Question 1

abstract language

Accepted Answer

Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places.  The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language.

Question 2

ad hominem argument/attack

Accepted Answer

A personal attack on the character or other traits of one's opponent rather than an argument against his/her ideas.

Question 3

ad populum

Accepted Answer

“to the people

Question 4

alliteration

Accepted Answer

The repetition of initial  consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in  "She sells sea shells. . . ").

Question 5

allusion

Accepted Answer

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

Question 6

ambiguity

Accepted Answer

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.  Ambiguity implies that either meaning could be correct.

Question 7

Anadiplosis

Accepted Answer

a devise that takes the last word or phrase of a sentence and repeats it near the beginning of the next sentence or phrase.  Words used this way end up near one another, so their repetition becomes very apparent to drive the force home.

Question 8

analogy

Accepted Answer

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.  Two things in which the complex is explained in terms of the simple, or something unfamiliar is associated with something more familiar.

Question 9

anaphora

Accepted Answer

The repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses

Question 10

anecdote

Accepted Answer

A brief recounting of a relevant episode, frequently personal or biographical.  Anecdotes are often inserted into fiction or nonfiction  as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.

Question 11

antecedent

Accepted Answer

The noun to which a later pronoun refers

Question 12

anticlimax

Accepted Answer

A sudden drop from the dignified or important in thought or expression to the commonplace or trivial, often for humorous effect.

Question 13

antecedent

Accepted Answer

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.  The AP exam occasionally asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences.

Question 14

antimetabole

Accepted Answer

The repetition of words in an inverted order to sharpen a contrast.

Question 15

antithesis

Accepted Answer

A balancing of two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses.

Question 16

aphorism

Accepted Answer

A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.  (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.)

Question 17

apostrophe

Accepted Answer

A FOS that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, a personified abstraction, or sometimes an inanimate object. For example, Walt Whitman addresses the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as "O Captain! my Captain!"

Question 18

appeal to tradition

Accepted Answer

a proposal that something should continue because it has traditionally existed or been done that way

Question 19

Argument

Accepted Answer

a process of reasoning and advancing proof about issues on which conflicting views may be held; also, a statement or statements providing support for a claim

Question 20

Audience

Accepted Answer

those who will hear an argument; more generally, those to whom a communication is addressed

Question 21

Authoritative warrant

Accepted Answer

a warrant based on the credibility or trustworthiness of the source

Question 22

Authority

Accepted Answer

a respectable, reliable source of evidence

Question 23

assonance

Accepted Answer

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity.

Question 24

asyndeton

Accepted Answer

Commas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words.  The parts are emphasized equally when the conjunction is omitted; in addition, asyndeton speeds up the flow of the sentence.  Asyndeton takes the form of X, Y, Z as opposed to X, Y, and Z.

Question 25

atmosphere

Accepted Answer

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events.

Question 26

Backing

Accepted Answer

the assurances upon which a warrant or assumption is based

Question 27

balanced sentence

Accepted Answer

Construction in which both halves of the sentence are about the same length and importance.

Question 28

begging the question

Accepted Answer

Often called circular reasoning, begging the question occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim.  In other words, one assumes a statement to be true when it has not been proven to be so.

Question 29

bias

Accepted Answer

Prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a topic or issue.

Question 30

bombast

Accepted Answer

Inflated language; the use of high-sounding language for a trivial subject.

Question 31

caricature

Accepted Answer

A grotesque likeness of striking characteristics in persons or things.

Question 32

chronological order

Accepted Answer

arrangement by the order in which things occur; usually moves from past to present.  In reverse chronological order, events are told from present to past.

Question 33

cite

Accepted Answer

To identify a part of a piece of writing as being derived from (paraphrased, summarized) from a source.  To fail to cite constitutes plagiarism.

