Stylistic Devices 1
This technique uses words like “we” and “us” to make the audience feel part of a group.
What is inclusive language?
When a speaker says “Ladies and gentlemen” or calls out the audience directly, they are using this engagement strategy.
What is a direct address?
When an inanimate object or idea is given human traits, like “the wind whispered through the trees,” this device is at play.
What is a personification?
This type of text is delivered orally to persuade, inspire, or inform an audience, often using rhetorical devices like repetition and direct address.
What is a speech?
In 2009, this U.S. president made history as the first African American to hold the office, winning a Nobel Peace Prize in his first year.
Who is Barack Obama?
Martin Luther King Jr. used this device in “I Have a Dream” by repeating the same phrase at the beginning of multiple sentences.
What is an anaphora?
When a writer lists several points in a row to emphasize a message, they are using this technique.
What is an enumeration?
“Do you really think I would lie to you?” is an example of this question that doesn’t expect an answer.
What is a rhetorical question?
A literary form that often features rhythm, meter, imagery, and figurative language to evoke emotions and meaning.
What is a poem?
“In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. They are eating the cats.” This chaotic reference could be linked to this controversial 45th U.S. president.
Who is Donald Trump?
This figure of speech compares two unrelated things by saying one is the other, rather than using “like” or “as.”
What is a metaphor?
If a speech references Shakespeare, the Bible, or Greek mythology without explicitly explaining it, it’s using this literary technique.
What is an allusion?
This device compares two things using “like” or “as,” such as “her smile was as bright as the sun.”
What is a simile?
This text type presents factual information on current events, typically using a clear structure with a headline, lead, and body paragraphs.
What is a newspaper article?
Sparked by figures like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., this movement fought to end racial segregation and discrimination in the U.S.
What is the Civil Rights Movement?
When a text highlights stark differences—such as light vs. dark or rich vs. poor—it’s using this device.
What is a contrast?
When the outcome is the opposite of what’s expected, like a fire station burning down, we call this situation ____.
What is irony?
If someone says “Oh, great, another Monday!” in a bitter tone, they are using this cutting form of irony.
What is sarcasm?
A section taken from a longer fictional work, often containing character development, descriptive language, and a central conflict.
What is a novel extract?
In American colonial history, this means of transportation carried the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they established the first permanent New England colony in 1620.
What is the Mayflower?
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers—and in doing so, he used this repetition of initial consonant sounds.
What is an alliteration?
Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” is a prime example of this balanced structure.
What is parallelism?
“I’ve told you a million times” is an example of this exaggerated figure of speech.
What is a hyperbole?
A brief fictional narrative that usually focuses on a single conflict, limited characters, and a strong resolution within a compact form.
What is a short story?
This colour became a symbol of the Democratic Party after the television networks began reporting the election results.
What is a blue?