Rhetorical devices

repetition of consonants at the beginning of words

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Repeated “p” sound.

repetition of word(s) at the beginning of a clause, line or sentence

Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.

→ repetition at the start = anaphora

repetition of word(s) at the end of a clause, line or sentence

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

“evil” is repeated at the end.

replaces a concept by another that is closely related to it

The crown will decide the matter. → “crown” = king/queen / monarchy

an equation of one thing with another without comparison particle

tenor: what is meant / subject

vehicle: image used

He has a heart of stone. → “stone” conveys coldness / lack of emotion

comparison linked by explicit comparison, using words such as “like” / “as”

She ran like the wind

softening of an offensive term / concept by use of an inoffensive expression

He died -> He passed away

a brief, intentional reference to sth. outside of the world of the poem

This place is a Garden of Eden. → refers to the biblical paradise

words whose sounds imitate their meaning

Buzz → sound of a bee

repetition of the same word at the beginning and end of a line

Nothing is worse than doing nothing. → “nothing” at start and end

combination of two or more words derived from the same etymology

Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. → alters / alteration

repetition of a word

I’m a big, big fan of this idea. → emphasizes enthusiasm

repetition of vowel sounds

Men sell the wedding bells. → repeated /e/ sounds

list of expressions in increasing intensity

She whispered, she shouted, she screamed. → intensity rises

use of extreme exaggeration

I saw a thousand flowers

condensed paradox; combination of contradictory terms

Bittersweet

direct addressing of person / object / principle, often with “O"

Apostrophe is when a speaker or writer addresses someone absent, dead, or non-human as if they could hear or respond.

O Death, where is thy sting? → addressing Death directly

Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part of something is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part.

Often considered a type of metonymy, but specifically about part-whole relationships.

Examples

All hands on deck! → “hands” = sailors (part for whole)

Parenthesis is when a writer or speaker inserts an extra word, phrase, or clause into a sentence that interrupts the main flow but adds clarification, comment, or emphasis.

Usually marked by brackets ( ), dashes —, or commas , ,.

Often used to give additional information, personal comment, or side note.

Examples

My brother — who lives in Canada — is coming to visit.

Inversion is the reversal of the normal word order in a sentence, usually to create emphasis, rhythm, or a poetic effect.

Often used in poetry, literature, and rhetorical speech.

Can highlight a particular word or idea.

Never have I seen such a beautiful sight. → emphasis on never

Asyndeton is the deliberate omission of conjunctions (like and, or, but) between words, phrases, or clauses to create speed, emphasis, or a dramatic effect.

He eats, sleeps, drinks. → fast-paced listing