LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES Flashcards
Technique: Juxtaposition
Definition: Placing two contrasting ideas close together to highlight differences.
Example Sentence: The candle flickered weakly in the vast, consuming darkness.
Why Use It? To create contrast, highlight differences, or build tension and surprise.
Technique: Pathetic Fallacy
Definition: When the weather or environment reflects a character’s emotions.
Example Sentence: The storm raged as he slammed the door behind him.
Why Use It? To set the mood, reflect emotions, or foreshadow events.
Technique: Hyperbole
Definition: Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis.
Example Sentence: The bag weighed a ton as she dragged it up the stairs.
Why Use It? To add drama, humor, or exaggerate emotions.
Technique: Sibilance
Definition: Repetition of ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sounds to create a mood.
Example Sentence: The silent snake slithered smoothly through the soft grass.
Why Use It? To create a sinister or calming effect, depending on the context.
Technique: Alliteration
Definition: Repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of words.
Example Sentence: The cold, crisp air cut through the night.
Why Use It? To make descriptions more memorable, create rhythm, or enhance mood.
Technique: Anaphora
Definition: Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences for emphasis.
Example Sentence: He ran. He ran through the darkness. He ran through the pain.
Why Use It? To build tension, emphasize an idea, or create rhythm.
Technique: Zoomorphism
Definition: Giving a human animal-like qualities.
Example Sentence: He prowled through the room, his eyes locked on his prey.
Why Use It? To create powerful imagery, make characters seem more primal or dangerous.
Technique: Asyndetic Listing
Definition: Listing without conjunctions to create a fast-paced effect.
Example Sentence: The room was cold, dark, empty, lifeless.
Why Use It? To speed up the pace, intensify descriptions, or create a sense of urgency.
Technique: Polysyndeton
Definition: Using multiple conjunctions to slow the pace and add emphasis.
Example Sentence: He ran and ran and ran, never looking back.
Why Use It? To slow the rhythm, build tension, or emphasize exhaustion and determination.