Cracking The SAT Premium

perception  of  imagery,    but

imagery actually    can create  ideas

that    appeal  to  all five    senses.

large   drums   vibrated    in  her chest

as  the band    marched by.”

Juxtaposition Placing   two ideas   side-by-side    in

order   for the audience    to  make    a

comparison  or  contrast

“It was the best    of  times,  it  was

the worst   of  times...”

Repetition Deliberate   repetition  of  a   letter,

word,   or  phrase  to  achieve a

specific    effect.

“We shall   not flag    or  fail.   We  shall

go  on  to  the end.    We  shall   fight   in

France, we  shall   fight   on  the seas

and oceans, we  shall   fight   with

growing confidence  and growing

strength    in  the air...”

Statistics  or  quotes A    writer  or  speaker may add

credibility to  his or  her argument

by  adding  data    or  quotes  from    a

respected/recognized    source.

A   quote   from    the American

Academy of  Pediatrics  in  a   speech

about   best    practices   for carseat

use.

Syntax How  words   are put together    to

achieve a   certain effect. First   and

last    words   of  an  idea    can be

particularly    important.

An  author  who wants   to  convey  a

message quickly or  urgently    might

choose  to  use short,  direct

sentences,  while   an  author  who

wants   to  deliberately    slow    down    a

text    may use longer, more

convoluted  sentences.

Tone The    attitude    of  the author/speaker

toward  the subject

Sarcastic,  professional,   critical

Note: These devices are deliberately used by the author/speaker for a specific purpose. You will need to
know the purposes of the devices and their effects on a text, but you will not need to know the specific
names.

Spot the Element

Let’s read the following pieces of text and then identify the rhetorical device used in each.

“...raised   herself     on  one     round   elbow   and     looked  out     on  a   tiny    river   like    a   gleaming    blue    snake

winding itself  around  a   purple  hill.   Right   below   the house   was a   field   white   as  snow    with    daisies,    and

the shadow  of  the huge    maple   tree    that    bent    over    the little  house   fell    lacily  across  it. Far beyond  it  were

the white   crests  of  Four    Winds   Harbour and a   long    range   of  sunwashed   dunes   and red cliffs.”

—L.M.   Montgomery, The Road    to  Yesterday

• Which of the five senses is appealed to most strongly in Mongomery’s description of the setting?

If you are thinking vision, then you are correct! Montgomery uses imagery (detailed descriptions) to
allow the reader to “see” the setting.