English: Elements of Style #1

overstatement or hyperbole

a statement that seems contradictory but usually reveals a surprising truth

personification

an object/animal is given human characteristics

cumulative

beginning with an independent clause and followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that add detail

periodic

beginning with subordinate clauses of phrases that build toward the main clause

connotations

if the words have meanings beyond the dictionary definition

metaphor

implied comparison ( does not use like or as)

figure of speech

language that is not literal

similie

making a comparison using like or as

tone

reflects the speakets attitude toward the subject of work

formal/informal diction

sometimes called slang or colloquial language

mood

the feeling the reader experiences as a result of tone

imagery

the verbal expression of a sensory experience(appeals to look,feel,sound,smell or taste)

analogy

usually helps explain something unfamiliar or complicated by comparing it to something familiar or simple

extended metaphor

when a metaphor is extended over several lines in a work

irony

when a speaker says one thing but really means something else/ when there is an incongruity between what is expected and what is said

denotation

when a word can have more than one dictionary definition

diction

when authors choose their words carefully to convey precise meanings

simple or complex

whether the sentences in a work are long or short

inverted

word order->subject-verb-object (ex. verb-subject-object or object-subject-verb)