Asyndeton is a literary device where conjunctions like “and,” “but,” and “or” are deliberately left out of a sentence or series of clauses. Writers use it to add speed to a passage, increase emphasis, or to change the tone.
Asyndeton examplesSleep, eat, work, eat, sleep, repeat—the endless circle of modern life.
I want to learn, to love, to explore, to be free. Surely these are all within my grasp?
He stopped. Listened. Waited. He heard nothing.
Don’t ask what this college can do for you, what you can gain from the experience, what our commitment to you is. Instead, ask what you can give, what you can contribute, how you can add to our learning.
A spoonerism is a slip of the tongue that transposes the initial sounds of two or more words (e.g., saying “chork pop” instead of “pork chop”). They are sometimes used deliberately for humorous effect.
Published on
February 13, 2025
by
Trevor Marshall.
Revised on
March 25, 2025.
A mondegreen is a misheard word or phrase, typically from a song or lyric, that often results in nonsense or an amusing result. In the 1980s in the UK, Maxell advertised their audio cassette tapes with a campaign centered on misheard song lyrics.
Mondegreen in an advertising campaign exampleThe video had an actor holding cue cards with the misheard lyrics as the song played.
The original:
“Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, poor me, the Israelite.”—”Israelites,” by Desmond Dekker and The Aces
The mondegreen version of the lyric was:
“Get up in the morning, sleeping for bread, sir
Sold out to every monk and beef-head
Oh-oh, me ears are alight”
Anadiplosis is a literary device that puts a word or phrase at the end of one sentence or clause and at the beginning of the subsequent one. Anadiplosis is used to build emphasis or to help the audience follow a line of argument.
Anadiplosis exampleIn John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech, we find one of the most famous statements of the late 20th century, where the repetition of “can do” and “you” forms a powerful exhortation.
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country cando for you—ask what youcando for your country.”
Foreshadowing is a literary device that is found in novels, plays, films, television shows, and even narrative poems. Foreshadowing is when the author includes a hint (sometimes very vague or disguised) about what will happen later in the work. Very often, the audience will not realize that there was foreshadowing until the event hinted at has taken place.
Foreshadowing exampleIn William Shakespeare’s Macbeth there are many examples of foreshadowing, partly because the play centers around prophecies and the question of fate and self-determination.
One example that is not connected with prophecy occurs when King Duncan laments the treachery of the Thane of Cawdor. Musing on how he had been deceived by Cawdor, he says, “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.”
By this he means that Cawdor appeared to be honest and loyal. His next words come as Macbeth enters, and Duncan calls him “O worthiest cousin.” The first part of this exchange is foreshadowing, as Duncan is about to make the exact same mistake again by misjudging Macbeth. There is also dramatic irony here, because the audience knows that Macbeth is already considering a plot against the king.
Personification is a literary device whereby something non-human (such as an animal, object, or even abstract idea) is ascribed human qualities. It is used by authors to add drama or interest or to engage their audience.
Personification examplesFear stalked the village that night as they awaited the coming storm.
The trees and flowers rejoiced in the early spring sunshine.
A dysphemism is an insulting, harsh, or derogatory term that is used in place of something more neutral. It is often used as a means of expressing strong emotion or as a humorous communication between friends.
Dysphemism examplesBeing a bean counter had never been Asmita’s childhood ambition; she had just fallen into it after college.
Nothing says “you’re forty” more than a “Happy birthday, you old codger!” card from your younger brother!
The official was a real jobsworth and reveled in turning down applications for the flimsiest of reasons. [Mainly British English]
Juxtaposition is a literary device that involves placing two objects, ideas, or images alongside each other (physically or in the imagination) in order to highlight their differences. In American English, it can also be used when looking at similarities. It is a common feature of literature as well as other fields of communication and public discourse.
Juxtaposition exampleIn Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow recounts seeing a French man-of-war ship lying off the coast of Africa firing into the bush. Marlow marvels at the insignificance of the ship and its munitions juxtaposed with the continent:
“In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six-inch guns; a small flame would dart and vanish, a little white smoke would disappear, a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech—and nothing happened. Nothing could happen.”
Verbosity describes the tendency to be too wordy when writing or speaking. Verbose sentences or passages can be improved by making them shorter and simpler.
Verbosity example“First of all, I will check the status of the order by logging on to the website and then entering the order number. Once I’ve done that, I’ll let you know either that the order is ready or, if not, what the status actually is. If it is ready, then you can go to collect it.”
The non-verbose version of this might be “I’ll let you know when the order is ready so you can pick it up.”
