Rhetorical Devices

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

the recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition can be juxtaposed (and then it is usually limited to two words): Yes, I have read that little bundle of pernicious prose, but I have no comment to make upon it.

Question 2

Allusion

Answer 2

A short, informal reference to a famous person or event

Question 3

Amplification

Answer 3

Involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasise what may have been passed over

Question 4

Anacoluthon

Answer 4

Finishing a sentence with a different grammatical structure to what it began: “And then the deep rumble from the explosion began to shake the very bones of–no one had ever felt anything like it. Be careful with these two devices because improperly used they can–well, I have cautioned you enough.”

Question 5

Anadiplosis

Answer 5

Repeats the last word of a sentence/ phrase at or very near the beginning of the next sentence. Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,/ Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain . . . . –Philip Sidney

Question 6

Analogy

Answer 6

Compares two things which are alike in several respects for the purpose of clarification

Question 7

Anaphora

Answer 7

Repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive phrases

Question 8

Antanagoge

Answer 8

Placing a good point next to a fault in order to reduce its impact

Question 9

Parataxis

Answer 9

Writing successive independent clauses, with coordinating conjunctions or no conjunctions: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. –Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)

Question 10

Antimetabole

Answer 10

Reversing the order of repeated words or phrases to intensify the final formulation. “Ask not what America can do for you, but for what you can do for America”

Question 11

Antiphrasis

Answer 11

One word irony, established by context - “Tiny”, the fat man

Question 12

Antithesis

Answer 12

Binary opposition

Question 13

Apophasis

Answer 13

Asserts something by seemingly ignoring it “We will not bring up the matter of the budget deficit here”

Question 14

Aporia

Answer 14

Expresses doubt about an idea or a conclusion

Question 15

Aposiopesis

Answer 15

Stopping abruptly, leaving a sentence unfinished

Question 16

Apostrophe

Answer 16

Interrupts the discussion or discourse and addresses directly a person or thing

Question 17

Appositive

Answer 17

A noun next to another noun - Henry Jameson, the boss of the operation… the notorious feast, the picnic

Question 18

Assonance

Answer 18

Similar successive sounding vowels

Question 19

Asyndeton

Answer 19

consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses. Gives the effect of multiplicity - on his return, he received medals, honours, treasures, titles, fame

Question 20

Catechresis

Answer 20

An extravagant implied metaphor using words in an alien way - I will speak daggers to her

Question 21

Chiasmus

Answer 21

A reverse parallelism - where the second part of the sentence is balanced to the first part, but in reverse - so instead of unwillingly learned, the phrase would be learned unwillingly

Question 22

Climax

Answer 22

Arranging words, clauses or sentences in the order of increasing importance

Question 23

Conduplicatio

Answer 23

Resembles anadiplosis in the repetition of a preceding word, but repeats a key word from the last phrase, not necessarily the last word

Question 24

Diacope

Answer 24

Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis

Question 25

Dirimens Copulatio

Answer 25

Mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one sided or unqualified

Question 26

Distinctio

Answer 26

An explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word: "To make methanol for twenty-five cents a gallon is impossible; by "impossible" I mean currently beyond our technological capabilities."

Question 27

Enthymeme

Answer 27

An informally state syllogism which omits either one of the premises or the conclusion

Question 28

Enumeratio

Answer 28

Detailing parts, causes, effects and consequences to make a point more forcibly

Question 29

Epanalepsis

Answer 29

Repeats the beginning word of a clause or sentence at the end

Question 30

Epistrophe

Answer 30

Forms the counterpart to anaphora, repetition comes at the end of a sentence

Question 31

Epithet

Answer 31

An adjective or adjective phrase qualifying a subject

Question 32

Epizeuxis

Answer 32

Repetition of one word - South America is lush, lush, lush

Question 33

Eponym

Answer 33

Attributes a skill to a person or event - is he smart? He's an Einstein

Question 34

Exemplum

Answer 34

Citing an example, using an illustrative story, either true or fictitious

Question 35

Sentential Adverb

Answer 35

A single word or short phrase used to lend emphasis to the words immediately proximate to the adverb

Question 36

Hyperbaton

Answer 36

Several rhetorical devices involving departure from normal word order - "Such amaze"

Question 37

Hyperbole

Answer 37

Deliberate exaggeration

Question 38

Hypophora

Answer 38

Consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them

Question 39

Hypotaxis

Answer 39

Using subordination to show the relationship between clauses or phrases

Question 40

Litotes

Answer 40

A particular form of understatement generated by denying the opposite or contrary of the word which otherwise would be used - heatwaves are not rare in summer

