figures of speech in creative writing pdf

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The meaning of language can be literal or figurative. Literal language states exactly what something is. On the other hand, figurative language creates meaning by comparing one thing to another thing. Poets use figures of speech in their poems. Several types of figures of speech exist for them to choose from. Five common ones are simile, metaphor, personification, hypberbole, and understatement.

Simile

A simile compares one thing to another by using the words like or as. Read Shakespeare’s poem “Sonnet 130.”

Sonnet 130 Author : William Shakespeare © 1598

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red, than her lips red: If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damask’d, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound: I grant I never saw a goddess go,— My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:

And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare, as any she belied with false compare.

In this sonnet, Shakespeare’s simile in the first line is a contrast where one thing is not like or as something else. He wrote, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.”

A metaphor compares one to another by saying one thing is another. Read Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope Is the Thing with Feathers.”

Hope Is the Thing with Feathers Author : Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all

And sweetest in the Gale is heard And sore must be the storm — That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm —

I’ve heard it in the chillest land — And on the strangest Sea — Yet, never, in Extremity, It asked a crumb — of Me.

Notice that Emily Dickinson compared hope to a bird–the thing with feathers. Because there are bird images throughout the poem, it is called an extended metaphor poem.

Personification

A personification involves giving a non-human, inanimate object the qualities of a person. Robert Frost did that in his poem “Storm Fear.”

When the wind works against us in the dark, And pelts with snow The lower chamber window on the east, And whispers with a sort of stifled bark, The beast, ‘Come out! Come out!— It costs no inward struggle not to go, Ah, no! I count our strength, Two and a child, Those of us not asleep subdued to mark How the cold creeps as the fire dies at length,— How drifts are piled, Dooryard and road ungraded, Till even the comforting barn grows far away And my heart owns a doubt Whether ’tis in us to arise with day And save ourselves unaided.

Look specifically at the strong action verbs to find the human traits that are attributed to the wind and storm.

A hyperbole is an exaggeration of the truth in order to create an effect. Sometimes that’s done in a single statement. Other times it can happen with repetition like in Robert Frost’s famous poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Read the poem aloud. Notice the effect of the last two lines. The reader feels the tiredness of the weary traveler.

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Understatement

Understatement is the exact opposite of a hyperbole. The writer deliberately chooses to downplay the significance or seriousness of a situation or an event. This is evident in Mary Howitt’s Poem ” The Spider and the Fly.”

The Spider and the Fly Author : Mary Howitt ©1853

Will you walk into my parlour, said a Spider to a Fly; ‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy. The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I have many pretty things to shew when you get there. Oh, no, no! said the little Fly; to ask me is in vain: For who goes up that winding stair shall ne’er come down again.

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, Dear friend, what can I do To prove the warm affection I have ever felt tor you? I have within my parlour great store of all that’s nice: I’m sure you’re very welcome; will you please to take a slice! Oh, no, no! said the little Fly; kind sir, that cannot be; For I know what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see.

Sweet creature, said the Spider, you’re witty and you’re wise; How handsome are your gaudy wings, how brilliant are your eyes! I have a little looking-glass upon my parlour-shelf; If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself. Oh, thank you, gentle sir, she said, for what you’re pleased to say; And wishing you good morning now, I’ll call another day.

The Spider turn’d him round again, and went into his den, For well he knew that silly Fly would soon come back again. And then he wore a tiny web, in a little corner sly, And set his table ready for to dine upon the Fly; And went out to his door again, and merrily did sing, Come hither, pretty little Fly, with the gold and silver wing.

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly, Hearing his wily flattering words, came slowly fluttering by. With humming wings she hung aloft, then nearer and nearer drew. Thinking only of her crested head and gold and purple hue: Thinking only of her brilliant wings, poor silly thing! at last, Up jump’d the cruel Spider, and firmly held her fast!

