Rhetorical Choices and Effects
Move beyond device naming by explaining how diction, syntax, organization, detail, imagery, appeals, and tone shape audience response.
A lesson of AP English Language and Composition, in Rhetorical Situation and Close Reading, about 10 minutes.
Rhetorical Choices and Their Effects
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify specific rhetorical choices (diction, syntax, imagery, structure, appeals) and explain how each creates specific effects that serve the speaker's purpose.
From Identification to Analysis
The AP Language exam (and sophisticated writing) requires more than identifying rhetorical devices. The key move is explaining the relationship between a specific choice and its effect.
The template:
[Author] uses [specific choice] to [effect/purpose]. For example, [evidence]. This [choice] [mechanism by which it works] which [connects to larger purpose].
The key questions:
- What did the author choose to do?
- What would be different if they hadn't?
- What effect does this choice create in the reader?
- How does that effect serve the author's purpose?
Diction (Word Choice) and Its Effects
| Type of diction | Effect created | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Formal/elevated | Authority, seriousness, distance | "The consequences of inaction will be calamitous" |
| Informal/colloquial | Accessibility, relatability, intimacy | "Look, we're all tired of this" |
| Concrete/sensory | Vivid, immediate, emotionally engaging | "cracked hands," "the smell of exhaust" |
| Abstract | Appeals to principles, ideals | "justice," "freedom," "dignity" |
| Emotionally charged (positive connotation) | Creates favorable associations | "vibrant," "flourishing," "innovative" |
| Emotionally charged (negative connotation) | Creates unfavorable associations | "reckless," "corrupt," "hollow" |
Syntax and Its Effects
Long, cumulative sentences — build detail upon detail; create a sense of abundance, comprehensiveness, or urgency.
Short, declarative sentences — direct, emphatic, final; often used for the most important claim (the "punch" at the end).