Flash Cards

Rhetorical
Devices

Alliteration

Repetition of consonant
sounds, particularly at the
beginning of words.

Allusion

A reference to
something.

Antithesis

Grammatically, is the
presentation of opposite
near each other.

Apostrophe

When someone addresses

someone or something who
is not there.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds. Not

always rhyming; the sounds can
be anywhere.

Asyndeton

Elimination of
conjunctions (mostly
"and")

Colloquialism

A phrase particularly
used in one region or
culture.

Connotation/Denotation

The emotion of a
word, the dictionary
definition.

Hyperbole

Obvious
exaggeration to
make a point.

Irony

When the literal meaning

is opposite.

Jargon

Specialized language
known to a specific group.

Juxtaposition

Putting two things to

each other to make a
point.

Metaphor

Comparing two items

without using "like" or
"as.

Metonymy

Substituting a material or a
container to represent the
whole or the contained.

Onomatopoeia

A word that
imitates a sound.

Oxymoron

Two words next to each

other that seem to
contradict each other.

Pacebreaker Sentence

A short sentence that follows several

long sentences such that the short
sentence leaps out in emphasis.

Paradox

Things that seem to; be

opposite but exist together.

Parallelism

A sentence set up with

several grammatically
identical clauses.

Personification

When an inanimate object

is given human features.

Polysyndeton

The repetition of a
conjunction, especially the
word "and".

Second Person

Directly addressing the

audience using you.

Sentence fragment

A sentence that doesn't do

anything for the article.

Simile

A comparison of two items

using "like" or "as.

Slang

Informal, common language

whose meaning my not be known
everywhere.

Synecdoche

Using a part to
represent to represent
the whole.

Vernacular

Common speech used

by everyday people.

Zeugma

Attaching separate (and usually

quite different)
words/phrases/ideas to one
word.

Fallacies

Ad Hominem

Saying a person cannot be

trusted because of a subgroup
they belong to.

Appeal to Belief/ Bandwagon

Stating that something is right

because many people believe it.

Appeal to Emotion

Using pathos rather than logos

to persuade an audience.

Appeal to Novelty

Saying something is better

simply because it's newer.

Appeal to Tradition

Saying something is better

because it is older or been
used/done longer.

Fallacy, fallacy

Saying that because a person

has used a logical fallacy, that
their entire position is wrong.

False Dilemma

Giving the appearance of 2 choices

when in reality there are more. (An
ultimatum)

Guilt by Association

Associating an argument with

a person nobody likes.

Poisoning the Well

Attacking a person's character,

saying they are a bad person.

Post hoc arguments

Arguing that event 1 caused event 2

because event 1 preceded event 2.

Slippery Slope

Arguing that one action will lead to a

chain of events that will lead to
something. "Next thing you know."

Straw Man

Making it appear that your opponent

is making (usually ridiculous)
arguments that they are not making.

Tu Quoque

Saying a person is going against their own

argument. This does not make the
arrangement wrong.

Tone Words

Affectionate

Feeling or showing love towards

someone/something.

Authoritative

Commanding and self-confident; likely

to be respected and obeyed.

Belligerent

Angry and aggressive.

Condescending

Having or showing a feeling of

patronizing superiority.

Didactic

Intended to teach, particularly in

having moral instruction as an
ulterior motive.

Disdainful

Showing contempt or lack

of respect.

Foreboding

Fearful apprehension; a feeling that

something bad will happen.

Frivolous

Lacking seriousness; silly.

Incensed

Enraged; mad.

Mirthful

Merry or amusing

Querulous

Complaining in a petulant or
whining manner.

Sullen

Bad tempered and sulky;

gloomy.