Top 5 Best Essays on Syntax Figures of Speech Practice (Literature 12)

I. Syntactic Repetition

Exercise 1 (pages 150, 151, Literature 12, Volume 1):

a. Sentences with syntactic repetition

+ Sentences 1 and 3: 'Indeed, our country/our people have...'

+ Sentences 4 and 5: 'Our people have/again...'

→ Effect: Emphasizes and reinforces the affirmation; making the speech harmonious, rhythmic, and complementary.

b. Syntactic repetition in part b:

+ Sentences 1 and 2

+ Sentences 3, 4, 5

→ Effect: Emphasizes and asserts the poet's deep pride and love for the country.

c. In part c, the repeated sentence structure is: 'I remember so...'

→ Effect: Enhances the deep, emotional longing for the revolutionary homeland of Việt Bắc.

Exercise 2 (pages 151, Literature 12, Volume 1):

- Similarity: Both use syntactic repetition.

- Differences:

+ In terms of word count:

• In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose, the number of words in the first and second sentence must be equal.

• In prose and free verse, syntactic repetition doesn't require an exact word count.

+ In terms of word types and structure:

• In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose, words in repeated structures must share the same type and structure.

• In prose and free verse, there is no strict need for exact matching in word types and structures in syntactic repetition.

+ In terms of rhythm:

• In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose, the rhythm of syntactic repetition is clearly matched.

• In prose and free verse, there is no strict requirement for rhythmic repetition.

Exercise 3 (pages 151, Literature 12, Volume 1):

'I miss you, my brother, the guerilla...'

'I miss you, my younger sibling, the messenger'

(Chế Lan Viên)

→ Syntactic repetition: 'I miss...' emphasizes the speaker's deep, emotional yearning for Tây Bắc.

II. Listing

a. Passage from 'Hịch Tướng Sĩ' by Trần Quốc Tuấn: combines repetition with listing: ...then we...; ...then together...

→ Effect: Expresses the author's emotions, highlighting Trần Quốc Tuấn's thoughtful care for his soldiers: giving them clothes, food, promotions, etc.

b. Passage from 'The Declaration of Independence' by Hồ Chí Minh:

- Uses listing (a series of sentences accusing French colonial crimes)

- Uses syntactic repetition.

→ Effect: Condemns the political crimes of French colonizers against the people, transmitting a deep and intense hatred to the audience.

III. Insertion

Exercise 1 (pages 152, 153, Literature 12, Volume 1):

- The emphasized parts in sentences a, b, c, d are placed in the middle, end, or after the referred part.

- They are separated by intonation in speech or reading, or by commas, parentheses, or dashes in writing.

- They serve to provide notes or explanations for previous words, adding emotional nuances to the writing.

Exercise 2 (pages 153, Literature 12, Volume 1):

Tố Hữu— the leading figure of revolutionary Vietnamese poetry—left a substantial body of work. His poetry exemplifies the harmonious blend of revolutionary and national elements. Through his distinctive style, Tố Hữu demonstrated a remarkable achievement in revolutionary poetry, a tradition that values the fate of the nation as the ultimate purpose of life.

I - SYNTACTIC REPETITION

1. Read passage a and poem b in the textbook and identify which sentences use syntactic repetition. What syntactic structure is repeated? What is the artistic effect?

Answer:

a. Sentences with syntactic repetition in passage a: sentences 1-3, 4-5

- Repeated structure:

+ 'The truth is..., Subject (our people) + Verb (became colonized...), + Object

+ Our people (have/again) + Verb

- Artistic effect: Emphasizes and strengthens affirmation, making the language harmonious, rhythmic, and complementary.

b. Sentences with syntactic repetition in poem b:

- Sentences 1 and 2: Subject - here - Verb (is ours)

- Sentences 3, 4, 5: 'Those - Noun - Modifier'

Effect: Highlights and affirms the poet’s deep pride and love for the country.

c. In poem c, the repeated structure is: 'I remember so...'

