Poe chooses words of different lengths and syllables to add to the scattered and confused tone of the story. By having monotonous words lengths and syllables, it would produce order and a way to fathom what else is to come. Poe places emphasis on words and phrases to draw the attention to the reader. "It was A LOW, DULL, QUICK SOUND--MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON." The emphasis creates a In "A Tell-Tale Heart", Poe repeated "louder" very often to create the impression of a growing sound becoming increasingly dominant. Poe used a wide range of words in his work. "You should have seen how wisely I proceeded--with what caution--with what foresight, with what dissimulation, I went to work!" The words add depth to the meaning and understanding of the story. Poe uses imagery to create an image that is easily comprehendible to the reader. "It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage." When the image is in the readers mind, a connection is made to the story and real life. The connection draws the reader in deeper to explore.
Poe had a wide range of punctuation that affected the rhythm in "Tell Tale Heart". "I then replaced the boards so cleverly so cunningly, that no human eye- -not even his- - could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out- -no stain of any kind- -no blood-spot whatever." Dashes