1. Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion
Rhetorical Devices
AP English III

2. Categories of Rhetorical Devices
Terms involving emphasis, association, clarification, and focus
Terms involving physical organization, transition, and disposition of arrangement
Terms involving decoration and variety

3. Expletive
A single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal syntax, used to lend emphasis to the words immediately proximate to the expletive.

4. Asyndeton
Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses
In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account

5. Polysyndeton Use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause
Structurally the opposite of asyndeton
Intended rhetorical effect is one of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up

6. Understatement
Deliberately expresses an idea as less important than it actually is either for ironic emphasis or for politeness and tact

7. Parallelism Please learn to spell this word correctly!
Recurrent syntactical similarity
Several part of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in importance
Adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the sentence

8. Chiasmus Inverted parallelism
Repetition of grammatical structures in inverted order
Shows the relationship of the two linked items in an unusual way to add to emphasis

9. Zeugma
Grammatically correct linkage (or yoking together) of two or more parts of speech by another part of speech
Examples: one subject with two verbs; a verb with two direct objects
Main benefit of the linking is that it shows relationships between ideas and actions more clearly

10. Antithesis
Establishes a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together in parallel structure
Creates a definite and systematic relationship between ideas

11. Anaphora
Repetition of the same word or words at the beginning or successive phrases, clauses, or sentences, commonly in conjunction with climax and with parallelism
Often used in conjunction with rhetorical questions

12. Epistrophe Counterpart to anaphora
Repetition o f the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences

13. Please note…
These terms are intended for use on the multiple choice section of the exam and in your own writing.
They are DEVICES—not techniques—which means you should not focus on them in your analysis of timed writings