a brief or indirect reference to a person, place, event, or passage in a work of literature or the Bible assumed to be sufficiently well known to be recognized by the reader.

ex: "I am Lazarus, come from the dead." -T.S. Elliot

a comparison between two things in which the more complex is explained in terms of the more simple

ex. comparing a year long profile of the stock index to a rollar coaster ride

the repitition of introductory words or phrases for effect

ex. "Let freedom ring from the snowcapped mts. of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California."

opposition or contrast emphasized by parallel structure

ex. "I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice."

citation of information from people recognized for their special knowledge of a subject for the purpose of strengthening a speaker or writer's arguments.

ex. As my friend McJagger says, "You can't always get what you want."

fallacy of logical argument that assumes as true the very thing that one is trying to prove

ex. 1. The Bible is the infallible word of God.

2. The Bible says God exists.

Therefore 3. God exists 

arrangement of objects according to class

ex. media classified as print, television, and radio

intentional use of a positive statement that has a negative implication

ex. "Your new hairdo is so... interesting."

the use of a word or phrase that is less direct, but that is also less distasteful or less offensive than another

ex. "He is at rest" instead of "He is dead" 

a fallacy of logical argument which is committed when too few of the available alternatives are considered, and all but one are assessed and deemed impossible or unacceptable

ex. A father speaking to his son says, "Are you going to go to college and make something of yourself, or are you going to end up being an unemployable bum like me." 

Imagery

Irony

a method of expression, sometimes humorous or sarcastic, in which the intended meaning of the words is the opposite of their usual meaning

ex. saying that a cold, windy, rainy day is lovely

a figure of speech in which one thing is compared to another by being spoken of as though it were that thing

ex. "a sea of troubles"

a figure of speech in which contradictory terms or ideas are combined

ex. thunderous silence

a short story from which a lesson may be drawn

Christ used these to teach his followers moral truths.

Paradox

a statement which seems self-contradictory, but which may be true in fact

ex. "Success is counted sweetest/ By those who ne'er succeed"

Rhetorical Question

a quesiton asked for rhetorical effect to emphasize a point, no answer being expected

a form of reasoning in which two statements or premises are made and a logical conclusion is drawn from them; a form of deductive reasoning

ex. J and G Construction builds unsafe buildings.

J and G construction built the Tower Hotel.

The Tower Hotel is an unsafe building.

the division of an idea into three harmonious parts, usually of increasing power

ex. "...government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

deliberately representing something as much less that it really is

ex. John Swift wrote, "Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her appearance."