SYNTAX TERMS
Coordinating Conjunctions
and
or
but
so
yet
(FANBOYS)
for
nor
Loose or Cumulative Sentence – main clause followed by additional
grammatical units added after it
Periodic Sentence – main clause at end of sentence with additional
grammatical units leading up the point
Syntax – the arrangement of words and the order of grammatical elements
in a sentence
Juxtaposition – a poetic and rhetorical device in which normally
unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another,
creating an effect of surprise and wit.
Natural Order – of a sentence involves constructing a sentence so the
subject comes before the predicate.
Asyndeton – a deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related
clauses: The kitten yawned, stretched, gave a piteous meow, trotted out of
the attic and down the stairs.
Parallel Structure Parallelism – refers to a grammatical or structural
similarity between sentences or parts of sentences: Calvin led the way to the
wall, and then sat there, his red hair shining silver in the moonlight, his
body dappled with patterns from the tangle of branches.
Polysyndeton – is the deliberate use of many conjunctions for special
emphasis, slowing the pace: There was a gust of wind and a great thrust and
a sharp shattering as she was shoved through – what?
Repetition – is a device in which words, sounds, and ideas are used more
than once to create emphasis: Six large doors kept swinging open, shut,
open, shut, as people went in and out, in and out, looking straight ahead,
straight ahead, paying no attention to the children whatsoever, whatsoever.
Anadiplosis – is the repetition of the last word of one clause at the
beginning of the following clause: Quite calmly, as though this old woman
and her boots were nothing out of the ordinary, Mrs. Murry pulled until the
second boot relinquished the foot. This foot was covered…
Anaphora – is the repetition of the same word or group of words at the
beginning of successive clauses: Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift
their voice; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of
the mountains. Let them give…
Epanalepsis – is the repetition at the end of a clause of the word that
occurred at the beginning of the clause: Eat! Meg exclaimed as Mrs. Murry
went out through the lab. How does she expect me to eat?
Epistrophe – is the repetition of the same word or group of words at the
ends of successive clauses: Your development has to go at its own pace. It
just doesn’t happen to be the usual pace.
Antimetabole – is a sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in
the second clause is a reversal of the first: To live is to read; to read is to
live.
Inverted Order – of a sentence involves constructing a sentence so that the
predicate comes before the subject: As the skipping rope hit the pavement, so
did the ball.
Active Voice – the subject is performing the action: Mortimer scanned the
headlines.
Passive Voice – the subject does not act but is acted upon and has some
version of a “be” verb (am, are, is, was, were): The headlines were scanned
by Mortimer.
Rhetorical Question - is a question that requires no answer. It is used to
draw attention to a point and is generally stronger that a direct statement:
How could they sleep?
Rhetorical Fragment – is a sentence fragment used deliberately for a
persuasive purpose or to create a desired effect: A whirl of darkness. An icy
cold blast.