ACT Reading Flashcards: Rhetorical Devices

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Rhetorical Devices, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for ACT Reading.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is the function of a rhetorical question?

Answer: To provoke thought without requiring an answer. Engages audience and emphasizes points dramatically.

Flashcard 2: Identify the device: "He ran like the wind."

Answer: Simile. Explicit comparison using 'like' to connect ideas.

Flashcard 3: Identify the rhetorical device: 'The early bird catches the worm.'

Answer: Assonance. The 'ur' and 'ir' vowel sounds repeat throughout.

Flashcard 4: Identify the device: 'The pen is mightier than the sword.'

Answer: Metonymy. Substitutes closely associated concepts for direct reference.

Flashcard 5: What is refutation as a rhetorical move in argumentation?

Answer: Directly countering an opposing claim with reasoning or evidence. Directly challenges opposition with contrary evidence.

Flashcard 6: What is a simile?

Answer: A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. Uses specific comparison words to show similarity between things.

Flashcard 7: What does sarcasm typically involve?

Answer: Using irony to mock or convey contempt. Uses bitter irony to criticize or ridicule.

Flashcard 8: Identify the device: 'This is the beginning of the end.'

Answer: Paradox. Contains contradictory elements that reveal deeper truth.

Flashcard 9: What is pathos in classical rhetoric?

Answer: Appeal to audience emotion. Motivates action through emotional connection and feeling.

Flashcard 10: What is euphemism as a rhetorical device?

Answer: A mild or indirect term used in place of a harsh one. Softens harsh realities to make them more acceptable.

Flashcard 11: What is assonance?

Answer: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words. Creates internal rhyme and musical quality in speech.

Flashcard 12: What is allusion as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Brief reference to a well-known person, event, text, or idea. Adds depth by connecting to shared cultural knowledge.

Flashcard 13: What is personification?

Answer: A figure of speech giving human traits to non-human entities. Makes inanimate objects or concepts relatable and vivid.

Flashcard 14: What is apostrophe as a rhetorical device (not the punctuation mark)?

Answer: Directly addressing an absent person, abstract idea, or inanimate thing. Creates dramatic effect by speaking to the unreachable.

Flashcard 15: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'

Answer: Chiasmus. Word order reverses: 'country/you' becomes 'you/country'.

Flashcard 16: Identify the device: 'He's a real Romeo with the ladies.'

Answer: Allusion. References Shakespeare's romantic character from Romeo and Juliet.

Flashcard 17: Identify the rhetorical device: 'The bees buzzed in the garden.'

Answer: Onomatopoeia. 'Buzzed' sounds like the actual noise bees make.

Flashcard 18: What is ethos focused on?

Answer: Credibility or character of the speaker. Establishes trustworthiness and authority of the speaker.

Flashcard 19: Identify the device: 'Time is a thief.'

Answer: Metaphor. Directly equates time with a criminal who steals.

Flashcard 20: What is antithesis as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses. Highlights contrasts through structural balance.

Flashcard 21: What is the purpose of using symbolism?

Answer: To represent ideas or qualities indirectly. Objects or images represent deeper abstract concepts.

Flashcard 22: What is anaphora as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Repetition of the same word or phrase at the start of successive clauses. Creates rhythm and emphasis through repetition at beginnings.

Flashcard 23: What is rhetorical question as a rhetorical device?

Answer: A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer. Engages audience while implying the obvious answer.

Flashcard 24: What does pathos appeal to?

Answer: Emotion. Connects with audience through feelings and sentiment.

Flashcard 25: What is the definition of satire?

Answer: Use of humor to criticize or expose folly. Combines entertainment with social or political criticism.

Flashcard 26: What is chiasmus?

Answer: A rhetorical device in which words are repeated in reverse order. Creates memorable balance by reversing word order patterns.

Flashcard 27: Identify the rhetorical device in 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.

Answer: Allegory. Farm animals represent human political figures and systems.

Flashcard 28: Identify the device: 'He is the Einstein of our class.'

Answer: Allusion. References Einstein's famous intelligence for comparison.

Flashcard 29: Identify the rhetorical device: 'It is just a scratch,' he said of the deep wound.

Answer: Understatement. Calls a deep wound 'just a scratch' to minimize severity.

Flashcard 30: Identify the device: "Her explanation was a lifeboat in the storm of confusion."

Answer: Metaphor. Direct comparison equating explanation with rescue device.

Flashcard 31: Identify the rhetorical device: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Answer: Alliteration. Repetition of initial consonant sounds in successive words.

Flashcard 32: What is the effect of using litotes?

Answer: To emphasize a point using understatement. Uses double negative to create subtle affirmation.

Flashcard 33: What does sarcasm typically involve?

