Glossary
Concluding Sentences
Sentences that summarize the main idea of a paragraph, transition to the next idea, or emphasize the significance of the information presented.
Example:
The paragraph's concluding sentence effectively tied together all the supporting details about the experiment's results.
Conclusion
The final part of a passage where the author summarizes main points, restates the thesis, or offers a final thought.
Example:
The essay's conclusion effectively summarized the arguments for space exploration and left the reader with a sense of wonder.
Diction
The author's specific word choice, which conveys tone, attitude, and formality within a text.
Example:
The formal diction used in the scientific paper indicated its serious and academic tone.
Ethos
A rhetorical appeal to the author's credibility or character, aiming to build trust with the audience.
Example:
A doctor discussing health benefits uses ethos to establish their authority on the subject.
Examples, Anecdotes, and Analogies
Specific types of supporting details used to illustrate abstract concepts, make ideas relatable, or clarify complex information.
Example:
The speaker used a personal anecdote about their childhood to make their point more relatable.
Figurative Language
Language that uses figures of speech, such as metaphors, similes, or personification, to create vivid imagery and make the message more engaging.
Example:
The phrase 'the city was a sleeping giant' is an example of figurative language using a metaphor.
Logos
A rhetorical appeal to logic and reason, using facts, statistics, and logical arguments to persuade the audience.
Example:
Presenting scientific data and research findings is an example of using logos in an argument.
Main Idea
The central point or primary focus of a passage, representing the author's main argument or overall message.
Example:
After reading a passage about climate change, you should be able to identify the author's main idea about its urgency.
Pathos
A rhetorical appeal to the reader's emotions, designed to evoke feelings like sympathy, anger, or joy.
Example:
An advertisement showing a struggling animal uses pathos to encourage donations.
Purpose
The author's reason for writing a passage, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or express an opinion.
Example:
An article advocating for stricter environmental laws likely has a persuasive purpose.
Quotations
Direct citations of expert opinions or primary sources, used to provide evidence, enhance credibility, or support an argument.
Example:
The historian included a quotation from a diary entry to provide firsthand evidence of the event.
Repetition
The act of repeating words, phrases, or ideas to emphasize key points, create rhythm, or enhance unity within a text.
Example:
The speaker's repetition of the phrase 'we must act now' underscored the urgency of their message.
Rhetorical Questions
Questions posed by the author not to elicit an answer, but to make readers think, reflect, or consider the author's argument.
Example:
When an author asks, 'Can we truly afford to ignore this crisis?', they are using a rhetorical question.
Rhetorical Techniques
Tools or strategies authors use to persuade, inform, or engage readers, often appealing to logic, emotion, or credibility.
Example:
Using vivid imagery and emotional appeals are common rhetorical techniques in persuasive speeches.
Sentence Functions
The specific role a sentence plays within a passage, such as providing evidence, introducing a counterargument, or emphasizing a point.
Example:
A sentence that begins with 'For instance,' typically serves the sentence function of providing an example.
Specific Word Choices
The deliberate selection of particular words by an author to convey tone, evoke emotions, or create a specific mood or image.
Example:
The author's specific word choices, like 'gloomy' and 'desolate,' created a somber mood in the description.
Structure
The organizational pattern of a passage, which can be chronological, cause-and-effect, compare-and-contrast, or problem-solution.
Example:
Understanding the structure of a historical text, like its chronological order, helps you follow the events.
Tone
The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through elements like word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure.
Example:
The author's sarcastic tone was evident in their witty remarks about modern technology.
Topic Sentences
Sentences that introduce the main idea of a paragraph, supporting the overall main idea of the passage.
Example:
The first sentence of a paragraph often acts as a topic sentence, outlining what the paragraph will discuss.
Transitional Words
Words or phrases that connect ideas within and between sentences or paragraphs, indicating relationships like contrast, addition, or consequence.
Example:
The phrase 'however' is a common transitional word that signals a shift to a contrasting idea.