Effect: This repetition intensifies the emotional longing of the speaker (and the author) for the revolutionary homeland of Việt Bắc.

2. Compare Exercise 1 and Exercise 2 to identify the similarities and differences in syntactic repetition.

Answer:

- Similarities: All use syntactic repetition.

- Differences:

+ Word count: In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose (and in many proverbs), the word count of the first and second parts of the sentence must match. In prose and free verse, syntactic repetition doesn’t require an exact match in word count.

+ Word types and structure: In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose, corresponding words must have the same type and structure (e.g., words like 'quiet' and 'noisy' are both adjectives). In prose and free verse, the symmetry of word types and structure is not always strictly followed (e.g., 'vast roads' vs. 'long rivers' in free verse).

+ Rhythm: In couplets, regulated poetry, and parallel prose, the rhythmic structure of syntactic repetition is clearly matched (e.g., 'We are foolish, we seek solitude - The wise go to the hustle and bustle'). In prose and free verse, rhythmic repetition is not required.

3. Find three sentences or poems using syntactic repetition from the 12th-grade Literature textbook. Analyze the effect of the repetition.

Answer:

Example:

a. 'Mother removes the scarf from her husband's face'
'Child undresses the body for father.'

(Returning to the Village, Nông Quốc Chân)

- The syntactic repetition, combined with listing, powerfully conveys the pain and suffering of the family under colonial oppression.

b. 'I miss my brother, the guerilla...'
'I miss my younger sibling, the messenger'

(Chế Lan Viên)

- Syntactic repetition emphasizes the speaker’s profound longing for Tây Bắc.

II - LISTING

Analyze the effect of combining syntactic repetition with listing in passages a and b (from the textbook).

Detailed Answer:

a. Passage from 'Hịch Tướng Sĩ' by Trần Quốc Tuấn: combines repetition with listing: ...then we...; ...then together...

Purpose: Expresses the author’s feelings and highlights Trần Quốc Tuấn’s thoughtful care for his soldiers: providing clothes, food, promotions, wages, boats, horses, etc.

b. Passage from 'The Declaration of Independence' by Hồ Chí Minh:

- Uses listing (a series of sentences listing French colonial crimes: They... they...)

- Uses syntactic repetition.

- Effect: Condemns the political crimes of the French colonizers against the people. The rhetorical strength and assertiveness of the language are achieved through the combination of syntactic repetition and listing, exposing the colonial atrocities one after another.

III - INSERTION

1. Analyze the emphasized parts in the three textbook examples and note the following:

- Position and grammatical role in the sentence

- Punctuation separating these parts

- Effect on adding information and emotions

Answer:

Students analyze each passage to identify the unique points of each text, keeping in mind the following common aspects:

- Positioned in the middle or end of the sentence.

- Grammatical role: annotation (footnote)

- Usually enclosed in parentheses or quotation marks if taken from another text.

- Adds information or expresses an attitude or emotion.

2. Write a 3-5 sentence paragraph following the instructions in the textbook.

Answer:

Example paragraph:

In October 1945, after the victory over French colonization, Tố Hữu— a political poet deeply connected to the revolutionary homeland for 15 years— wrote the poem 'Việt Bắc,' an epic of heroism and a love song for the revolution, resistance, and the revolutionary people.

(The inserted part in this sentence— the details about Tố Hữu— provides additional information about the poet.)

I. Syntactical Repetition

Question 1 (Page 150, Literature Textbook, Grade 12, Volume 1):

a. Sentences with syntactical repetition:

- The truth is, since the fall of 1940… it was not just another French colony.

- The truth is, our people reclaimed Vietnam from the Japanese, not from the French.

Structure of the repetition:

+ The truth is…, Subject (our people) – Predicate (became a colony), complement

+ Our people (have/again) – Verb Phrase

→ Purpose: emphasizes and reinforces the truth, the certainty of historical facts.

b. Repetition in the verse:

Sentences 1 and 2: Subject (this) - Predicate (is ours)

Sentences 3, 4, and 5: Nouns – Modifiers

Effect: emphasizes, affirms the poet’s deep pride and love for the country.

c. Repeated structure: “How could we forget…”

→ Realistically portrays the nostalgia of revolutionary soldiers and the author's longing for the homeland Vietnam Bắc.

