Elements of Essay and Speeches – Flashcards
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Essay
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A short nonfiction work that conveys a central idea or key concept about a specific topic.
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Point of View
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Perspective.
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Speech
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A nonfiction work that a speaker delivers to an audience.
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Purpose
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Reason for writing.
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Expository Writing
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Writing that informs or explains.
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Argumentative Writing
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Writing that persuades or convinces readers to believe or to do something.
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Narrative Writing
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Writing that entertains by telling a story.
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Central Idea
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The author's main, or central, point.
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Structure
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The organizational pattern the author uses to develop and present his or her ideas.
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Style
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The author's distinct approach to writing.
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Rhetorical Devices
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Patterns of word choice, syntax, and meaning used to emphasize ideas.
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Syntax
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Sentence structure, length and variety.
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Diction
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Word choice.
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Tone
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The author's emotional attitude toward his or her subject and audience.
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Expository Essay
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Explains a topic by providing information about it or by exploring an idea related to it.
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Persuasive Essay
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Attempts to convince readers to accept the writers' point of view on an issue or to take a particular course of action.
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Reflective Essay
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Presents experiences that inspired the writer's thoughts or feelings about a topic.
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Narrative Essay
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Tells the story of real events or experiences.
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Descriptive Essay
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Provides specific details to create an impression of a person, an object, or an experience.
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Address
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A formal, prepared speech that is usually delivered by someone of importance.
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Lecture
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A prepared, often formal speech that informs or instructs an audience.
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Talk
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An informal speech delivered in a conversational style.
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Sermon
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A prepared, often formal speech intended to teach or inspire.
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Presentation
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A prepared speech about a topic; may include visual aids.
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Extemporaneous Speech
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A speech delivered without preparation, usually in a conversational style.
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Facts
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Statements that can be proved true.
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Statistics
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Numerical data that presents important information on a subject.
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Descriptions
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Details that tell what something looks like sounds like, and so on.
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Examples
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Specific cases that illustrate an idea.
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Reasons
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Statements that justify or explain a belief.
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Expert Opinions
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Statements made by people who have special knowledge of a topic.
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Chronological Order
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Presents events in the order in which they happen.
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Spatial Order
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Presents details from left to right, bottom to top, near to far, and so on.
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List Organization
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Presents connected details consecutively or sorts them into categories.
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Comparison and Contrast Organization
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Shows how one event causes another.
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Problem and Solution Organization
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Identifies a problem, then presents ways to solve it.
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Rhetorical Devices
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Language techniques that an author uses to support and emphasize central ideas, create rhythm, and make a work memorable.
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Repetition
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The reuse of a key word, phrase, or idea.
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Parallel Structure
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The use of similar grammatical structures to express related ideas.
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Restatement
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The expression of the same idea in different words to strengthen a point.
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Rhetorical Questions
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Inquires that have obvious answers and that are asked for effect.
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Analogies
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Comparisons that show similarities between things that are otherwise not alike.
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Imagery
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Vivid details that appeal to the five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
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Figurative Language
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Writing or speech that is not meant to be interpreted literally.
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Figure of Speech
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Make unexpected comparisons or describe and explain in fresh, imaginative ways.
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Simile
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An indirect comparison that contains the word like or as.
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Metaphor
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Describes one thing as if it were another.
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Personification
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Assigns human characteristics to a nonhuman subject.
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Connotations
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Emotional associations of a word.
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Denotations
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A word's literal meaning.
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Verbal Irony
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Whenever you say one thing but mean something completely different.
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Satire
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Writers ridicule people or institutions in order to effect change.
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Logical Appeal
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The use of facts or statistics to support a position.
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Emotional Appeal
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The use of words that stir up strong feelings.
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Ethical Appeal
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The use of details that will convince readers that the writer is fair and trustworthy.
