Figurative Language
A comparison using "like" or "as."
What is... Simile
A word that sounds like what it means (e.g., "buzz")
What is... Onomatopoeia
Saying the opposite of what is meant, often for humor.
What is... Irony
The author's attitude toward the subject.
What is... Tone
A phrase whose meaning isn’t obvious from the words.
What is... Idiom
What is... Metaphor
The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of words.
What is... Alliteration
Hints about what will happen later in the story.
What is... Foreshadowing
The feeling created in the reader.
What is... Mood
Two contradictory words used together (e.g., "deafening silence").
What is... Oxymoron
Giving human traits to non-human things.
What is... Personification
Repetition of vowel sounds within words close together
What is... Assonance
A reference to another work or event.
What is... Allusion
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
What is... Imagery
A part representing the whole (e.g., "all hands on deck").
What is... Synecdoche
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
What is... Hyperbole
Repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity
What is... Consonance
A recurring theme or idea in a work
What is... Motif
Information that evokes the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).
What is... Sensory Details
An overused expression or idea that has lost its originality.
What is... Cliché
Using symbols to represent bigger ideas.
What is... Symbolism
Repeating words or phrases for emphasis.
What is... Repetition
Similar structure in sentences for effect.
What is... Parallelism
The central idea or message of a work.
What is... Theme
The feelings or ideas associated with a word beyond its literal meaning.
What is... Connotation