Question 2 (Page 151, Literature Textbook, Grade 12, Volume 1):

- Similarities: All employ syntactical repetition.

- Differences:

+ Word count: In couplets, classical poetry, parallel proverbs (and many proverbs), the structure of repeated clauses should correspond grammatically.

In prose or free verse, syntactical structures and word correspondences are not strictly adhered to.

+ Example: “Red rivers heavy with silt” / “Endless roads winding…”

- Rhythm: In couplets, classical poetry, and parallel prose, repeated clauses also repeat rhythmic patterns.

+ Example: Rhythmic structure 2/5 or 2/2/3 in Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm's poem “Leisure”.

II. Enumeration

- Passage from Trần Quốc Tuấn’s “Appeal to the Generals” uses enumeration: …then we… then together…

Expresses the author's deep concern and respect for his generals: providing food, clothing, promotions, boats, horses.

In Hồ Chí Minh's Declaration of Independence:

- Uses enumeration to list the crimes of the French colonizers.

- Employs syntactical repetition.

→ Purpose: to denounce and expose the political crimes of French colonialists, using forceful and eloquent language to make a powerful political statement.

III. Parenthetical Insertion

Question 1 (Page 152, Literature Textbook, Grade 12, Volume 1):

(She thought until now it was done): an adverbial phrase explaining the verb phrase “She asked him”.

- Punctuation separating the clause: parentheses.

- Purpose of this insertion: adds additional context to the moment “Thị Nở placed her hand on his chest (Chí Phèo).”

b. “This is even worse than hunger, sickness, and pain”: further clarifies the term “loneliness” in Chí Phèo’s thoughts.

- Punctuation: commas.

→ Explains the meaning of “loneliness” in Chí Phèo’s mind.

c. “Who would have thought? Oh, how pitiful!”—set off by parentheses at the end of the sentence.

- Provides additional information on the writer's surprise and affectionate tone toward the subject.

d. “Temporary government of the new Vietnam, representing all of the Vietnamese people”—inserted as a parenthetical phrase within the sentence, separated by commas.

Question 2 (Page 153, Literature Textbook, Grade 12, Volume 1):

The author Tố Hữu is well-known as a political lyric poet, capturing the vivid realities of the revolutionary journey. “Việt Bắc,” Tố Hữu's masterpiece, was written during a critical historical moment—the resistance against French colonialism. With a deep understanding of politics and a rich artistic soul, Tố Hữu poignantly describes the farewell of resistance soldiers from the Việt Bắc revolutionary base, as well as the ongoing realities of war during the 15 years of resistance.

I. Syntax Repetition

Question 1 (Page 150, Literature 12, Volume 1)

- Section A

+ Repetition of grammatical structure: The fact is... (first two sentences), Our people... (the next two sentences)

+ Effect: Creates a powerful, resolute tone

- Section B:

+ Grammatical repetition: first two sentences, next three lines of poetry

+ Effect: Emphasizes national sovereignty and expresses the author's joy

- Section C:

+ Repetition of words and syntax

+ Effect: Highlights the deep longing of the person leaving

Question 2 (Page 151, Literature 12, Volume 1)

a) Proverb

Repetition in syntax is achieved through balancing quantity, word types, and grammatical structure

b) Parallel sentences

Repetition combined with parallelism

c) Classical poetry

Requires a higher, stricter level

d) Bilingual literary writing

Repetition combined with parallelism

Question 3 (Page 151, Literature 12, Volume 1)

Examples:

- The wave under the deep

- The wave on the surface

- From those years... rage and hatred (Land – Nguyễn Đình Thi)

II. Enumeration

Question 1 (Page 152, Literature 12, Volume 1)

