| A | B |
|---|
| alliteration | repetition of the same letter at the beginning of successive words or syllables |
| anaphora | repetition of a word, for emphasis, at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses |
| anastrophe | inversion of the usual order of words (grammatical) |
| aposiopesis | an abrupt pause for rhetorical effect |
| asyndeton | omission of conjunctions where one would normally expect them |
| chiasmus | arrangement of pairs of words in crisscross order |
| ellipsis | omission of words necessary to the grammatical structure of the sentence, easily supplied from the context |
| hendiadys | use of two nouns connected by "et" instead of a single modified noun |
| hyperbole | exaggeration for rhetorical effect |
| hysteron proteron | reversal of natural or logical order of events |
| litotes | the affirming of something by denying its opposite; a double negative |
| metaphor | an implied comparison |
| metonymy | the substitution of one word for another that it suggests |
| onomatopoeia | the use of a word whose sound suggests its meaning |
| oxymoron | the use in combination of apparently contradictory words |
| personification | attributing human characteristics to inanimate things |
| pleonasm | use of superfluous words |
| polysyndeton | the use of unnecessary conjunctions |
| prolepsis | the use of a word sooner than is logically appropriate |
| simile | expressed comparison using " like" or "as" |
| synecdoche | the use of a part to represent a whole |
| tmesis | separation of a compound word by one or more intervening words |
| zeugma | use of a word in two connections, though one is more applicable |
| anadiplosis | a "doubling back" repetition of a word that ends one clause at the beginning of the next |
| nosism | the use of "we" when you mean you or I |
| rhetorical question | asked for effect, not expecting a verbal answer |
| symmetry | a balanced arrangement |
| climax | arrangement in an order of ascending force |
| euphemism | substitution of a non-offensive expression |
| irony | expression contrary to the intended meaning |
| paronomasia | word play using similar sounding words |
| aporia | feigned expression of doubt |
| antistrophe | repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive phrases |
| meiosis | understatement for ironic effect |
| commoratio | repeating the same idea but in different words, a restatement |
| embolalia | well, ugh, you know, how sometimes you, well, throw in some words while you are, like, organizing your thoughts |
| apocope | dropping a letter at the end of the word |
| eusystolism | substitution of initials for complete words as a form of euphemism |
| syllepsis | the use of a word with two others where each word is understood differently |
| triad | use of group of three elements |
| wordplay | play on words using words with similar sounds but different meanings |
| preterition | mentioning a fact by pretending to pass over it |
| antithesis | the contrasting of two ideas |
