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Rhetorical Devices
Learn to use rhetorical devices to make your speaking and writing more persuasive and memorable.
Understanding Rhetorical Devices
Learn about common techniques used in persuasive language.
Understanding Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical devices are techniques used to persuade, influence, or evoke an emotional response from an audience.
| Device | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rhetorical Question | Question asked for effect, not an answer. | Is this any way to treat another human being? |
| Parallelism | Using similar grammatical structures. | ...of the people, by the people, for the people... |
| Antithesis | Juxtaposing contrasting ideas. | That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. |
| Anaphora | Repetition at the beginning of clauses. | We shall not fail. We shall go on. We shall fight... |
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Rhetoric Quiz
Identify the rhetorical device.
1
"Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." is an example of...
2
"Are you crazy?" is often used as a...