Question 34

Cause and effect

Accepted Answer

reasoning that assumes one event or condition can bring about another

Question 35

Claim

Accepted Answer

the conclusion of an argument; what the arguer is trying to prove

Question 36

Claim of fact

Accepted Answer

a claim that asserts something exists, has existed, or will exist, based on Data that the audience will accept as objectively verifiable

Question 37

Claim of policy

Accepted Answer

a claim asserting that specific courses of action should be instituted as solutions to problems

Question 38

Claim of value

Accepted Answer

a claim that asserts some things are more or less desirable than others

Question 39

Cliché

Accepted Answer

a worn-out expression or idea, no longer capable of producing a visual image Provoking thought about a subject

Question 40

Comparison warrant

Accepted Answer

a warrant based on shared characteristics and circumstances of two or more things or events; an analogy is a type of comparison, but the things or events being compared in an analogy are not of the same class

Question 41

Concrete language

Accepted Answer

language that describes specific, generally observable, persons, Places, or things; in contrast to abstract language

Question 42

Connotation

Accepted Answer

the overtones that adhere to a word through long usage

Question 43

Credibility

Accepted Answer

the audience’s belief in the arguer’s trustworthiness; see also ethos

Question 44

classification

Accepted Answer

arrangement of material into groups; e.g., media classified as print, video, or audio, with representative examples of each.

Question 45

clause

Accepted Answer

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.  An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause cannot stand alone must be accompanied by an independent clause

Question 46

colloquial/colloquialism

Accepted Answer

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.  Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects and usage. Colloquialisms are to be avoided in formal writing

Question 47

connotation

Accepted Answer

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

Question 48

consonance

Accepted Answer

Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.

Question 49

denotation

Accepted Answer

The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Question 50

didactic

Accepted Answer

(from the Greek, "teaching") A term used to describe a work that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of moral or ethical behavior or thinking.

Question 51

Deduction

Accepted Answer

reasoning by which we establish that a conclusion must be true because the statements on which it is based are true; see also syllogism

Question 52

Definition

Accepted Answer

an explanation of the meaning of a term, concept, or experience; may be used for clarification, especially of a claim, or as a means of developing an argument

Question 53

Definition by negation

Accepted Answer

defining a thing by saying what it is not

Question 54

Ethos

Accepted Answer

the qualities of character, intelligence, and goodwill in an arguer that contribute to an audience’s acceptance of the claim

Question 55

either/or fallacy

Accepted Answer

Reducing an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignoring possible alternatives.

Question 56

ellipsis

Accepted Answer

Grammar, the omission of a word or words necessary for complete construction but understood in context; "If [it is] possible, [you] come early."  [. . . ] that something has been left out of a quotation; e.g.,   "To be or not . . .that is the question."

Question 57

epigraph

Accepted Answer

A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work that is suggestive of the theme.

Question 58

equivocation

Accepted Answer

The use of the same term in two different senses in an argument.

Question 59

euphemism

Accepted Answer

(From the Greek, "good speech")  A more agreeable or less unpleasant substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

Question 60

expository writing/prose

Accepted Answer

Writing that explains or analyzes.

Question 61

extended metaphor

Accepted Answer

A metaphor developed at length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.

Question 62

false analogy

Accepted Answer

When two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connnection between them.

Question 63

Fact

Accepted Answer

something that is believed to have objective reality, a piece of information regarded as verifiable

Question 64

Factual evidence

Accepted Answer

support consisting of data that is considered objectively verifiable by the audience

