| Term | Definition |
|---|
| juxtaposition | Placing two words or ideas close together to create a contrasting of ideas or an ironic meaning. |
| parallelism | Repeating similar grammatical structures (words, phrases or sentences) to give writing rhythm. |
| antithesis | Using opposite ideas in the same thought or sentence to emphasize a point. (In other words, antithesis balances or contrasts one word or idea against another, usually in the same sentence). Note that juxtaposition is very similar to this term. |
| polysyndeton | Using a series of conjunctions* to create a stream of ideas that deserve emphasis. The conjunctions slow the rhythm of the sentence. |
| asyndeton | Deliberately removing conjunctions from a series in order to create emphasis. This technique speeds up the rhythm of the sentence. |
| chiasmus | Inverting clauses in order to make a point. ("Criss-cross" structure) |
| anaphora | Emphasizing words by repeating them at the beginning of successive clauses. |
| epistrophe | Emphasizing words by repeating them at the ends of successive clauses. |
| rhetorical fragment | The deliberate use of a fragment, for emphasis or effect. |
| rhetorical question | A question asked for effect; there is usually an expected or implied answer on the writer's part. |
Combine with other sets
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