Literary Devices and Figures of Speech
"The wind whispered through the trees" is an example of which literary device?
A. Personification
B. Allusion
C. Metaphor
D. Simile
What is Personification?
Which rhetorical appeal relies on the speaker’s credibility, authority, or character?
A. Ethos
B. Pathos
C. Logos
What is Ethos?
If a word has a "Denotation," what does that mean?
A. It is the literal, dictionary definition of the word
B. The emotional or cultural associations attached to the word
A. It is the literal, dictionary definition of the word
Which sentence contains a "comma splice"?
A. The storm was intense; however, we stayed safe inside.
B. Because the storm was intense, we stayed safe inside.
C. The storm was intense, however, we stayed safe inside.
D. The storm was intense, and we stayed safe inside.
C. The storm was intense, however, we stayed safe inside.
What is the central message or "big idea" of a story called?
What is Theme?
What is the term for a reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work within a text?
A. Idiom
B. Allusion
C. Hyperbole
D. Irony
What is Allusion?
An advertisement showing a sad animal in a shelter to pull at the heartstrings of viewers is using which appeal?
A. Pathos
B. Logos
C. Ethos
What is Pathos?
What is "Connotation"?
A. The emotional or cultural associations attached to the word (ex., "house" vs. "home")
B. It is the literal, dictionary definition of the word.
A. The emotional or cultural associations attached to the word (ex., "house" vs. "home")
Choose the sentence that uses the correct subject pronoun.
A. My sister and me went to the store to buy groceries.
B. My sister and I went to the store to buy groceries.
C. Me and my sister went to the store to buy groceries.
D. Her and I went to the store to buy groceries.
Hint: Try removing 'my sister' from the sentence to see which pronoun sounds correct on its own.
B. My sister and I went to the store to buy groceries.
In an informational text, what is the "Thesis Statement"?
What is the main point or claim that the entire text aims to support?
In a story, if the audience knows that the protagonist's "loyal" best friend is actually the villain, but the protagonist does not, what type of irony is being used?
A. Verbal Irony
B. Situational Irony
C. Dramatic Irony
What is Dramatic Irony?
"We must act now because 90% of the forest will be gone by 2030" is an example of which appeal?
A. Pathos
B. Ethos
C. Logos
What is Logos?
Use context clues: "The scientist’s theory was tenuous, lacking strong evidence to support its claims." What does tenuous mean?
What is weak, flimsy, or fragile?
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
A. I wanted to go for a run; but it started raining.
B. I wanted to go for a run, however; it started raining.
C. I wanted to go; for a run however it started raining.
D. I wanted to go for a run; however it started raining.
Hint: A semicolon should separate two thoughts that could each stand alone as a sentence.
D. I wanted to go for a run; however it started raining.
What does it mean to "Infer"?
What is to reach a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements?
What is an "Oxymoron"?
A. Contradiction of terms.
B. Exaggeration of terms.
C. Comparison of terms.
What is a Contradiction of terms?
Ex. "Jumbo Shrimp", "Bittersweet"
What are "Cognates"?
Words in different languages that share a common origin and look/sound similar (e.g., gratitude in English and gratitud in Spanish).
Identify the sentence that demonstrates correct parallel structure.
A. In his free time Leo enjoys to hike, swimming, and bikes.
B. In his free time, Leo enjoys hiking, swimming and to bike.
C. In his free time, Leo enjoys hiking, to swim, and biking.
D. In his free time, Leo enjoys hiking, swimming, and biking.
Hint: Look for a pattern.
D. In his free time, Leo enjoys hiking, swimming, and biking.
Identify the conflict: A character is struggling to survive in a blizzard.
What is person vs. nature?
What is the difference between "Mood" and "Tone"?
Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject; Mood is the atmosphere or feeling created for the reader.
What is the purpose of a "Counter-argument" in a persuasive essay?
To acknowledge the opposing view and then "rebut" or disprove it, making the original argument stronger.
Define "Context Clues".
Hints found within a text that help a reader understand a new word.
Which sentence correctly uses the word 'affect' or 'effect'?
A. The medication had a surprising side affect.
B. The rainy weather will affect our plans for the picnic.
C. How will the new law effect your business?
D. The loud music has a negative affect on my concentration.
Hint: Remember that Affect is usually a Verb (Action), and Effect is usually a Noun (Result).
B. The rainy weather will affect our plans for the picnic.
What is an "Archetype"?
What is a recurring symbol, character type, or motif in literature (e.g., The Hero, The Mentor, The Underdog)?