Rhetoric
principles governing art of writing or speaking effectively
Nonfiction
literature that is not fictional
Narration
the representation in writing of an event or a story
Description
descriptive writing intended to give a mental image of something
Exposition
discourse designed to convey information or explain
Persuasion
writing that is designed to persuade or convince someone or some group
Autobiography
a nonfictional account of the author's life
Biography
a nonfictional account of a person's life written by someone else (- or - written by another)
Diary
daily record, especially a personal record of experiences
Letter/Epistle
written communication directed to a person or group of people
Essay
a short literary composition on a single subject (usually presenting the personal view of the author)
Speech/Sermon
a talk or public address & a religious discourse delivered (as part of a church service)
Illustration
a comparison or example intended to make clear
Definition
process of stating a precise meaning (or significance)
classification/division
the dividing and grouping of things by classes or categories
cause and effect
situation plus result based on evidence
compare and contrast
shows similarities, differences between two
things
process analysis
a how-to essay with directions (& instructions)
order of importance (chronological, climatic, spacial)
writing is structured according to either time, (action), or events
anecdote
short account of an interesting (or humorous) incident
digression/aside
instance of straying that has no bearing on the main subject
concession
acknowledging or admitting an opponent's point
apostrophe
the direct address of an absent or imaginary person
metaphor
a direct comparison of two unlike things
simile
a comparison using like or as
personification
a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities
synechdoche
mentioning a part of something for the whole
metonymy
figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another (with which it is closely associated)
euphemism
substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh
pun
a play on words
allusion
an instance of indirect reference (usually to the Bible or mythology)
images vs. details
concrete representations in literature (that are expressive or evocative of something else)
details
specific part or item in literature
motif
a recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work
archetype
an ideal example of a type
irony
use of words to express something different from and opposite to their literal meaning
SOAPSS
Subject
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Speaker
Style
point of view
view point in which the story is told
mood/atmosphere
atmosphere created by the author
shift
a sharp change in a rhetorical strategy for (an intended) effect
attitude
situation + opinion
tone
means by which author conveys their attitude
biography
an account of a person's life written by another
analogy
comparison between ideas
symbol
a concrete item representing a different idea
litote
understatement with affirmative expressed by negative
exposition
discourse designed to convey information or explain