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13998470733Loose Sentencebegins with a main clause that is followed by phrases and/or clauses that modify the main clause. These phrases or clauses add information to the main or independent clause.0
13998470734Periodic Sentencea sentence that, by leaving the completion of its main clause to the end, produces an effect of suspense.1
13998470735Litotes/Understatementa figure of speech in which a negative statement is used to affirm a positive statement.2
13998470736Warrantexpresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.3
13998470737Ethosan appeal to ethics and it is a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader.4
13998470738Pathosan appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response.5
13998470739Logosan appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason.6
13998470740Concessionan acknowledgement that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.7
13998470741SyllogismA logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion.8
13998470742Major premisecontains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion.9
13998470743Minor premisecontains the term that is the subject of the conclusion.10
13998470744Inductiona logical process wherein you reason from particulars to universal, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called a generalization.11
13998470745Deductiona logical process wherein you reach a conclusion by starting with a general principle or universal truth (a major premise).12
13998470746Equivocationa fallacy of argument in which a lie is given the appearance of truth, or in which the truth is misrepresented in deceptive language.13
13998470747Refutationa denial of the validity of an opposing argument.14
13998470748Dictiona speaker's choice of words. Analysis of diction looks at these choices and what they add to the speaker's message.15
13998470749Similea figure of speech used to explain or clarify an idea by comparing it explicitly to something else, using words like, as, or as though.16
13998470750Metaphorfigure of speech that compares two unlike things without using like or as.17
13998470751Anaphorathe intentional repetition of beginning clauses in order to create an artistic effect.18
13998470752Rhetoricit is the art of finding ways of persuading an audience.19
13998470753Allusionbrief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) to to a work of art.20
13998470754Hyperboledeliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or to produce a comic or ironic effect; an overstatement to make a point.21
13998470755Personificationattribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea.22
13998470756Asyndetonomission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.23
13998470757Polysyndetonthe deliberate use of multiple conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses or words.24
13998470758Parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.25
13998470759Antithesisopposition, or contrast or ideas or words in a parallel construction.26
13998470760Enumerationto mention separately as if in counting; name one by one; specify, as in list27
13998470761Chiasmusthe reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases. Ex.) He went to the country, the country went to him.28
13998470762RebuttalIn the Toulon model, a rebuttal gives voice to possible objections.29
13998470763Fallacy of Argumenta flaw in the structure of an argument that renders its conclusion invalid or suspect.30
13998470764Bandwagon Appeala fallacy of argument in which a course of action is recommended on the grounds that everyone else is following it.31
13998470765Begging the Questiona fallacy of argument in which a claim is based on the very grounds that are in doubt or dispute.32
13998470766Modes of DiscourseExposition- illustrates a point Narration- tells a story Description- creates a sensory image Argumentation- takes a position on an issue and defends it.33
13998470767Examplea specific event, person, or detail of an idea cited and/or developed to support or illustrate a thesis or topic.34
13998470768Contrast/ Comparisona method of presenting similarities and differences between or among at least two persons, places, things, ideas, etc. may be organized by: Subject by subject Point by point Combination35
13998470769Cause and Effectestablishes a relationship: B is the result of A.36
13998470770Classificationseparates items into major categories and details the characteristics of each group is placed within the category.37
13998470771Processsimply "how to" do something is done. It can have one of two purposes. It can either give instructions or inform the reader about how something is done.38
13998470772Definitionidentifies the class to which a specific term belongs and those characteristics which make it different from all the other items in that class.39
13998470773Narrationis nothing more than storytelling. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end.40
13998470774Descriptionwriting that appeals to the senses. It can be objective, which is scientific or clinical, or it can be impressionistic, which tries to involve the reader's emotions or feelings.41
13998470775False Dilemma or Dichotomya fallacy of argument in which a complicated issue is misrepresented as offering only two possible alternatives, one of which is often made to seem vastly preferable to the other.42
13998470776Hasty generalizationa fallacy of argument in which an inference is drawn from insufficient data.43
13998470777Non sequitora fallacy of argument in which claims, reasons, or warrants fail to connect logically; one point doesn't follow from another.44
13998470789AllegoryThe device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. A story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.45
13998470790AlliterationThe repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells").46
13998470791AmbiguityThe multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.47
13998470792AnalogyA similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.48
13998470793AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.49
13998470794AphorismA terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.)50
13998470795ApostropheA prayer like figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer.51
13998470796AtmosphereThe emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described.52
13998470797Caricaturea verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics.53
13998470798ClauseA grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.54
13998470799Colloquial/ColloquialismThe use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.55
13998470800Literary ConceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects; displays intellectual cleverness through unusual comparisons that make good sense56
