Device ID
This device repeats consonant sounds at the beginning of nearby words, as in “wild and woolly.”
What is alliteration?
“The classroom was like a zoo during the pep rally.”
What is simile?
"My beloved cat passed away this weekend and I am devastated."
What is euphemism?
“Every child deserves to feel safe in their own school.”
What is pathos?
“Golden light spilled across the fields as the sun sank below the hills” is designed to create a mental picture through this technique.
What is imagery?
This device repeats a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
What is anaphora?
“Las Vegas is known as the city that never sleeps."
What is personification?
"When I walked into the wrong classroom, all I could hear was the awkward, deafening silence."
What is oxymoron?
“The numbers are alarming—but it’s the human cost that truly matters.”
What is pathos?
(supported by logos, but the primary appeal is pathos)
Short, abrupt sentences like “He waited. He watched. He ran.” create tension through this technique.
What is syntax?
This device repeats words at the end of successive clauses rather than the beginning.
What is antistrophe?
[Your friend spills his lunch]
"Great job, bro!"
What is sarcasm?
[It's a torrential downpour outside the window]
Ah, it looks like we are having a bit of bad weather.
What is understatement?
“If we reduce class sizes, test scores will rise—because students receive more individual attention.”
What is logos?
Describing a house as “weather-beaten” rather than “old” reveals the author’s attitude through word choice.
What is diction?
This device places opposite ideas side by side for contrast, such as “best of times, worst of times.”
What is antithesis?
"Mrs. Audley's midterm was a nightmare!"
What is metaphor?
"At the party, we laughed and cried and shouted and danced."
What is polysyndeton?
“I grew up in this community, attended these schools, and now I’m fighting for our future.”
What is ethos?
Calling someone a snake to suggest dishonesty relies on this type of meaning.
What is connotation?
This device uses part of something to represent the whole, such as “all hands on deck.”
What is synecdoche?
“Slow road home.”
What is assonance?
"The White House issued a statement today."
What is synecdoche?
“I’ve spent my entire career researching climate science, and the data is clear.”
What is ethos?
(supported by logos, but the primary appeal is ethos)
In scientific writing, authors prioritize this type of meaning to avoid emotional bias.
What is denotation?