Question	Answer
abstract language	Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places. The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language.
ad hominem argument/attack	A personal attack on the character or other traits of one's opponent rather than an argument against his/her ideas.
ad populum	“to the people
alliteration	The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "She sells sea shells. . . ").
allusion	A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.
ambiguity	The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. Ambiguity implies that either meaning could be correct.
Anadiplosis	a devise that takes the last word or phrase of a sentence and repeats it near the beginning of the next sentence or phrase. Words used this way end up near one another, so their repetition becomes very apparent to drive the force home.
analogy	A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. Two things in which the complex is explained in terms of the simple, or something unfamiliar is associated with something more familiar.
anaphora	The repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses
anecdote	A brief recounting of a relevant episode, frequently personal or biographical. Anecdotes are often inserted into fiction or nonfiction as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.
antecedent	The noun to which a later pronoun refers
anticlimax	A sudden drop from the dignified or important in thought or expression to the commonplace or trivial, often for humorous effect.
antecedent	The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP exam occasionally asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences.
antimetabole	The repetition of words in an inverted order to sharpen a contrast.
antithesis	A balancing of two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses.
aphorism	A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.)
apostrophe	A FOS that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, a personified abstraction, or sometimes an inanimate object. For example, Walt Whitman addresses the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as "O Captain! my Captain!"
appeal to tradition	a proposal that something should continue because it has traditionally existed or been done that way
Argument	a process of reasoning and advancing proof about issues on which conflicting views may be held; also, a statement or statements providing support for a claim
Audience	those who will hear an argument; more generally, those to whom a communication is addressed
Authoritative warrant	a warrant based on the credibility or trustworthiness of the source
Authority	a respectable, reliable source of evidence
assonance	Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity.
asyndeton	Commas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words. The parts are emphasized equally when the conjunction is omitted; in addition, asyndeton speeds up the flow of the sentence. Asyndeton takes the form of X, Y, Z as opposed to X, Y, and Z.
atmosphere	The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events.
Backing	the assurances upon which a warrant or assumption is based
balanced sentence	Construction in which both halves of the sentence are about the same length and importance.
begging the question	Often called circular reasoning, begging the question occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim. In other words, one assumes a statement to be true when it has not been proven to be so.
bias	Prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a topic or issue.
bombast	Inflated language; the use of high-sounding language for a trivial subject.
caricature	A grotesque likeness of striking characteristics in persons or things.
chronological order	arrangement by the order in which things occur; usually moves from past to present. In reverse chronological order, events are told from present to past.
cite	To identify a part of a piece of writing as being derived from (paraphrased, summarized) from a source. To fail to cite constitutes plagiarism.
Cause and effect	reasoning that assumes one event or condition can bring about another
Claim	the conclusion of an argument; what the arguer is trying to prove
Claim of fact	a claim that asserts something exists, has existed, or will exist, based on Data that the audience will accept as objectively verifiable
Claim of policy	a claim asserting that specific courses of action should be instituted as solutions to problems
Claim of value	a claim that asserts some things are more or less desirable than others
Cliché	a worn-out expression or idea, no longer capable of producing a visual image Provoking thought about a subject
Comparison warrant	a warrant based on shared characteristics and circumstances of two or more things or events; an analogy is a type of comparison, but the things or events being compared in an analogy are not of the same class
Concrete language	language that describes specific, generally observable, persons, Places, or things; in contrast to abstract language
Connotation	the overtones that adhere to a word through long usage
Credibility	the audience’s belief in the arguer’s trustworthiness; see also ethos
classification	arrangement of material into groups; e.g., media classified as print, video, or audio, with representative examples of each.
clause	A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause cannot stand alone must be accompanied by an independent clause
colloquial/colloquialism	The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects and usage. Colloquialisms are to be avoided in formal writing
connotation	The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.
consonance	Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.
denotation	The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word.
didactic	(from the Greek, "teaching") A term used to describe a work that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of moral or ethical behavior or thinking.
Deduction	reasoning by which we establish that a conclusion must be true because the statements on which it is based are true; see also syllogism
Definition	an explanation of the meaning of a term, concept, or experience; may be used for clarification, especially of a claim, or as a means of developing an argument
Definition by negation	defining a thing by saying what it is not
Ethos	the qualities of character, intelligence, and goodwill in an arguer that contribute to an audience’s acceptance of the claim
either/or fallacy	Reducing an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignoring possible alternatives.
