Which term describes the structural repetition of phrases to emphasize ideas?

• A. Anaphora
• B. Parallelism
• C. Rhetorical Question
• D. Ethos

Answer: (B)

Parallelism is the repetition of similar grammatical structures in related phrases or clauses, which creates balance and emphasis in your writing or speech. By using the same pattern, the ideas gain rhythm and become more memorable, helping the audience notice the connection between them. A related form is anaphora, where the same word or phrase starts successive clauses—that’s a specific way parallelism shows up. Rhetorical questions are questions used for effect, not to reinforce a repeating structure, and ethos refers to appealing to the audience’s character or credibility. So, the term that best describes the structural repetition of phrases to emphasize ideas is parallelism.