GRADE 9 English Rhetorical Devices NAME:

Stylistic Device Definition Example Purpose/Function/

Effect
Alliteration At least two -‐Green grass -‐to make an aspect
consecutive words or -‐field or flood more memorable
words in one group -‐creates a certain
beginning with the rhythm
same letter -‐stresses a specific
aspect
Allusion An indirect Plan ahead; it was not -‐to create mental
reference to a raining when Noah images
person, place or built the ark. -‐enables to
topic of significance provide context in
a short span
-‐to convey a message
Anaphora Repeating a sequence Mad world! Mad -‐to show analogies
of words at the kings! Mad -‐dramatisation
beginning of two compositions! -‐put emphasis on
sentences sth.
Chiasmus Two sentences Her life was full of -‐to lay emphasis on a
possessing an children, and her certain aspect
reversal of their children full of life. -‐to contrast two
structure opposing statements
Climax A three stepped My brother, my -‐dramatisation
increase of words or captain, my king. -‐to enhance the
phrases importance of
something
Enumeration An ordered list of A book, a shelf, a -‐to emphasise
words table something specific
-‐to briefly present
facts or information
-‐to give examples
Euphemism a generally Departed instead of -‐sometimes
innocuous word died connected with
used in place of one irony
that may be found -‐helps to
offensive or suggest thematisise a social
something taboo or
unpleasant embaressing topic
Hyperbole An exaggeration of A million things -‐point out the high
sth. amount of something
-‐dramatisation
-‐humorous effect
Irony the use of words to As sunny as a winter -‐to make the reader
convey a meaning day in Alaska think about a topic
that is the opposite -‐to entertain the
of reader or to criticize
its literal meaning
Metaphor An abstract Reality TV is a -‐to create analogies
comparison via an plague in our -‐to visualise the
image society content
Paradox Irresolvable -‐Wise fool -‐to make the reader
contradiction of -‐All animals are reflect about a topic
words equal, but some -‐to provoke via irony
animals are more
equal than
others
 Parallelism Similar syntax in Talk is silver, -‐to create analogies
subsequent sentences silence is golden -‐to compare/
connect two
statements
Paratactical syntax A sequence of main "I came, I saw, I -‐briefly present
clauses is used conquered information/facts
-‐to equip sentences
with a specific
conciseness
Parenthesis An insertion into a Did you leave your -‐gives the
sentence, often in bag (red, black opportunity to
brackets handles) in the briefly clarify and
classroom? add aspects
Personification When you assign a The thunder -‐adds vividness to
person’s quality to grumbled like an expressions
something that is not old man. -‐brings inanimate
human things to life for
better
understanding
-‐to generate an
image
in the reader’s mind
Reference -‐a quote, a study or a As the institute ifo -‐shows that the
statistic presented, the author is well-‐
economy expanded informed
last month -‐ “proves” points the
author wants to make
-‐makes the aspects
more believable
Repetition When you often Oh, woeful, oh -‐to make statements
repeat the same woeful, woeful, appear familiar
word or phrase woeful day! -‐clarifies a cohesion
-‐to hammer the
word. into the
reader’s mind
Rhetorical question A question to the -‐Isn’t that great? -‐to involve the
reader already -‐But how real is reader
suggesting the Reality TV? -‐to make the reader
answer reflect on sth
-‐to influence the
reader
Simile A comparison as busy as a bee -‐to create an image
between two things in the reader’s mind
connected with -‐to compare two
„like“ aspects/feelings/
or „as“ ideas

These devices are to be studied, understood and applied.

Pathetic fallacy is always about giving

emotions to something something non-
human.
Personification is giving any human
attribute to an object.