Rhetorical Devices Explained

• Rhetorical devices are techniques used to effectively convey meaning and persuade an audience.

Alliteration

• The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words.

Allusion

• An indirect reference to a person, place, event, or thing from history, mythology, or literature.

Amplification

• A writing technique where a point is made and then repeated with greater emphasis, detail, or explanation.
• For example: "love, real love, takes time."

Anadiplosis

• The repetition of the last word of a preceding clause at the beginning of the next.

Analogy

• Comparison of a well-known concept to a lesser-known one to aid understanding.

Anaphora

• The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses.

Anecdote

• A brief, true, and amusing or interesting story.

Antithesis

• The use of contrasting language to emphasize the difference between two opposing ideas or things.

Bias

• A strong opinion or influence favoring one side of an argument or one item in a group.
• Bias by omission: Leaving out information about a group during its description.
• Bias by commission: Highlighting particular qualities to define or separate a group or person.
• Implicit bias: Presenting material from a limited viewpoint or using stereotypes.
• Explicit bias: Presenting a prejudiced view of events, individuals, or groups.

Conduplicatio

• The repetition of a word or phrase in various positions throughout a series of sentences or phrases.

Connotation

• The implied or associated meaning of a word, based on personal feelings.

Denotation

• The literal definition of a word.

Figurative Language

• Language used to create images or evoke memories in the reader's mind.

Parallelism

• The repetition of specific words, phrases, or clauses in a series to emphasize and make key words memorable.
• Parallel ideas should be expressed in parallel form.

Reversals

• Rearranging the words in a balanced sentence in reverse order to make it more memorable.

Rhetorical Question

• A question asked for effect, where the answer is either known or implied.

Satire

• The use of ridicule, irony, or sarcasm to critique people's hypocrisy or foolishness.