1. Alliteration
The repetition of identical consonant or vowel sounds at the beginnings of words that are close together (i.e. descending dew drops).

2. Allegory
An extended metaphor in which objects, persons, and actions represent things outside of the narrative.

3. Allusion
Reference to a statement, person, place, event, or thing known from literature, history, religion, myth, politics, sports, science, or the arts

4. Antagonist
The character, force, or obstacle the protagonist must overcome.

5. Aside
Words a character in a play speaks to the audience or another character that are not supposed to be overheard by others on stage

6. Stereotype
A character with fixed characteristics based on group affiliation

7. Dialect
A way of speaking characteristic of a particular region or group of people

8. Dialogue
Conversation between two or more characters

9. Epic
Long story told in an elevated language (usually poetry) which relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of particular society

10. Flashback
Scene in a narrative that interrupts the present action and reveals what happened at an earlier time

11. Foreshadowing
The use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in a plot

12. Hyperbole
Figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express a strong emotion or to create a comic effect
As far as the east is from the west.
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
He couldn't hit the broad-side of a barn.

13. Imagery
Writing that appeals to the senses

14. Irony
Contrast or discrepancy between expectation and reality (Types: Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic)

15. Metaphor
A comparison between two things without the use of like or as

16. Monologue
An extended speech presented by an actor in a drama or narrative

17. Narrative
A type of writing that tells a story

18. Onomatopoeia
Use of a word whose sound imitates or suggests its meaning (i.e. buzz, clang, fizz)

19. Parallelism
Repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same grammatical structure or that state a similar idea
In counseling, I think both talking and listening are important.
The trip to the city is neither long nor expensive.

20. Personification
A comparison in which a non-human thing or quality is given human characteristics

21. Protagonist
The main or central figure in fiction or drama

22. Rhetorical Question
A persuasive technique in which the writer asks a question with an obvious answer, used to make an indirect implication.

23. Setting
The time, place, mood, and/or atmosphere of a narrative

24. Simile
A comparison between two things using like or as

25. Soliloquy
An unusually long speech by a character onstage alone, expressing inner thoughts and feelings

26. Symbol
A person, place thing or event that stands for itself and something beyond itself as well

27. Theme
Central idea of a work of literature

28. Analogy
A comparison of two things to show that they are alike in certain respects; a type of extended metaphor.

29. Anecdote
Very brief account of an incident.

30. Assonance
Repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds in words close together (i.e. fleet feet sweep by sleeping Greeks).

31. Consonance
The repetition of final consonant sounds after different vowel sounds (i.e. pitter, patter; rif, raf)

32. Diction
A speaker or writer's choice of words

33. Fable
A brief story in prose or verse that teaches a moral or gives a practical lesson about how to get along in life.

34. Parable
Brief story that teaches a lesson about life

35. Idiom
An expression peculiar to a particular language that means something different from the literal meaning of each word (i.e. A Piece of Cake, A Dime a Dozen)

36. Tone
The attitude the writer takes toward the reader, a subject, or a character

37. Tragedy
A play, novel, or other narrative that depicts serious and important events in which the main character(s) comes to an unhappy end

38. Elaboration
The refinement, support and development of an idea by use of details, reasons and evidence

39. Gothic
A kind of romantic, scary piece of literature that summons up the mysterious atmosphere suggested by old castles and cathedrals.

40. Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase (bittersweet, living death, jumbo shrimp)

41. Call to Action
A persuasive technique in which the writer exhorts or encourages his or her audience to behave a certain way.

42. Figurative Language
A persuasive technique in which the writer uses similes, metaphor, hyperbole and allusion to make connections and show his argument in a unique fashion.

43. Voice
The distinctive way in which a writer expresses ideas which show his/her attitude, personality and character.