- Section (A): Emphasizes the care and respect General Trần Quốc Tuấn showed to his soldiers in every circumstance

- Section (B): Stresses the brutal, horrific crimes of French colonists

III. Insertion

Question 1 (Page 151, Literature 12, Volume 1)

- The bold section at the end or middle of sentences adds or explains additional information

- Separating punctuation: dash, comma, parentheses

- Effect: Supplementary, explanatory

Question 2 (Page 152, Literature 12, Volume 1)

Tố Hữu – a political and lyrical poet – left a lasting legacy with many valuable works, and Vietnam’s North is one of those masterpieces. Written after the 1954 resistance, Vietnam’s North represents a model of Tố Hữu’s political and lyrical poetry. It also conveys the collective song of revolutionaries and the people, as well as the historical period of great significance in the nation’s history.

I. Syntactic Repetition

Question 1 (page 150, Literature 12 Textbook, Volume 1):

a, Repeated grammatical structures:

The fact is, since the autumn of 1940, our country has been a colony of Japan, not France.

The fact is, our people reclaimed Vietnam from Japan, not from France.

Our people have overthrown the colonial chains that have held us for nearly a century to establish an independent Vietnam.

Our people also dismantled the monarchy that lasted for many centuries to establish the Democratic Republic.

Effect: This repetition creates a strong, powerful tone appropriate for asserting the independence of Vietnam.

b, Repetition of structure:

The sky here / belongs to us.

Subject Verb

The mountains and forests here / belong to us.

Subject Verb

The fields / are fragrant.

The roads / are vast.

The rivers / are heavy with fertile silt.

Effect: It affirms the nation's sovereignty and expresses the poet’s joy and pride in their homeland.

c, Repetition of structure: Remember how...

Effect: This reflects the poet's joyous feelings when recalling their homeland.

Question 2 (page 151, Literature 12 Textbook, Volume 1):

a, In proverbs, syntactic repetition demands high precision: the number of syllables in each clause must match.

b, In couplets, syntactic repetition also requires high precision: the grammatical structure is identical, with matching syllables (they align in word type and meaning, especially between the first and second sentences of a Chinese-style poem with seven words per line).

c, In parallel prose, syntactic repetition often combines with antithesis.

Question 3 (page 151, Literature 12 Textbook, Volume 1):

Example:

“A thousand feet up, a thousand feet down

Whose house is Pha Luong, far from the sea?”

(From “Tây Tiến” by Quang Dũng)

Syntactic repetition: “A thousand feet...”

Effect: It evokes the grand, majestic nature and portrays the difficult journey of the soldiers of Tây Tiến as they ascend and descend perilous heights.

II. Enumeration

a, In the excerpt from “Hịch Tướng Sĩ,” enumeration is combined with syntactic repetition. Many clauses follow the same structure with two segments, often generalized as:

...then we...

Example: if there’s no armor, we’ll provide it

Effect: It emphasizes and confirms the thorough, heartfelt treatment given by Trần Quốc Tuấn to his generals.

b, Syntactic repetition: sentences with identical grammatical structures (Subject – Verb – Object), used alongside enumeration to expose the crimes of the French colonizers and identify the enemy.

III. Insertion

Question 1 (page 152, Literature 12 Textbook, Volume 1):

Bolded segments in sentences a, b, c, d are placed in the middle or end of the sentence and after the annotated parts. These elements are inserted for additional notes.

They are separated by pauses when spoken or read. In writing, they are separated by commas, parentheses, or dashes.

They serve to clarify or explain preceding terms and add emotional or tonal nuances to the text.

Question 2 (page 153, Literature 12 Textbook, Volume 1):

Tố Hữu is a prominent poet of modern Vietnamese poetry and a leading figure of revolutionary literature. Among his artistic contributions, “Việt Bắc” stands as a pinnacle of wartime poetry.

Insertion: “a leading figure of revolutionary Vietnamese poetry”

Effect: It underscores Tố Hữu's crucial role in the development of Vietnamese revolutionary literature.