The words
Every word in this set, with what it means. Tap a word to hear it.
- abstract
- existing as an idea rather than as a physical thing
- “The passage moves from abstract claims to concrete cases.”
- analogy
- a comparison that shows how two things are alike
- “The analogy clarifies the unfamiliar process.”
- antithesis
- the direct opposite of something
- “Her proposal is the antithesis of the earlier plan.”
- connotation
- an idea or feeling suggested by a word beyond its literal meaning
- “Notice the negative connotation of that verb.”
- context
- the situation in which something exists or happens
- “Use context to choose the best meaning.”
- denotation
- the literal dictionary meaning of a word
- “Start with denotation, then consider tone.”
- dialectic
- a method of examining ideas through opposing arguments
- “The essay uses a dialectic structure.”
- discourse
- written or spoken communication on a topic
- “Academic discourse rewards precise wording.”
- ellipsis
- the omission of words that are understood from context
- “The ellipsis makes the sentence denser.”
- figurative
- using words in a non-literal way
- “The figurative language intensifies the claim.”
- genre
- a category of artistic or written work
- “Identify the genre before judging the conventions.”
- hyperbole
- deliberate exaggeration for effect
- “Treat the hyperbole as rhetoric, not fact.”
- irony
- a contrast between expectation and reality, often for effect
- “The irony undercuts the speaker's confidence.”
- literal
- taking words in their most basic sense
- “Prefer the literal reading unless the tone signals otherwise.”
- metaphor
- a figure of speech that describes one thing as another
- “The central metaphor organises the paragraph.”
- motif
- a recurring idea or image in a text
- “Track the motif of light across the passage.”
- narrative
- a spoken or written account of connected events
- “The narrative frame shapes how we read the data.”
- paraphrase
- to restate meaning in different words
- “Paraphrase the claim before evaluating it.”
- rhetoric
- the art of effective or persuasive language
- “Study the rhetoric as carefully as the facts.”
- semantics
- the study of meaning in language
- “A semantics problem may explain the dispute.”
- simile
- a comparison using like or as
- “The simile makes the process easier to picture.”
- symbolism
- the use of symbols to represent ideas
- “The symbolism is secondary to the argument.”
- syntax
- the arrangement of words and phrases
- “Complex syntax can hide the main claim.”
- theme
- the central subject of a text
- “State the theme in one clear sentence.”
- thesis
- a statement that a writer intends to support
- “Locate the thesis before listing examples.”
- tone
- the writer's attitude toward the subject
- “The tone shifts from cautious to assertive.”
- trope
- a figurative or rhetorical device
- “Identify the trope without overreading it.”
- understatement
- presentation of something as less important than it is
- “The understatement softens a harsh finding.”
- vocabulary
- the body of words known or used
- “A precise vocabulary reduces ambiguity.”
- wording
- the particular words chosen to express something
- “Slight changes in wording alter the claim.”