Rhetorical Devices

Question 1

Allusion

Answer 1

A brief, intentional reference to a historical, mythic, or literary person, place, event, text or movement.

Question 2

Analogy or Metaphor

Answer 2

A comparison in which an idea or thing is compared to something quite different.

Question 3

Anaphora

Answer 3

Repetition of a group of words at the beginning of back-to-back clauses or sentences. We will not… we will not…we will not

Question 4

Diction/Tone

Answer 4

The specific words an author chooses to use. This could be used to intentionally characterize a character or speaker or to develop tone.

Question 5

Hyperbole

Answer 5

Exaggeration for effect.

Question 6

Imagery

Answer 6

Descriptive writing that uses sensory details to evoke any of the five senses and that creates a set of mental images.

Question 7

Irony

Answer 7

Stating something which implies the opposite of what is literally said.

Question 8

Oxymoron

Answer 8

A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

Question 9

Parallel Structure

Answer 9

Expressing ideas in a parallel, grammatically equivalent way; setting up a grammatical pattern and following it. Expressing ideas in writing using the same grammatical structure.

Question 10

Repetition

Answer 10

The repetition of the same word, phrase, clause, or sentence to emphasize an idea.

Question 11

Rhetorical Question

Answer 11

A question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.

Question 12

Simile

Answer 12

A comparison using the words like or as.

Question 13

Understatement

Answer 13

Presenting something as less significant than it actually is; ironic minimization of a fact with frequently humorous effect.
*This is a type of verbal irony.