This paper, focusing on the study of rhetoric and composition-rhetoric, not only describes the historical origin, the nature, the basic elements, and multi-modality of rhetorical writing, but also explores the relationship between semiotics and linguistics, the relationship between semiotics and rhetoric and the relationship between semiotics and composition-rhetoric. As an EFL/ESL writer, he/she should have a comprehensive understanding of composition-rhetoric and its related knowledge. This study is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the two fields of English composition-rhetoric and semiotics, attempt to build a bridge across the two fields, and employ semiotics as a tool to interpret and construct the text.