Rhetorical Devices: Repetition and EmphasisActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning helps students grasp rhetorical devices because repetition and emphasis rely on rhythm and emotion. Students need to hear, see, and create these patterns to understand their power, making hands-on activities essential for retention.
Learning Objectives
- 1Analyze the use of anaphora and epiphora in persuasive speeches to identify their specific impact on audience emotion and urgency.
- 2Explain the psychological effect of repetition on audience perception and memory retention in persuasive texts.
- 3Compare and contrast the rhetorical functions of anaphora and epiphora within a given persuasive passage.
- 4Construct a short persuasive paragraph incorporating at least two distinct forms of repetition (e.g., anaphora, epiphora, simple repetition) to emphasize a central argument.
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Pairs Analysis: Speech Breakdown
Provide excerpts from persuasive speeches like those by local leaders. Pairs highlight repetition, anaphora, and epiphora, then discuss effects on urgency. Share one example per pair with the class.
Prepare & details
How does the use of anaphora create a sense of urgency in a speech?
Facilitation Tip: During Pairs Analysis, circulate to listen for students’ explanations of how repetition builds urgency in speeches.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Small Groups: Repetition Relay
Groups brainstorm a persuasive topic, such as school uniform changes. Each member adds a sentence using a different device: repetition, anaphora, or epiphora. Groups perform their chain speech.
Prepare & details
Explain the psychological impact of repetition on an audience.
Facilitation Tip: In Repetition Relay, model how to vary volume and pacing to demonstrate the emotional impact of anaphora and epiphora.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Individual Draft: Emphasis Paragraph
Students write a short persuasive paragraph on a given issue using two forms of repetition. Swap with a partner for feedback on impact before revising.
Prepare & details
Construct a short persuasive paragraph using at least two forms of repetition.
Facilitation Tip: For the Emphasis Paragraph, remind students to highlight their repeated words before sharing with peers to emphasize intentionality.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Whole Class: Device Gallery Walk
Display student posters with embedded devices. Class walks around, noting examples and voting on most emphatic. Discuss why certain repetitions worked best.
Prepare & details
How does the use of anaphora create a sense of urgency in a speech?
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Teaching This Topic
Teach these devices by having students perform the texts aloud, as the oral delivery reveals their rhythmic power. Avoid over-simplifying by framing repetition only as emphasis; instead, show how it can create tension, unity, or climax. Research shows that kinesthetic and auditory engagement deepens understanding of rhetorical effects.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like students confidently identifying repetition devices, explaining their effects, and applying them in their own writing. They should also recognize how these devices influence audience response in both speeches and texts.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Pairs Analysis, watch for students dismissing repetition as laziness without examining its purpose in context.
What to Teach Instead
Prompt pairs to underline all repeated words in the speech excerpt, then ask them to explain how each repetition serves the speaker’s goal. Circulate to guide their discussion toward recognizing strategic versus accidental repeats.
Common MisconceptionDuring Repetition Relay, watch for students assuming anaphora and epiphora create identical effects.
What to Teach Instead
After groups perform their rewritten sentences, ask them to compare how the device at the start or end changes the pacing and emotional weight. Highlight the difference between building momentum and delivering a punchline.
Common MisconceptionDuring Device Gallery Walk, watch for students separating devices from their persuasive purpose entirely.
What to Teach Instead
Have students annotate each poster with a sticky note explaining the effect of the repetition on the audience. During the walk, call attention to how visual repetition (e.g., bolded words) mirrors textual emphasis.
Assessment Ideas
During Pairs Analysis, give each pair a short speech excerpt and ask them to identify one instance of repetition, underline the repeated element, and write one sentence explaining its effect on the reader or listener.
During Repetition Relay, present students with three sentences and ask them to rewrite the sentences to incorporate either anaphora or epiphora, focusing on creating urgency. Collect responses to check for correct application and emotional impact.
After the Emphasis Paragraph activity, have students exchange paragraphs with a partner. Partners identify the types of repetition used and comment in writing on how effectively they contribute to the paragraph's persuasiveness.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge early finishers to write two versions of their paragraph: one with anaphora and one with epiphora, then compare which feels more persuasive to them.
- Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide sentence starters with repeated words already underlined to focus on crafting the effect rather than structure.
- Deeper exploration: Have students research and present on how modern influencers or advertisers use these devices in short video scripts or slogans.
Key Vocabulary
| Repetition | The purposeful reuse of words, phrases, or structures within a text or speech to reinforce an idea or create emphasis. |
| Anaphora | A rhetorical device that repeats a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or phrases to create rhythm and build intensity. |
| Epiphora | A rhetorical device that repeats a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses, sentences, or phrases for emphasis and a strong concluding effect. |
| Emphasis | The special importance, value, or prominence given to something, often achieved through rhetorical devices like repetition. |
Suggested Methodologies
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