Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition Practice Exam

What would be an example of polyptoton?

1. "Nothing tastes like real butter."

2. "With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder."

3. "We shall never surrender."

4. "Refresh your zest for living."

The correct answer is: "With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder."

Polyptoton is a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of a word in a different form within the same sentence or phrase. It highlights the various meanings or forms of a root word, enriching the texture of the language. In the given options, the phrase "With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder" demonstrates polyptoton through the use of the root word "feed" in multiple forms: "feeding," "food," and "feeder." This repetition not only emphasizes the concept of nourishment but also creates a rhythmic quality and deepens the connection between the words, illustrating how the act of feeding can simultaneously provide sustenance and lead to negative consequences, such as choking. The other options do not showcase this specific repetition of a root word in varied forms, focusing instead on different types of expressions or ideas that do not fit the definition of polyptoton.