English Techniques
Rhetorical Question
a question asked for an effect, not actually requiring an answer
Allusion
a reference to another work of literature, person, or event
Colloquialism
a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't)
Cliche
a worn-out idea or overused expression
Idiom
an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression; or, a regional speech or dialect
Word Choice
careful use of words to express a specific idea
Superlatives
excessive, exaggerated comments
Exclamation
forceful delivery of a statement to stress an important point or convey emotion
Imperative Voice
forceful use of the verb to order or direct
Euphony
pleasant, harmonious sound
Repetition
repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis
Alliteration
use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse
Rhetoric
using language effectively to please or persuade
Onomatopoeia
using words that imitate the sound they denote
Accumulation
Figure of speech in which a speaker or a writer gathers scattered points and lists them together.
Symbolism
A device in literature where an object represents an idea.
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Anecdote
A story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate a point.
Sibilants
Repetition of the "S" sound
Juxtaposition
The arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development
Emjambment
The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of a poem to the next, without a pause between the lines.
Imagery
The use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience
Pitch
Volume and Stress on certain words and phrases
Emotive Words
Words that are aimed at stirring an emotion such as anger or happiness
Caesura
a break or pause (usually for sense) in the middle of a verse line
Ellipsis
a dramatic pause (...) that can create tension or suggest that there are some words that cannot be spoken
Metaphor
a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity
Simile
a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with 'like' or 'as')
Hyperbole
a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor
Contrast
showing the differences between two or more ideas, stories, characters, things, etc.
Jargon
specialized technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject
Pace
speed of delivery, effective speakers vary their pace such as building excitement by speaking quickly and adding dramatic pauses.
Disjunction
the abrupt use of 'yet; or 'but' to break the rhythm or flow of a line to add dramatic emphasis
Tone
the quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the author
Assonance
the repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words
Anaphora
the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences
Intonation
the use of pitch in speech to create contrast and variation
Second Person
told from the reader's point of view, using "you"