Poetry Terminology 1
A sound device that involves repeating a sound at the beginning of subsequent words, or words that sit near each other in a line.
Use of words with matching sounds, often at the end of each line.
Rhyme
Simile
Overstating or exaggerating something.
Hyperbole
Imagery
Giving human qualities to a non-human object or abstract thing.
personification
Repeating a word or phrase for emphasis.
Repetition
A comparison that says one thing IS something else.
Metaphor
Using something concrete or simplistic to represent a feeling or concept.
Symbolism
The general atmosphere of a text, often reflecting the author’s attitude towards the subject.
Tone
The use of words which sound like the things they describe.
Onomatopoeia
Play on words; two different meanings are implied by one of the words or the phrase.
Pun
A pattern of beats created by the words and syllables in a poem.
Rhythm
The central idea in a text.
Theme
A common, overused expression that no longer has any force.
Cliché
Running on lines by not having punctuation at the end of a line.
Enjambment
Odd, everyday expressions that have different meanings to their literal form.
Idioms
A saying that expresses truth based on experience and long observation, but often holds another meaning.
Proverb