Question 41

metabasis

Answer 41

Consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow - it is basically a transitional summary - STEVENS

Question 42

Metanoia

Answer 42

Qualifies a statement by recalling it - Fido was the friendliest of all St. Bernards, nay of all dogs

Question 43

Metaphor

Answer 43

Compares two things by speaking of one in terms of another

Question 44

Metonymy

Answer 44

another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche - the orders came direct from the white house

Question 45

Onomatopoeia

Answer 45

Words which sounds like a word

Question 46

Oxymoron

Answer 46

Juxaposed words which are contradictory

Question 47

Parallelism

Answer 47

Recurrent syntactical similarity - several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts of sentences are equal in importance

Question 48

Parenthesis

Answer 48

A form of hyperbaton, which breaks up a sentence - to some extent - like this

Question 49

Personification

Answer 49

Metaphorically represents an animal or an inanimate object as having human attributes

Question 50

Pleonasm

Answer 50

using more words than required to express an idea - we heard it with our own ears

Question 51

Polysyndeton

Answer 51

Use of a conjunction between each word, phrase or clause, adds multiplicity

Question 52

Procatalepsis

Answer 52

Anticipating an objection and answering it within the same sentence

Question 53

Scesis Onomaton

Answer 53

Emphasises an idea by expressing it through several synonyms

Question 54

Sententia

Answer 54

Quoting a wise saying

Question 55

Symploce

Answer 55

Combing anaphora and epistrophe

Question 56

Synecdoche

Answer 56

a type of metaphor which makes one part represent the whole

Question 57

Meiosis

Answer 57

Understatement

Question 58

Zeugma

Answer 58

Several similar rhetorical devices combined

Question 59

# Click Here the recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition can be juxtaposed (and then it is usually limited to two words): Yes, I have read that little bundle of pernicious prose, but I have no comment to make upon it.

Answer 59

Alliteration

Question 60

# Click Here A short, informal reference to a famous person or event

Answer 60

Allusion

Question 61

# Click Here Involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasise what may have been passed over

Answer 61

Amplification

Question 62

# Click Here Finishing a sentence with a different grammatical structure to what it began: "And then the deep rumble from the explosion began to shake the very bones of--no one had ever felt anything like it. Be careful with these two devices because improperly used they can--well, I have cautioned you enough."

Answer 62

Anacoluthon

Question 63

# Click Here Repeats the last word of a sentence/ phrase at or very near the beginning of the next sentence. Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,/ Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain . . . . --Philip Sidney

Answer 63

Anadiplosis

Question 64

# Click Here Compares two things which are alike in several respects for the purpose of clarification

Answer 64

Analogy

Question 65

# Click Here Repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive phrases

Answer 65

Anaphora

Question 66

# Click Here Placing a good point next to a fault in order to reduce its impact

Answer 66

Antanagoge

Question 67

# Click Here Writing successive independent clauses, with coordinating conjunctions or no conjunctions: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. --Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)

Answer 67

Parataxis

Question 68

# Click Here Reversing the order of repeated words or phrases to intensify the final formulation. "Ask not what America can do for you, but for what you can do for America"

Answer 68

Antimetabole

Question 69

# Click Here One word irony, established by context - "Tiny", the fat man

Answer 69

Antiphrasis

Question 70

# Click Here Binary opposition

Answer 70

Antithesis

Question 71

# Click Here Asserts something by seemingly ignoring it "We will not bring up the matter of the budget deficit here"

Answer 71

Apophasis

Question 72

# Click Here Expresses doubt about an idea or a conclusion

Answer 72

Aporia

Question 73

# Click Here Stopping abruptly, leaving a sentence unfinished

Answer 73

Aposiopesis

Question 74

# Click Here Interrupts the discussion or discourse and addresses directly a person or thing

Answer 74

Apostrophe

Question 75

# Click Here A noun next to another noun - Henry Jameson, the boss of the operation... the notorious feast, the picnic

Answer 75

Appositive

Question 76

# Click Here Similar successive sounding vowels

Answer 76

Assonance

Question 77

# Click Here consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses. Gives the effect of multiplicity - on his return, he received medals, honours, treasures, titles, fame

