A narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.
100
Simile
A comparison using like or as.
100
Mood
Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.
100
Metaphor
A comparison of two unlike things without using the word like or as.
100
Imagery
Language that appeals to one or more of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
200
Context
The background information that will influence the way we perceive something. It can be a cultural factor, a time period related factor or a number of others.
200
Personification
A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an object.
200
Flashback
A scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time.
200
Tone
Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character.
200
Analogy
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.
300
Symbolism
A device in literature where an object represents an idea, or has an alternative meaning inside the writing.
300
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor.
300
Fact
A statement that is true.
300
Allegory
Story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.
300
Idiom
A common, often used expression that doesn't make sense if you take it literally.
400
Oxymoron
A figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms.
400
Denotative Meaning
The literal or dictionary meaning of a word or phrase.
400
Synonym
A word with the same or a similar meaning as another word
400
Antonyms
A word that has the opposite meaning of another word.
400
Prefix
An affix which is placed before the stem of a word. Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word.
500
Suffix
An affix which is placed after the stem of a word.
500
Diction
An author's choice of words, phrases, sentence structures and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning and tone.
500
Connotative Meaning
The additional meanings that a word or phrase has beyond its central meanings. It shows emotions or attitudes towards what that word refers to.
500
Irony
A contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.