He dragg’d her up his winding stair, into his dismal den, Within his little parlour; but she ne’er came down again. And now, my pretty maidens, who may this story hear, To silly, idle, flattering words, I pray you ne’er give ear; Unto an evil counsellor close heart, and ear, and eye, And learn a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly.

Introduction to Creative Writing by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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figures of speech in creative writing pdf

Figure of Speech

Figure of Speech Definition

What is a figure of speech? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusual—or "figured"—way in order to produce a stylistic effect. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups: figures of speech that play with the ordinary meaning of words (such as metaphor , simile , and hyperbole ), and figures of speech that play with the ordinary arrangement or pattern in which words are written (such as alliteration , ellipsis , and antithesis ).

Some additional key details about figures of speech:

The ancient Greeks and Romans exhaustively listed, defined, and categorized figures of speech in order to better understand how to effectively use language. The names of most figures of speech derive from the original Greek or Latin.
Figures of speech that play with the literal meaning of words are called tropes , while figures of speech that play with the order or pattern of words are called schemes .
Figures of speech can take many forms. A figure of speech can involve a single word, a phrase, an omission of a word or phrase, a repetition of words or sounds, or specific sentence structures.

Figure of Speech Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce figure of speech: fig -yer of speech

Figures of Speech vs. Figurative Language

There's a lot of confusion about the difference between the terms "figures of speech" and " figurative language ." Most of the confusion stems from the fact that different people often use "figurative language" to mean slightly different things. The two most common (and most acceptable) definitions of figurative language are:

Figurative language refers to any language that contains figures of speech. According to this definition, figurative language and figures of speech are not quite the same thing, but it's pretty darn close. The only difference is that figures of speech refer to each specific type of a figure of speech, while figurative language refers more generally to any language that contains any kind of figures of speech.
Figurative language refers to words or expressions that have non-literal meanings : This definition associates figurative language only with the category of figures of speech called tropes (which are figures of speech that play with the literal meaning of words). So according to this definition, figurative language would be any language that contains tropes, but not language that contains the figures of speech called schemes.

You might encounter people using figurative speech to mean either of the above, and it's not really possible to say which is correct. But if you know about these two different ways of relating figurative language and figures of speech, you'll be in pretty good shape.

Figures of Speech, Tropes, and Schemes

The oldest and still most common way to organize figures of speech is to split them into two main groups: tropes and schemes.

Tropes are figures of speech that involve a deviation from the expected and literal meaning of words.
Schemes are figures of speech that involve a deviation from the typical mechanics of a sentence, such as the order, pattern, or arrangement of words.

The scheme/trope classification system is by no means the only way to organize figures of speech (if you're interested, you can find all sorts of different categorization methods for figures of speech here ). But it is the most common method, and is both simple and structured enough to help you understand figures of speech.

Generally, a trope uses comparison, association, or wordplay to play with the literal meaning of words or to layer another meaning on top of a word's literal meaning. Some of the most commonly used tropes are explained briefly below, though you can get even more detail on each from its specific LitCharts entry.

Metaphor : A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another thing, even though this isn't literally true. For example, if someone says "it's raining cats and dogs," this obviously doesn't literally mean what it says—it's a metaphor that makes a comparison between the weight of "cats and dogs" and heavy rain. Metaphors are tropes because their effect relies not on the mechanics of the sentence, but rather on the association created by the use of the phrase "cats and dogs" in a non-literal manner.
Simile : A simile, like a metaphor, makes a comparison between two unrelated things. However, instead of stating that one thing is another thing (as in metaphor), a simile states that one thing is like another thing. To stick with cats and dogs, an example of a simile would be to say "they fought like cats and dogs."
Oxymoron : An oxymoron pairs contradictory words in order to express new or complex meanings. In the phrase "parting is such sweet sorrow" from Romeo and Juliet , "sweet sorrow" is an oxymoron that captures the complex and simultaneous feelings of pain and pleasure associated with passionate love. Oxymorons are tropes because their effect comes from a combination of the two words that goes beyond the literal meanings of those words.
Hyperbole : A hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration of the truth, used to emphasize the importance of something or to create a comic effect. An example of a hyperbole is to say that a backpack "weighs a ton." No backpack literally weighs a ton, but to say "my backpack weighs ten pounds" doesn't effectively communicate how burdensome a heavy backpack feels. Once again, this is a trope because its effect comes from understanding that the words mean something different from what they literally say.