Answer 77

Asyndeton

Question 78

# Click Here An extravagant implied metaphor using words in an alien way - I will speak daggers to her

Answer 78

Catechresis

Question 79

# Click Here A reverse parallelism - where the second part of the sentence is balanced to the first part, but in reverse - so instead of unwillingly learned, the phrase would be learned unwillingly

Answer 79

Chiasmus

Question 80

# Click Here Arranging words, clauses or sentences in the order of increasing importance

Answer 80

Climax

Question 81

# Click Here Resembles anadiplosis in the repetition of a preceding word, but repeats a key word from the last phrase, not necessarily the last word

Answer 81

Conduplicatio

Question 82

# Click Here Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis

Answer 82

Diacope

Question 83

# Click Here Mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one sided or unqualified

Answer 83

Dirimens Copulatio

Question 84

# Click Here An explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word: "To make methanol for twenty-five cents a gallon is impossible; by "impossible" I mean currently beyond our technological capabilities."

Answer 84

Distinctio

Question 85

# Click Here An informally state syllogism which omits either one of the premises or the conclusion

Answer 85

Enthymeme

Question 86

# Click Here Detailing parts, causes, effects and consequences to make a point more forcibly

Answer 86

Enumeratio

Question 87

# Click Here Repeats the beginning word of a clause or sentence at the end

Answer 87

Epanalepsis

Question 88

# Click Here Forms the counterpart to anaphora, repetition comes at the end of a sentence

Answer 88

Epistrophe

Question 89

# Click Here An adjective or adjective phrase qualifying a subject

Answer 89

Epithet

Question 90

# Click Here Repetition of one word - South America is lush, lush, lush

Answer 90

Epizeuxis

Question 91

# Click Here Attributes a skill to a person or event - is he smart? He's an Einstein

Answer 91

Eponym

Question 92

# Click Here Citing an example, using an illustrative story, either true or fictitious

Answer 92

Exemplum

Question 93

# Click Here A single word or short phrase used to lend emphasis to the words immediately proximate to the adverb

Answer 93

Sentential Adverb

Question 94

# Click Here Several rhetorical devices involving departure from normal word order - "Such amaze"

Answer 94

Hyperbaton

Question 95

# Click Here Deliberate exaggeration

Answer 95

Hyperbole

Question 96

# Click Here Consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them

Answer 96

Hypophora

Question 97

# Click Here Using subordination to show the relationship between clauses or phrases

Answer 97

Hypotaxis

Question 98

# Click Here A particular form of understatement generated by denying the opposite or contrary of the word which otherwise would be used - heatwaves are not rare in summer

Answer 98

Litotes

Question 99

# Click Here Consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow - it is basically a transitional summary - STEVENS

Answer 99

metabasis

Question 100

# Click Here Qualifies a statement by recalling it - Fido was the friendliest of all St. Bernards, nay of all dogs

Answer 100

Metanoia

Question 101

# Click Here Compares two things by speaking of one in terms of another

Answer 101

Metaphor

Question 102

# Click Here another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche - the orders came direct from the white house

Answer 102

Metonymy

Question 103

# Click Here Words which sounds like a word

Answer 103

Onomatopoeia

Question 104

# Click Here Juxaposed words which are contradictory

Answer 104

Oxymoron

Question 105

# Click Here Recurrent syntactical similarity - several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts of sentences are equal in importance

Answer 105

Parallelism

Question 106

# Click Here A form of hyperbaton, which breaks up a sentence - to some extent - like this

Answer 106

Parenthesis

Question 107

# Click Here Metaphorically represents an animal or an inanimate object as having human attributes

Answer 107

Personification

Question 108

# Click Here using more words than required to express an idea - we heard it with our own ears

Answer 108

Pleonasm

Question 109

# Click Here Use of a conjunction between each word, phrase or clause, adds multiplicity

Answer 109

Polysyndeton

Question 110

# Click Here Anticipating an objection and answering it within the same sentence

Answer 110

Procatalepsis

Question 111

# Click Here Emphasises an idea by expressing it through several synonyms

Answer 111

Scesis Onomaton

Question 112

# Click Here Quoting a wise saying

Answer 112

Sententia

Question 113

# Click Here Combing anaphora and epistrophe

Answer 113

Symploce

Question 114

# Click Here a type of metaphor which makes one part represent the whole

Answer 114

Synecdoche

Question 115

# Click Here Understatement

Answer 115

Meiosis

Question 116

# Click Here Several similar rhetorical devices combined

Answer 116

Zeugma