Structural techniques Flashcards
(11 cards)
Tenses
if something is set in the past, present or future
- Time Frame: Indicates when actions occur (past, present, future).
- Narrative Flow: Affects the flow and structure of the narrative.
- Character Perspective: Reflects a character’s point of view and their perception of events.
- Tension and Urgency: Creates suspense or immediacy.
- Consistency: Maintains coherence and clarity in the timeline of events.
Repetition
something being repeated.
- Emphasis: Highlights key ideas or themes.
- Rhythm and Flow: Adds a musical quality and enhances readability.
- Memory Aid: Helps reinforce and remember important points.
- Emotional Impact: Intensifies emotions and feelings.
- Unity and Cohesion: Creates connections and coherence within the text.
Anaphora
Anaphora is a rhetorical device where the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. It’s used to create emphasis and rhythm. For example:
- “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
- Emphasis: Highlights important themes or ideas.
- Rhythm: Creates a lyrical quality and enhances the flow of the text.
- Persuasion: Strengthens arguments and makes them more convincing.
- Unity: Connects different parts of the text, creating a cohesive structure.
- Emotional Appeal: Evokes feelings and engages the reader more deeply.
Lists
- Organization: Clearly presents information in an orderly manner.
- Emphasis: Highlights multiple points or details.
- Clarity: Simplifies complex information, making it easier to understand.
- Structure: Provides a logical framework for the text.
- Comprehensiveness: Ensures all aspects of a topic are covered.
Rhetorical question
Question that isn’t supposed to be answered.
- Persuasion: Enhances the effectiveness of arguments and appeals.
- Engagement: Captures the audience’s attention and maintains interest.
- Tone: Sets the emotional atmosphere of the text.
- Clarity: Clarifies complex ideas through effective language use.
- Depth: Adds layers of meaning, encouraging deeper interpretation.
Hypophora
Hypophora is a rhetorical device where a speaker poses a question and then immediately answers it. It’s used to engage the audience and guide them to a specific point or argument. For example: “What can we do to improve our community? We can start by volunteering and supporting local businesses.”
- Engagement: Captures the audience’s attention by posing a question.
- Clarity: Helps clarify complex ideas by providing immediate answers.
- Emphasis: Highlights key points or arguments through direct questioning.
- Structure: Creates a logical flow in the text by guiding the audience’s thought process.
- Anticipation: Addresses potential questions or concerns the audience may have.
Declarative sentence
A declarative sentence is a statement that provides information or expresses an idea. It usually ends with a period. For example, “The sky is blue” is a declarative sentence because it tells us something.
- Information: Clearly presents facts or ideas.
- Clarity: Provides straightforward and unambiguous statements.
- Tone: Sets a definitive and assertive tone.
- Structure: Contributes to the overall logical flow of the text.
- Simplicity: Makes complex information more accessible and easier to understand.
Cyclical narrative
The story ending as it started.
- Unity: Creates a sense of wholeness by returning to the initial theme or idea.
- Emphasis: Highlights key concepts by revisiting them throughout the text.
- Rhythm: Establishes a rhythmic flow that can enhance the reading experience.
- Development: Shows progression of ideas or themes, even when returning to the start.
- Closure: Provides a satisfying conclusion by tying back to the beginning.
Minor sentence
A minor sentence is a short, incomplete sentence that still makes sense. It often lacks a subject or verb but conveys a clear idea or emotion. For example, “Morning!” or “No way!”
- Emphasis: Draws attention to a key idea or emotion.
- Tone: Creates a casual, conversational, or dramatic tone.
- Pace: Speeds up the reading pace for impact.
- Brevity: Conveys information quickly and efficiently.
- Emotion: Highlights strong feelings or reactions.
Ellipsis
Ellipsis is when you leave out words in a sentence because they are understood from the context. It’s often shown with three dots (…). For example, “I went to the store, and she went too” can become “I went to the store, and she went…”
- Omission: Indicates missing or implied information.
- Continuation: Suggests that the thought or sentence is trailing off.
- Brevity: Keeps the text concise by omitting unnecessary words.
- Mystery: Adds a sense of suspense or uncertainty.
- Informality: Creates a conversational or casual tone.
