terminology Flashcards
(12 cards)
Clause-Laden Sentence
What it is: A sentence packed with multiple clauses (main + subordinate).
Example: “Although she was tired, she finished her homework and went to bed, then…. which..”
Why it’s used: Often reflects a more complex, developed writing style; shows cognitive/grammatical sophistication.
Archaic Intensifier
Example: “I am right glad to hear it.” (where “right” means very) ‘great plenty’
First Person Inclusive Pronoun
What it is: “We” or “us” used to include the speaker and the audience.
Example: “We must all do our part.”
Why it’s used: Builds solidarity and a sense of shared identity—great for discourse, political speeches, and persuasive writing.
Might create a sense of shared knowledge.
Topicalisation
Instead of ‘he placed the hive near the tree,’ it would be, ‘near the tree he placed the hive.’
Why it’s used: For rhetorical impact (latin influence) seen as more formal/elaborate. Also a writers styler compared to conversationalism.
Fronted Subordinate Clause
What it is: A subordinate clause placed at the start of a sentence.
Example: “Although it was raining, we still went out.”
Why it’s used: To foreground conditions/context; often found in argumentative or reflective texts, and shows syntactic complexity in CLA.
Polysyndeton
What it is: Using lots of conjunctions (esp. “and” or “but”) in close succession.
Example: “I laughed and cried and screamed and jumped.”
Why it’s used: Slows down pace for emphasis.
Asyndeton
What it is: Omitting conjunctions for a punchier effect.
Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Why it’s used: Speeds up the pace, adds urgency or drama; common in rhetoric and commanding speech.
Conditional Sentence
What it is: A sentence that expresses “if… then…” logic.
Example: “If you study, you’ll succeed.”
Why it’s used: Adds hypothetical logic, persuasion, or rules-based thinking. Useful in analysing argument and authority.
Triadic Structure
What it is: A list or rhythm of three things.
Example: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Why it’s used: Memorable, empahsis; very persuasive. Common in speeches, advertising, and formal rhetoric.
Synthetic Parallelism
“Promises to…. plans too… and aims to…”
Why it’s used: adds empahsis and makes ideas clearer/memorable
Tautology
‘we must unite together in unity’ saying the same thing next to eachother
Anecdote
a short, personal story that’s told to illustrate a point, grab attention, or make something more relatable.
My grandma always said, ‘Kindness costs nothing,’ and I’ve lived by that.”
“When I first joined Twitter, I had no idea what a hashtag was.”
