A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. This strategy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar.

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.

The ironic minimizing of fact, this strategy presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. This strategy is the opposite of hyperbole.

The sensory details of figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, this strategy uses terms related to the five senses. On a broader and deeper level, one image can represent more than one thing.

The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words.

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. This strategy can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical.

One of the devices of repetition in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.

The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

This strategy refers to the grammatical or rhetorical 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.

Similar to mood, this strategy describes the author's attitude and feeling toward his or her material.

Related to style, this concept refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true.

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection, contains some degree of truth or validity.

A short narrative story dealing with particulars of an interesting episode or event. The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

A figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated.

A figure of comparison in which a word standing for part of something is used for the whole of that thing or vice versa; any part or portion or quality of a thing used to stand for the whole of the thing or vice versa.

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. It makes fun of something to bring about change. Often uses the devices of irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm.

This involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It uses irony as a tactic.

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. As comedy, this genre distorts or exaggerates distinctive features of the original. As ridicule, it mimics the work by repeating and borrowing words, phrases, or characteristics in order to illuminate weaknesses in the original.

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, and sentences.

The author's construction of an argument through appeals to emotion, whether it be fear, pity, or outrage through strong imagery, loaded language, striking detail, etc.

The author's attempts to gain the trust of the reader, by building the credibility of themselves or their argument, through references to their own training/ experience or the citation of credible sources with training/ experience in the field.

The use of facts, statistics, evidence, etc. in constructing an argument. The overall organization also falls into this rhetorical appeal.