ellipsis	Grammar, the omission of a word or words necessary for complete construction but understood in context; "If [it is] possible, [you] come early." [. . . ] that something has been left out of a quotation; e.g., "To be or not . . .that is the question."
epigraph	A quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work that is suggestive of the theme.
equivocation	The use of the same term in two different senses in an argument.
euphemism	(From the Greek, "good speech") A more agreeable or less unpleasant substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.
expository writing/prose	Writing that explains or analyzes.
extended metaphor	A metaphor developed at length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.
false analogy	When two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connnection between them.
Fact	something that is believed to have objective reality, a piece of information regarded as verifiable
Factual evidence	support consisting of data that is considered objectively verifiable by the audience
Fallacy	an error of reasoning based on faulty use of evidence or incorrect inference
False dilemma	simplifying a complex problem into an either/or dichotomy
Faulty emotional appeals	basing an argument on feelings, especially pity or fear—often to draw attention away from the real issues or conceal another purpose
Faulty use of authority	failing to acknowledge disagreement among experts or otherwise misrepresenting the trustworthiness of sources
flashback	Returning to an earlier time in a narrative for the purpose of making something in the present clearer.
figurative language	Writing or speech not intended to convey literal meaning, usually imaginative and vivid.
figure of speech	A device used to produce figurative language. Example
Generalization	a statement of general principle derived inferentially from a series of examples
genre	The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions are poetry, prose, and drama. However, subdivisions may also be called genres
generic conventions	The traditions for each genre, helping to differentiate between divisions and subdivisions.
homily	Literally, "sermon," but may include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral and spiritual advice.
hyperbole	Figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Not intended literally, hyperbole may be humorous or serious
Hypophora	The technique of asking a question and then proceeding to answer it.
Hasty generalization	drawing conclusions from insufficient evidence
imagery	Sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. May use terms related to the five senses
inductive reasoning	A form of reasoning which works from a body of fact to the formulation of a generalization (opposite of deduction); frequently used as the principal form of reasoning in science and history.
in medias res	Beginning a narrative in the middle of the action. Often this technique will be accompanied by flashback or dialogue that explains what has gone before. (May be used in the narrative essay.)
invective	An emotionally violent verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
inverted syntax	Reversing the normal word order of a sentence; e.g.,"Whose woods these are I think I know" [Robert Frost].
irony/ironic	The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. Irony may be verbal, situational, or dramatic.
Induction	reasoning by which a general statement is reached on the basis of particular examples
Inference	an interpretation of the facts
juxtaposition	The placement of elements, characters, scenes, objects, etc. side by side for purposes of comparison and contrast.
Litotes	this device is similar to an understatement; it emphasizes its point by using a word opposite to the condition.
loose sentence	A sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.
meiosis (understatement)	The ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect frequently can be humorous and emphatic. For ex "Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her appearance."
Metabasis	a devise used to sum up a body or segment of work that has come before, so that the author can move onto a new point.
metaphor	A figure of speech using an implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.
metonymy	(From the Greek, "changed label" or "substitute name") A figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.
mood	This term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing
Motivational appeal	an attempt to reach an audience by recognizing their needs and values and how these contribute to their decision making
Motivational warrant	a type of warrant based on the needs and values of an audience
Need	in the hierarchy of Abraham Maslow, whatever is required, whether psychologicalor physiological, for the survival and welfare of a human being
Non sequitur	“it does not follow”; using irrelevant proof to buttress a claim
onomatopoeia	A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.
order of importance	a method of organizing an essay according to the relative significance of the subtopics.
oxymoron	(From the Greek, "pointedly foolish") A figure of speech in which an author juxtaposes apparently contradictory terms. A rhetorical antithesis. Examples
Picturesque language	words that produce images in the minds of the audience
Policy	a course of action recommended or taken to solve a problem or guide decisions
Post hoc	mistakenly inferring that because one event follows another they have a casual relation; from pot hoc ergo propter hoc (“after this, therefore because of this”); also called “doubtful cause”
Procatalepsis	deals specifically with objections, and it usually does so without even asking the question. It allows the writer to further his/her argument and satisfy the reader at the same time.
Qualifier	a restriction placed on the claim to state that it may not always be true as stated
pacing	The relative speed or slowness with which a story is told or and idea is conveyed.
parable	A brief story from which a lesson may be drawn; Jesus used the parable to teach his followers moral truths. The parable of the Good Samaritan is an examples.
paradox	A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains an acceptable and often profound meaning. Often used for emphasis or to attract attention.
parallelism	It refers to the grammatical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase.
parody	Closely imitates the style/content of another aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
pathos	Qualities of a work that evoke pity or sorrow. An excess of pathos can create over-emotionalism.
pedantic	An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly, scholarly, academic, or bookish. Pedantry (n.) is a display of narrow-minded and trivial scholarship or arbitrary adherence to rules and forms.
