Basic Comparisons
This compares two things using “like” or “as.”
What is a simile?
“Buzz,” “bang,” and “crash” are examples of this device.
What is onomatopoeia?
The literal dictionary definition of a word.
What is denotation?
Repeating similar sentence structure for effect.
What is parallelism?
Comparing two unlike things over multiple lines or ideas.
What is an extended metaphor (conceit)?
This compares two things directly without using “like” or “as.”
What is a metaphor?
Repetition of beginning sounds in nearby words.
What is alliteration?
The emotional or implied meaning of a word.
What is connotation?
Saying the opposite of what you mean (often sarcastically).
What is verbal irony?
Addressing something that is not present (like talking to time or death).
What is apostrophe?
This gives human qualities to non-human things.
What is personification?
Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.
What is assonance?
Placing two contrasting ideas side by side.
What is juxtaposition?
When the audience knows something the characters don’t.
What is dramatic irony?
A part represents the whole (e.g., “all hands on deck”).
What is synecdoche?
This uses extreme exaggeration for effect.
What is hyperbole?
Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.
What is consonance?
An indirect reference to something outside the text (history, pop culture, etc.).
What is an allusion?
Repeating words or phrases at the beginning of sentences.
What is anaphora?
Pleasant, smooth, flowing sounds in writing.
What is euphony?
This is when something represents a deeper meaning (like a rose = love).
What is symbolism?
This uses harsh, jarring sounds to create an unpleasant effect.
What is cacophony?
Referring to something by a related idea (e.g., “the crown” for a king).
What is metonymy?
Repeating structure or ideas in reverse order (A-B-B-A).
What is chiasmus?
A complex comparison that is developed in detail throughout a text.
What is a conceit?