Answer: Using irony to mock or convey contempt. Uses bitter irony to criticize or ridicule.

Flashcard 34: What is symbolism?

Answer: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Adds deeper meaning beyond literal interpretation.

Flashcard 35: What is the purpose of hyperbole?

Answer: To create emphasis through exaggerated statements. Deliberate overstatement to make a strong impression.

Flashcard 36: What is an analogy?

Answer: A comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation. Uses similarities between familiar and unfamiliar concepts.

Flashcard 37: What is a paradox?

Answer: A statement that contradicts itself but might be true. Seems impossible but reveals deeper truth upon reflection.

Flashcard 38: Identify the device: 'The silence was deafening.'

Answer: Oxymoron. Combines contradictory terms to create striking effect.

Flashcard 39: What is anaphora?

Answer: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Creates rhythm and emphasis through strategic word placement.

Flashcard 40: What is the purpose of repetition?

Answer: To emphasize a particular point or idea. Creates rhythm and reinforces key messages.

Flashcard 41: What is irony?

Answer: The expression of meaning by using language that signifies the opposite. Creates contrast between expectation and reality for effect.

Flashcard 42: Identify the device: "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

Answer: Parallelism. Identical 'verb no noun' structure creates balance.

Flashcard 43: What is asyndeton as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Omitting conjunctions to speed pace or intensify emphasis. Creates urgency and rapid flow by removing connecting words.

Flashcard 44: What is the definition of euphemism?

Answer: A mild word replacing one that is harsh or blunt. Softens harsh reality with more pleasant language.

Flashcard 45: What is polysyndeton as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Using many conjunctions to slow pace or add weight to items. Creates deliberate, weighted emphasis through extra connections.

Flashcard 46: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Less is more.'

Answer: Paradox. Contradictory but suggests simplicity can be more effective.

Flashcard 47: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'

Answer: Chiasmus. Word order reverses: 'country/you' becomes 'you/country'.

Flashcard 48: Identify the rhetorical device: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Answer: Alliteration. 'S' sound repeats at the beginning of most words.

Flashcard 49: Identify the device: 'The classroom was a zoo.'

Answer: Metaphor. Directly compares chaotic classroom to animal enclosure.

Flashcard 50: Identify the device: "After waiting two minutes, he said, 'I have been here forever.'"

Answer: Hyperbole. Obviously exaggerated time claim for dramatic effect.

Flashcard 51: What is irony?

Answer: The expression of meaning by using language that signifies the opposite. Creates contrast between expectation and reality for effect.

Flashcard 52: What is the purpose of anaphora?

Answer: To create emphasis through repetition at the beginning. Repeats words at the start of successive clauses.

Flashcard 53: What is logos in classical rhetoric?

Answer: Appeal to logic, reasons, or evidence. Convinces through facts, data, and logical reasoning.

Flashcard 54: Identify the device: "The results were not insignificant."

Answer: Litotes. Double negative structure emphasizes positive significance.

Flashcard 55: What is antithesis?

Answer: A contrast or opposition between two things. Emphasizes differences by placing opposites side by side.

Flashcard 56: Identify the device: "We laughed and talked and danced and sang all night."

Answer: Polysyndeton. Multiple 'and' connectors link each action together.

Flashcard 57: What is satire as a rhetorical strategy in writing?

Answer: Using humor or ridicule to criticize human vice or social problems. Uses wit to expose flaws and promote reform.

Flashcard 58: What is litotes as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Understatement using negation to affirm (for example, "not bad"). Emphasizes through double negative construction.

Flashcard 59: What is a rhetorical question?

Answer: A question asked to create a dramatic effect, not to get an answer. Makes audience think rather than seeking literal response.

Flashcard 60: Identify the rhetorical device: 'A dove represents peace.'

Answer: Symbolism. Dove symbolically represents peace beyond its literal bird meaning.

Flashcard 61: What is the purpose of using symbolism?

Answer: To represent ideas or qualities indirectly. Objects or images represent deeper abstract concepts.

Flashcard 62: Identify the appeal: "As a physician with 20 years of practice, I recommend this treatment."

Answer: Ethos. Credibility established through professional experience claim.

Flashcard 63: Identify the device: 'The classroom was a zoo.'

Answer: Metaphor. Directly compares chaotic classroom to animal enclosure.

Flashcard 64: What is apostrophe as a rhetorical device (not the punctuation mark)?

Answer: Directly addressing an absent person, abstract idea, or inanimate thing. Creates dramatic effect by speaking to the unreachable.

Flashcard 65: What is a pun?

Answer: A humorous play on words. Creates humor through multiple word meanings or sounds.

Flashcard 66: What is the effect of using litotes?

