Useful Terms and Techniques For Discussing Formal And Persuasive Writing

Question 1

Adjectives

Answer 1

descriptors that usually come before a noun, noticeable in advertising when they come in clusters

Question 2

Allusions or references

Answer 2

Refer or allude to other writer’s, speakers, and stories

Question 3

Analogy

Answer 3

A lengthy comparison between two dissimilar things. Often a sustained simile or metaphor

Question 4

Anecdote

Answer 4

A short personal story introduced by speakers or writers to make their speeches personal or humorous

Question 5

Aphorism

Answer 5

an astute observation of a universal truth, stated laconically`

Question 6

Colloquialism

Answer 6

Words that are very informal and used for conversational tone only, and never in formal writing

Question 7

Comparatives and superlatives

Answer 7

These are often used in persuasive language, but often vaguely, without finishing the comparison or making it so vague as to be meaningless

Question 8

Conversational Features

Answer 8

A conversational tone of voice puts readers at ease and is thus often used by advertiser

Question 9

Declaratory statements

Answer 9

Bold, controversial declarations of one’s opinions often get an audience to respond or react

Question 10

Emotive Language

Answer 10

Words which have strong connotations and therefore arouse emotions in the audience

Question 11

Euphemism

Answer 11

Makes something unpleasant sound more pleasant

Question 12

Generalisations

Answer 12

This sweeping statement covers many different cases and is not necessarily true for all of them

Question 13

Imperative

Answer 13

a sentence organized to sound like a command

Question 14

Jargon

Answer 14

special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand

Question 15

Leading Question

Answer 15

A question posed that has an answer immediately after it, leading the reader or audience to the same answer as the writer or speaker

Question 16

Neologism

Answer 16

The creation of a new word to fill a linguistic gap or abbreviate a larger expression

Question 17

Parallelism or parallel structure

Answer 17

the repetition of structures to achieve a sense of build-up

Question 18

Personal Pronouns

Answer 18

comprising a set that shows contrasts of person, gender, number, and case

Question 19

Prognostication

Answer 19

a prediction about future events, can help to invoke anxiety, fear and hope

Question 20

Quotations

Answer 20

the quoting of the exact words spoken or written by someone famous

Question 21

Repetition

Answer 21

draws emphasis, suggests importance, ensures memorability

Question 22

Rhetorical Question

Answer 22

One that has the answer implied in the question, and does not, therefore, require an answer

Question 23

Sentential adverb

Answer 23

a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal syntax, used to lend emphasis to the verb

Question 24

Statistics

Answer 24

Facts and figures which help to support statements made

Question 25

Triad

Answer 25

A grouping of three very similar items on a list for effect

Question 26

Understatement

Answer 26

when something is deliberately described as being less or smaller than it is in real life