periodic sentence	A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end, after all introductory elements such as words, phrases, and dependent clauses. e.g., “Across the stream, beyond the clearing, from behind a fallen tree, the lion emerged.”
persona	The fictional voice (or mask) that a writer adopts to tell a story. Persona or voice is usually determined by a combination of subject matter and audience.
personification	A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes. Personification is used to make these abstractions, animals, or objects appear more vivid to the reader.
pathetic fallacy	A subdivision of personification, this figure of speech refers specifically to the technique of assigning human emotion to a concept, animal, or inanimate object.
POV	In literature, the perspective from which the story is told. There are two general divisions of point of view and many subdivisions within those.
1st person	tells the story with the first person pronoun "I," and is a character in the story.
3rd person omniscient	with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. This all-knowing narrator can reveal what each character feels and thinks at any given moment.
3rd person limited omniscient	The third person limited omniscient point of view, as its name implies, presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the action of all remaining characters.
polemic	An argument against an idea, usually regarding philosophy, politics, or religion.
polysyndeton	Sentence that uses and or another conjunction (with no commas) to separate the items in a series. Polysyndeton appears in the form of X and Y and Z, stressing equally each member of the series.
post hoc, ergo propter hoc (also called the post hoc fallacy)	When a writer implies that because one thing follows another, the first caused the second. Confusing sequence with causation.
predicate adjective	an adjective, group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb. the predicate of the sentence and modifies, or describes, the subject."My boyfriend is tall, dark, and handsome," the group of predicate adjectives describes "boyfriend."
predicate nominative	a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence. "Abe Lincoln was a man of integrity," the predicate nominative is "man of integrity," as it renames Abe Lincoln.
Refutation	an attack on an opposing view in order to weaken it, invalidate it, or make it less credible
Reservation	a restriction placed on the warrant to indicate that unless certain conditions are met, the warrant may not establish a connection between the support and theclaim
red herring	The fallacy of raising an irrelevant issue to draw attention away from the real issue.
rhetoric	The art of effective communication, especially persuasive discourse. Rhetoric focuses on the interrelationship of invention, arrangement, and style in order to create felicitous and appropriate discourse.
rhetorical modes	This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. The four most common modes are exposition, argumentation, description, and narration.
sarcasm	(from the Greek, "to tear the flesh") Sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.
satire	A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.
semantics	The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another.
spatial order	organization of information using spatial cues such as top to bottom or left to right.
Sign warrant	a warrant that offers an observable datum as an indicator of a condition
Slanting	selecting facts or words with connotations that favor the arguer’s bias and discredit alternatives
Slippery slope	predicting without justification that one step in a process will lead unavoidably to a second, generally undesirable step
Slogan	an attention-getting expression used largely in politics or advertising to promotesupport of a cause or product
Statistics	information expressed in numerical form
Stipulative definition	a definition that makes clear that it will explore a particular area of meaning of a term or issue
straw man	A fallacy in which the opponent’s side is misrepresented in order to more easily attack and refute it.
stream of consciousness	Refers to an attempt on the part of an author to reproduce the unembellished flow of thoughts in the human mind with its feelings, judgements, associations, and memories.
style	The consideration of style has two purposes
Substantive warrant	a warrant based on beliefs about the reliability of factual evidence
Syllogism	a formula of deductive argument consisting of three propositions
subject complement	The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it.
subordinate clause	Containing both a subject and a verb, but unlike the independent clause, unable to stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses--for example
symbol/symbolism	Generally, anything that represents, stands for, something else. Usually a symbol is something concrete--such as an object, character, action or scene--that represents something more abstract. However, symbols and symbolism can be much more complex.
synecdoche	A figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole thing. In the expression, "I've got wheels," wheels stands for the whole vehicle, usually a car. Be sure you can distinguish this term from metonomy.
synesthesia	A sensation produced in one sense when stimulus is applied to another; i.e., seeing a color when hearing a sound.
synthesize	To combine or bring together two or elements to produce something more complex.
tone	Similar to mood, tone describes the author's attitude toward his or her material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken than in written language.
transition	A word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or longer passage of writing that serves as a link in the writing. Words such as however, therefore, then and here are often used as transitions.
unity	A work of fiction or nonfiction is said to be unified when all of the parts are related to one central idea or organizing principle. Thus, unity is dependent upon coherence. A paragraph may be described as unified in much the same way.
verisimilitude	The quality of realism in a work that persuades the reader that he/she is getting a vision of life as it really is.
wit	The quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene.
zeugma	A syntactical device in which one word (often a verb) modifies or controls two or more words in a sentence, usually in different, sometimes incongruous ways.

Rhet Devices

Rhetorical Devices for English

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