Rhetorical devices

English

Definition

Techniques of language used to persuade, inform, or engage an audience effectively. Rhetorical devices include structural patterns like parallelism and antithesis, as well as strategies like rhetorical questions and repetition that enhance the power and memorability of speech or writing.

Examples

  • Parallelism: "I came, I saw, I conquered"
  • Antithesis: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
  • Rhetorical question: "If not now, when?"

Related Terms

Rhetorical strategies Persuasive techniques Ethos, pathos, logos Literary devices

Study This Concept

Practice rhetorical devices with free review games in these units:

AP English Language Unit 1: Rhetorical Analysis