13998470801ConnotationThe non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.57
13998470802DenotationThe strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.58
13998470803DidacticFrom the Greek, didactic literally means "teaching."59
13998470804EuphemismFrom the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept - POLITICALLY CORRECT60
13998470805Extended MetaphorA metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.61
13998470806Figurative LanguageWriting or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid62
13998470807Figure of speechA device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Figures of speech include apotrophe hyperbole irony metaphor oxymoron paradox personification simile syneddoche understatement63
13998470808GenreThe major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama.64
13998470809HomilyThis term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.65
13998470810ImageryThe sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.66
13998470811Inference/inferTo draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.67
13998470812Invectivean emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.68
13998470813Irony/ironicThe contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true.69
13998470814Loose sentence/non-periodic sentenceA type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.70
13998470815MetaphorA figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.71
13998470816MetonymyA figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.72
13998470817MoodThe prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work.73
13998470818NarrativeThe telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.74
13998470819OnomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.75
13998470820OxymoronOxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.76
13998470821ParadoxA statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.77
13998470822ParodyA work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.78
13998470823PedanticAn adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that might be described as "show-offy"; using big words for the sake of using big words).79
13998470824Periodic sentenceThe opposite of loose sentence, a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.80
13998470825PersonificationA figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.81
13998470826Point of viewIn literature, the perspective from which a story is told.82
13998470827Prosewritten or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.83
13998470828RepetitionThe duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.84
13998470829SarcasmInvolves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.85
13998470830SatireA work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.86
13998470831Subordinate clauseLike all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, this clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought.87
13998470832SyllogismA deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called "major" and the second called "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.88
13998470833Symbol/symbolismGenerally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else.89
13998470834SyntaxThe way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.90
13998470835ThemeThe central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.91
13998470836ThesisThe sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.92
13998470837ToneDescribes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both.93
13998470838TransitionA word or phrase that links different ideas. Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and argumentative writing, effectively signal a shift from one idea to another.94
13998470839Understatementthe ironic minimalizing of fact; presents something as less significant than it is.95
13998470840Witin modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.96
13998470841Slippery SlopeThis is the failure to provide evidence to support a claim that one event will lead to a catastrophic chain of events.97
13998470842Straw manWhen a writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak.98
13998470843JuxtapositionMaking on idea more dramatic by placing it next to its opposite.99
13998470844Rhetorical QuestionA question whose answer is assumed.100
13998470845rhetorical appealthe persuasive devices by which a writer tries to sway an audience's attention and response to any given work. See logos, ethos, and pathos.101
13998470846descriptive detailWhen an essay uses this phrase, look for the writer's sensory description.102
13998470847AnecdoteA brief story that illustrates or makes a point103
13998470848Appeal to authorityA fallacy in which a speaker or writer seeks to persuade not by giving evidence but by appealing to the respect people have for a famous person or institution.104
13998470849Argumentationone of the four forms of discourse which uses logic, ethics, and emotional appeals (logos, ethos, pathos) to develop an effective means to convince the reader to think or act in a certain way.105
13998470850AssonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity106
13998470851toneA speaker's, author's, or character's disposition toward or opinion of a subject.107
13998470852audienceOne's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.108
13998470853Begging the questionOften called circular reasoning, __ occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim.109
13998470778understatement"I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain." Holden Caulfield, Catcher in the Rye110
13998470779allusionThe rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes.111
13998470780hyperbole"I'll love you, dear, I'll love you/Till China and Africa meet,/And the river jumps over the mountain"112
13998470781invective"I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth." Jonathan Swift Gulliver's Travels113
13998470782antithesis"To err is human; to forgive divine." Alexander Pope "An Essay on Criticism"114
13998470783euphemism"I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs." William Shakespeare Othello115
13998470784paradox"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." -Gandhi116
13998470785alliteration"His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."117
13998470786oxymoron"Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. / Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, / That I shall say good night till it be morrow."118
13998470787personification"Pearl Button swung on the little gate in front of the House of Boxes. It was the early afternoon of a sunshiny day with little winds playing hide-and-seek in it."119

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