Terms : Hide Images
| 14727669535 | Allusion | an indirect reference to something (usually a literary text, although it can be other things commonly known, such as plays, songs, historical events) with which the reader is supposed to be familiar | 0 | |
| 14727674450 | Pathos | persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. An argument that relies too much on emotion, without any corroborating logos, can become a fallacy. | 1 | |
| 14727676595 | allegory | A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. | 2 | |
| 14727678656 | anaphora | repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences or clauses in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent. | 3 | |
| 14727693050 | thesis | the sentence or groups of sentences that directly express the author's opinion, purpose, meaning or proposition. It should be short and clear. | 4 | |
| 14727694709 | analogy | a comparison of one pair of variables to a parallel set of variables. When a writer uses analogy she argues that the relationship between the first pair of variables is the same as the relationship between the second pair of variables. | 5 | |
| 14727696547 | rhetorical question | question not asked for information but for effect, or to make a point. | 6 | |
| 14727760168 | aphorism | a brief statement which expresses a general truth or moral principle. Can be a memorable summation of the author's point. | 7 | |
| 14727762492 | chiasmus | when the same words are used twice in succession, but the second time, the order of the words is reversed. Also called antimetabole. | 8 | |
| 14727764589 | tone | a writer's attitude toward his subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language and organization. | 9 | |
| 14727766338 | antithesis | two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses, or ideas written in parallel structure. syllogism-in which two statements — a major premise and a minor premise — reach a logical conclusion. | 10 | |
| 14727772699 | syllogism | in which two statements — a major premise and a minor premise — reach a logical conclusion. | 11 | |
| 14727803520 | ellipsis | the deliberate omission of a word or phrase from the prose done for effect. | 12 | |
| 14727805222 | zuegma | when a word, usually a verb or adjective, applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas. | 13 | |
| 14727807695 | litotes | a form of understatement, in which a negative statement is used to affirm a positive sentiment. The negation of one quality to emphasize its opposite. | 14 | |
| 14727809509 | diction | word choice, particularly as an element of style. Different types of words have significant effects on meaning. syntax | 15 | |
| 14727811951 | syntax | refers to the grammatical structure of sentences. Examine sentence length, the relation of sentence length to tone and meaning, and sentence type: simple, compound, compound-complex. | 16 | |
| 14727814221 | metonymy | replacing an actual word or idea, with a related word or concept. | 17 | |
| 14727815838 | parody | an exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes. It borrows words or phrases from an original, and pokes fun at it. | 18 | |
| 14727825433 | logos | persuading by the use of reasoning, using true premises and valid arguments. Generally considered the strongest form of persuasion. | 19 | |
| 14727828242 | ethos | means being convinced by the credibility of the author. In an appeal to ethos, a writer tries to convince the audience that he or she is someone worth listening to, or an authority on the subject, who is worthy of respect. Argument that relies too heavily on ethos, without any corroborating logos, can become a fallacy. | 20 | |
| 14727833031 | anecdote | a brief recounting of a relevant narrative. Often inserted into fictional or nonfictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor. | 21 | |
| 14727836136 | synecdoche | when a whole is referred to by one of its parts, or vice versa. | 22 | |
| 14727836150 | persona | the fictional mask or narrator that tells a story. | 23 | |
| 14727839378 | inductive reasoning | makes broad generalizations from specific observations. There is data, then conclusions are drawn from the data. | 24 | |
| 14728135925 | juxtaposition | placing things side by side for the purpose of comparison. Authors use juxtaposition of ideas or examples in order to highlight the contrast between them and prove a point. | 25 | |
| 14728144955 | antecedent | the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. | 26 | |
| 14728228168 | paradox | a situation that seems contradictory but is actually true. | 27 | |
| 14728233390 | polysyndeton | when a writer creates a list of items which are all separated by conjunctions. Used to slow down the pace of the writing and/or add authoritative tone. | 28 | |
| 14728235875 | deductive reasoning | starts out with a general statement, or hypothesis, and examines the possibilities to reach a specific, logical conclusion. A common form of deductive reasoning is the syllogism. | 29 | |
| 14728237312 | parallelism | sentence construction which places equal grammatical constructions near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns. Used to add emphasis, organization, or sometimes pacing to writing. | 30 | |
| 14728238917 | didactic | term used to describe writing that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking. | 31 | |
| 14728240457 | irony | when the opposite of what you expect to happen does. | 32 | |
| 14728243458 | satire | a work that reveals a critical attitude toward some element of life to a humorous effect. It targets human vices and follies, or social institutions and conventions. Usually has three layers: serious on the surface; humorous when you discover that is satire instead of reality; and serious when you discern the underlying point of the author. | 33 | |
| 14728246326 | periodic sentence | Places the main clause at the end of a sentence; therefore all the reasons are given before the final point is made. This is used for emphasis and can be persuasive. | 34 |