Answer: To emphasize a point using understatement. Uses double negative to create subtle affirmation.

Flashcard 67: What is the definition of a cliche?

Answer: An overused phrase or idea. Lacks originality and impact from overuse.

Flashcard 68: What is metaphor as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Implied comparison stating one thing is another. Creates vivid connection by direct equation.

Flashcard 69: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Her smile is the sun.'

Answer: Metaphor. Her smile is directly called the sun without using comparison words.

Flashcard 70: What is the purpose of repetition?

Answer: To emphasize a particular point or idea. Creates rhythm and reinforces key messages.

Flashcard 71: Identify the device: 'He was like a bull in a china shop.'

Answer: Simile. Uses 'like' to compare clumsy behavior explicitly.

Flashcard 72: What is tone in rhetorical analysis of a passage?

Answer: The author's attitude toward the subject or audience. Revealed through word choice and stylistic decisions.

Flashcard 73: What is the definition of a cliche?

Answer: An overused phrase or idea. Lacks originality and impact from overuse.

Flashcard 74: What is euphemism as a rhetorical device?

Answer: A mild or indirect term used in place of a harsh one. Softens harsh realities to make them more acceptable.

Flashcard 75: Identify the rhetorical device: 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'

Answer: Hyperbole. Impossible hunger level used for comedic or dramatic emphasis.

Flashcard 76: What is irony (verbal irony) as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Saying one thing while meaning the opposite for effect. Creates emphasis through contrast between words and meaning.

Flashcard 77: What is the purpose of using logos?

Answer: To appeal to logic and reason. Persuades through facts, statistics, and logical arguments.

Flashcard 78: Identify the device: 'He has a heart of stone.'

Answer: Metaphor. Directly compares hardness without 'like' or 'as'.

Flashcard 79: Identify the device: 'His explanation was as clear as mud.'

Answer: Simile. Ironically uses 'as' to suggest complete confusion.

Flashcard 80: Identify the device: "He ran like the wind."

Answer: Simile. Explicit comparison using 'like' to connect ideas.

Flashcard 81: What does pathos appeal to?

Answer: Emotion. Connects with audience through feelings and sentiment.

Flashcard 82: What is assonance?

Answer: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words. Creates internal rhyme and musical quality in speech.

Flashcard 83: Identify the device: "If this is not the best plan, what is?" (asked to persuade, not to answer)

Answer: Rhetorical question. Question designed to persuade, not gather information.

Flashcard 84: What is a concession as a rhetorical move in argumentation?

Answer: Acknowledging an opposing point to strengthen one's own argument. Shows fairness while ultimately strengthening your position.

Flashcard 85: What is metaphor as a rhetorical device?

Answer: Implied comparison stating one thing is another. Creates vivid connection by direct equation.

Flashcard 86: What does irony involve?

Answer: A contrast between expectation and reality. Creates dramatic effect through unexpected outcomes.

Flashcard 87: Identify the device: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Answer: Personification. Gives human qualities to non-human things.

Flashcard 88: What is chiasmus?

Answer: A rhetorical device in which words are repeated in reverse order. Creates memorable balance by reversing word order patterns.

Flashcard 89: What is anaphora?

Answer: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Creates rhythm and emphasis through strategic word placement.

Flashcard 90: Identify the rhetorical device: 'As brave as a lion.'

Answer: Simile. Uses 'as' to compare bravery to a lion's courage.

Flashcard 91: Identify the device: "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

Answer: Parallelism. Identical 'verb no noun' structure creates balance.

Flashcard 92: What is euphemism?

Answer: A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered too harsh. Softens harsh realities through gentler language choices.

Flashcard 93: Identify the rhetorical device: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Answer: Alliteration. Repetition of initial consonant sounds in successive words.

Flashcard 94: Identify the rhetorical device: 'A fire station burns down.'

Answer: Irony. Fire stations are expected to prevent fires, not burn.

Flashcard 95: Identify the device: "We demand justice, we demand fairness, we demand change."

Answer: Anaphora. Repetition of 'we demand' at each clause beginning.

Flashcard 96: Identify the device: 'Time is a thief.'

Answer: Metaphor. Directly equates time with a criminal who steals.

Flashcard 97: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Less is more.'

Answer: Paradox. Contradictory but suggests simplicity can be more effective.

Flashcard 98: What is pathos in classical rhetoric?

Answer: Appeal to audience emotion. Motivates action through emotional connection and feeling.

Flashcard 99: Identify the rhetorical device: 'Passed away' instead of 'died'.

Answer: Euphemism. Softens the harsh reality of death with gentler language.

Flashcard 100: Identify the rhetorical device: 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'

Answer: Hyperbole. Impossible hunger level used for comedic or dramatic emphasis.