Rhetorical Devices and Strategies

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Epizeuxis

• Using milder words in place of harsher ones

• Euphemism

• Using harsher words in place of milder ones

• Epistrophe

• Repetition at the end

• Dysphemism

• Repetition at the beginning

• Anaphora

• Repetition in immediate succession

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Allusion

• Brief reference to another work for comparison or symbolic meaning

• Rhetorical question

• Saying the same thing to reinforce important points

• Repetition

• Strategic choice of words to bring out strong emotions

• Irony

• Inquiry asked to make a point rather than get an answer

• Diction

• A contrast between what is expected/known and what happens

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Rule of three

• Considering the cultural/emotional impact of words when using them

• Connotation

• Listing or detailing the parts of something

• Hyperbole

• Exaggeration for emphasis or effect

• Personification

• Establishing a pattern in the shortest way possible

• Enumeratio

• Giving human attributes to an inhuman or inanimate thing/idea

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Analogy

• Comparing two unlike things using "like" or "as"

• Symbolism

• Comparing two unlike things specifically to make an explanatory point

• Metaphor

• Using sensory words to evoke a feeling or paint a scene

• Imagery

• Using objects, people, places, etc. to stand for another idea

• Simile

• Comparing two unlike things not using "like" or "as"

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Understatement

• Intentional downplaying

• Juxtaposition

• Placing two things side by side to display a contrast

• Antithesis

• Using parallel structure to highlight two contrasting ideas

• Parallelism

• Repeating a chosen grammatical form to reflect balance

• Antimetabole

• Repeating a phrase but rearranging the words to create a new meaning

Match the strategy to its descriptor.

• Anecdote

• An if/then statement that logically proposes a hypothesis

• Concession and refutation

• Brief story that illustrates a point

• Data and statistics

• Meaningful cases or scenarios similar to the point one is making

• Examples

• Meaningful authoritative facts

• Conditional premise

• Admitting to the good points of the opposing side but also providing a rebuttal

What rhetorical device or strategy is NOT present here:

As god-fearing Christians, we are called to extend compassion and understanding to all, just as Christ demonstrated in his life, embracing those who are often marginalized and offering hope to the weary.

• Ethical appeal: audience values

• Using diction to create a desire to help

• Euphemism for those who are in need of help

• Conditional premise

What rhetorical device or strategy is NOT present here:

Marriage is like a garden; it requires patience, nurturing, and care to flourish, and through the seasons of growth and challenge, it blooms into something truly beautiful and enduring.

• Analogy

• Imagery

• Simile

• Juxtaposition

What rhetorical device or strategy is NOT present here:

When I was in college, a close friend of mine was a chronic smoker, and it was heartbreaking to see how it affected his health and our friendship. It would help him relieve some stress but in the end, it damaged his lungs beyond repair. This taught me that indulging a moment of pleasure can lead to a lifetime of pain.

• Concession and refutation

• Anecdote

• Antithesis

• Symbolism

What rhetorical device or strategy is NOT present here:

People check their phones at every stoplight, in every meeting, and during every meal. It’s time we recognize that constantly reaching for our screens is not connecting us, but disconnecting us from the moments that truly matter. How many experiences are we willing to miss while we’re glued to our devices?

• Parallelism

• Selection of detail

• Rhetorical question

• Ethical appeal: Establishing character