Figurative Language
This device compares two unlike things using “like” or “as.”
What is a simile?
The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words, like "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
What is alliteration?
When an author hints at what’s to come in a story.
What is foreshadowing?
“The clouds were fluffy like cotton candy in the sky.”
What is a simile?
"A fire station burning down" is an example of this type of unexpected contrast.
What is irony?
This device makes a direct comparison between two things, saying one thing is another.
What is a metaphor?
A word that imitates a sound, like “buzz” or “sizzle.”
What is onomatopoeia?
A reference to a famous person, event, or work, like saying someone has a “Midas touch.”
What is an allusion?
“The wind whispered through the trees.”
What is personification?
The phrase "bittersweet" is an example of this contradictory literary device.
What is an oxymoron?
This type of phrase has a meaning different from its literal words, like "It's raining cats and dogs."
What is an idiom?
A phrase that seems contradictory, like "jumbo shrimp" or "deafening silence."
What is an oxymoron?
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, helping the reader visualize a scene.
What is imagery?
“She was drowning in a sea of grief.”
What is a metaphor?
When an object or event represents something beyond itself, like a dove representing peace.
What is symbolism?
An extreme exaggeration, such as "I've told you a million times!"
What is hyperbole?
A joke that plays on words with multiple meanings or similar sounds.
What is a pun?
The use of symbols to represent ideas, such as a red rose symbolizing love.
What is symbolism?
“The clock on the wall ticked loudly as he waited for the big moment.”
What is onomatopoeia?
A figure of speech where human qualities are given to non-human things, like “The sun smiled down on us.”
What is personification?
A phrase that softens a harsh or unpleasant reality, like saying "passed away" instead of "died."
What is a euphemism?
Words that sound the same but have different meanings, like "to," "too," and "two."
What are homophones?
A tricky category of words—one type is spelled the same but has different meanings, while the other sounds the same but is spelled differently.
What are homophones and homographs?
“As she walked into the abandoned house, a chill ran down her spine. The door creaked behind her.”
What is foreshadowing?
When a story reminds the reader of another well-known tale, historical event, or cultural reference.
What is an allusion?