Figurative Language
A comparison using “like” or “as.”
What is a simile?
The repetition of initial consonant sounds (e.g., Peter Piper picked…).
What is alliteration?
When the opposite of what you expect happens.
What is situational irony?
The perspective from which a story is told.
What is point of view?
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work.
What is an allusion?
A direct comparison without using “like” or “as.”
What is a metaphor?
Words that imitate natural sounds (e.g., buzz, hiss, crash).
What is onomatopoeia?
When the audience knows something the character doesn’t.
What is dramatic irony?
A hint or clue about what will happen later
What is foreshadowing
When something non-human is addressed as if it could respond. (“O Death, where is thy sting?”)
What is apostrophe?
Giving human qualities to non-human things.
What is personification?
The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words (e.g., the light of the fire is a sight).
What is assonance?
When a writer says one thing but means the opposite.
What is verbal irony?
An interruption in the story to show past events.
What is a flashback
A situation, statement, or character that contains contradictory qualities but reveals a truth.
What is a paradox?
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis.
What is hyperbole?
The repetition of consonant sounds at the end or middle of words (e.g., The lumpy, bumpy road).
What is consonance?
A person, place, or object that represents a bigger idea.
What is a symbol?
A struggle between opposing forces in a story
What is conflict
The use of the same word or phrase at the beginning of lines or sentences. (“I have a dream…”)
What is anaphora?
A phrase where opposite or contradictory words appear together, such as jumbo shrimp.
What is an oxymoron?
The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
What is rhythm (or meter)?
In The Hunger Games, the mockingjay represents this.
What is a symbol of rebellion and hope?
The main message or life lessons of a story
What is theme?
The attitude of the writer toward the subject, shown through word choice.
What is tone?