Terms 1
An argument attacking an individual’s character rather than his or her position on an issue.
Ad hominem argument
A sentence that makes a statement or declaration.
Declarative sentence
An expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off
Cliché
The word choices made by a writer.
Diction
Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses
Anaphora
The literal meaning of a word.
Denotation
A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.
Allusion
The persuasive appeal of one’s character, or credibility.
Ethos
A sentence expressing a strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark.
Exclamatory sentence
Reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case.
Deductive reasoning
Details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events.
Concrete details
A variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region.
Dialect
Informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing
Colloquialism
An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant.
Euphemism
The omission of a word or phrase that is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context.
Ellipsis
A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event
Anecdote
A sentence in which the main independent clause is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases.
Cumulative sentence (loose sentence)
The implied or associative meaning of a word (slender vs. skinny; cheap vs. thrifty).
Connotation
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.
Analogy
A sentence with two or more principal clauses and one or more subordinate clauses.
Compound-complex sentence
Generally, the arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of increasing importance, often in parallel structure
Climax
A sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions.
Compound sentence
A statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced
Antithesis
A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Complex sentence
A sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast
Balanced sentence