Literary Techniques

• Ethos


  Credibility or ethical appeal of a speaker or writer, about convincing the audience of the author's character and credibility
• Lexical Choice


  The words that are chosen to express an idea or convey meaning, involves selecting words based on their meaning, appropriateness, and impact
• Pathos


  An appeal to the emotions of the audience, aims to evoke an emotional response that can influence the audience's feelings towards a subject
• Epigram


  A concise and witty statement often with a surprising or paradoxical twist, used to convey a clever or memorable insight in a brief and memorable way
• Narrative & Structural Devices

  • Anecdote
  • Atmosphere
  • Motif
  • Archetype
  • Anachronism
  • Symbolism
  • Tone
• Rhetoric Satire


  Combines elements of rhetoric (the art of persuasive speaking or writing) and satire (the use of humour, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock societal issues or human folly)
• Aphorism


  A concise statement or observation that expresses a general truth, wisdom, or principle, often witty, memorable and insightful
• Cliché


  An overused or commonplace phrase, expression, idea or situation that has lost its originality or impact due to frequent repetition
• Literal


  Refers to words and phases used excatly according to their conventionally acceted meanings without metaphor or exaggeration. The language is straightforward and factual.
• Diction


  Refers to the choice and use of words and phases in speech or writing. Includes the vocabulary used and the manner in which it is expressed.
• Idiom 


  Refers to a phase or expression whose meaning is not readily apparent from the literal meanings of the words themselves. Often have a cultural or contextual significance.
• Malapropism 


  Is the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar- sounding one, often with unintentionally amusing or nonsensical results. Often when a person mistakenly substitutes a word with a similar-sounding word but with a different meaning.
• Factual


  Refers to information that is based on facts or reality, rather than opinion or speculation. It denotes statements or assertations that can be verified as true or false through evidence or observation.
• Visual Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of sight. This could involve vivid depictions of scenes, objects or people.
• Auditory Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of hearing. This could include sounds, such as the chirping of birds, or the whisper of the wind.
• Tactile (Touch) Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of touch. This could involve textures, temperatures, or sensations, such as the roughness of bark or the warmth of sunlight.
• Olfactory (Smell) Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of smell. This might include scents, such as the aroma of fresh flowers or the pungency of spices.
• Gustatory (Taste) Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of taste. This could involve flavours or tastes. Such as the sweetness of honey or the bitterness of coffee.
• Kinesthetic (Movement) Imagery


  Descriptions that appeal to the sense of movement or bodily sensation. This might involve actions, physical sensations or movements, such as the feeling of running, the sensation of failing or the experience of dancing.
• Onomatopoeia


  Refers to when a word sounds like the noise it is describing. Includes words like "buzz', "boom" or "hiss" to imitate the sounds they represent.
• Alliteration


  Occurs when words in a sentence or phase have the same beginning consonant sound. For instance, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers' uses alliteration with the repeated "p" sound.
• Assonance


  Refers to the involvement of repetition of the vowel sounds within nearby words. (Similar to the alliteration but with vowel sounds). For instance, "The cat sat on the mat" contains the assonance with the repeated "a" sound.
• Rhyming Couplet


  A rhyming couplet is a pair of successive lines in a poem that rhyme and usually have the same meter. They often mark the end of a stanza or section of a poem.
• Allegory


  A story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Often involves characters or events representing abstract ideas or moral qualities.
• Personification


  Giving human characterises to non-human things, such as animals, objects or ideas. For instance, "The sun smiled down on the world."
• Allusion


  A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work or artwork. Are often used to help explain or enhance the meaning of something without directly stating it.
• Simile


  A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as" to highlight their similarities.
• Metaphor


  A figure of speech that compares two different things by stating that one thing is another. Unlike a simile, it does not use "like" or "as".
• Oxymoron


  A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms or ideas to create a paradoxical effect. Examples include "jumbo shrimp" or "bittersweet".
• Hyperbole


  An exaggeration or overstatement used for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally. For instance, "I've told you a million times!"
• Pun


  A play on words that exploits the multiple meanings of a term, or two words that sound alike but have different meanings. Pun are often used for humorous or rhetorical effect.
• Anthropomorphism


  Attributing human characteristics or behaviour to animals, objects or natural phenomena. For instance, "The trees whispered secrets in the wind."
• Ellipsis


  The omission of one or more words, implied by the context to create a deliberate pause or to convey hesitation, uncertainty or suspense in writing or speech. Often indicated by 3 dots (…).
• Irony


  A literary device where there's a discrepancy between what is expected and what actually occurs, typically with a twist or unexpected outcome. It may include verbal, situational or dramatic depending on how the irony is expressed.
• Repetition


  The deliberate reuse of words, phrases, or sounds for emphasis, rhythm or effect within a literary work. Can enhance the significance of certain ideas or evoke particular emotions in the reader.
• Parallelism


  The use of similar grammatical structures, phrases, or patterns in successive sentences or clauses to create balance, rhythm and clarity in writing, Often adds symmetry and cohesion to a piece of literature.
• Anaphora


  A specific type of repetition where a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences, typically for rhetorical or emphatic effect. It helps reinforce key ideas and create a rhythmic cadence in writing or speech.
• Amplification


  The expansion or elaboration of a statement, idea or description by providing additional details, explanations or examples. It enriches the text, adding depth and clarity to the subject matter.
• Paradox


  A statement or situation that appears self contradictory or logically absurd but may reveal a deeper truth or insight upon closer examination. Paradoxes challenge conventional thinking and provoke contemplation about the complexities of life or human nature.
• Allegation


  A statement or assertion made without proof, often suggesting wrongdoing or impropriety. Often accusations that may or may not be based on evidence.