The technique of arranging words, phrases, clauses, or larger structures by placing them side by side and making them similar in form. | 22 |