Other Common Tropes

Antanaclasis
Onomatopoeia
Personification
Periphrasis
Rhetorical Question

Schemes are mechanical—they're figures of speech that tinker with words, sounds, and structures (as opposed to meanings) in order to achieve an effect. Schemes can themselves be broken down in helpful ways that define the sort of tinkering they employ.

Repetition: Repeating words, phrases, or even sounds in a particular way.
Omission: Leaving out certain words or punctuation that would normally be expected.
Changes of word order: Shifting around words or phrases in atypical ways.
Balance: Creating sentences or phrases with equal parts, often through the use of identical grammatical structures.

Some of the most commonly used schemes are explained briefly below, though you can get even more detail on each from its specific LitCharts entry.

Alliteration : In alliteration, the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “ B ob b rought the b ox of b ricks to the b asement.” Alliteration uses repetition to create a musical effect that helps phrases to stand out from the language around them.
Assonance : A scheme in which vowel sounds repeat in nearby words, such as the "ee" sound in the proverb: "the squ ea ky wh ee l gets the gr ea se." Like alliteration, assonance uses repeated sounds to create a musical effect in which words echo one another—it's a scheme because this effect is achieved through repetition of words with certain sounds, not by playing with the meaning of words.
Ellipsis : The deliberate omission of one or more words from a sentence because their meaning is already implied. In the example, "Should I call you, or you me?" the second clause uses ellipsis. While its implication is "or should you call me," the context of the sentence allows for the omission of "should" and "call." Ellipsis is a scheme because it involves an uncommon usage of language.
Parallelism : The repetition of sentence structure for emphasis and balance. This can occur in a single sentence, such as "a penny saved is a penny earned," and it can also occur over the course of a speech, poem, or other text. Parallelism is a scheme because it creates emphasis through the mechanics of sentence structure, rather than by playing with the actual meanings of words.

Other Common Schemes

Anadiplosis
Antimetabole
Brachylogia
Epanalepsis
Parenthesis
Polysyndeton

Figure of Speech Examples

Figures of speech can make language more inventive, more beautiful, more rhythmic, more memorable, and more meaningful. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that figures of speech are plentiful in all sorts of written language. The examples below show a variety of different types of figures of speech. You can see many more examples of each type at their own specific LitChart entries.

Figures of Speech Examples in Literature

Literature is riddled with figures of speech because figures of speech make language colorful and complex.

Metaphor in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca

On and on, now east now west, wound the poor thread that once had been our drive. Sometimes I thought it lost, but it appeared again, beneath a fallen tree perhaps, or struggling on the other side of a muddied ditch created by the winter rains.

In this quote from Rebecca , Daphne du Maurier refers to a washed-out road as "the poor thread." This is a metaphor —and a trope—because the writer indirectly compares the thread to the road and expects that readers will understand that "thread" is not used literally.

Parallelism in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

In the famous opening line of A Tale of Two Cities , Dickens uses parallelism —a scheme in which parts of a sentence repeat—in order to emphasize the contradictions of the time in which the book is set. Dickens has manipulated his sentence structure so that the parallel clauses emphasize the oppositional nature of his words ("it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"). The figure of speech doesn't play with the meaning of words, it emphasizes them through structure and repetition, which is why it is a scheme.

Alliteration in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark"

In this manner, s electing it as the s ymbol of his wife's liability to s in, s orrow, d ecay, and d eath, Aylmer's s ombre imagination was not long in rendering the birthmark a frightful object, causing him more trouble and horror than ever Georgiana's beauty, whether of s oul or s ense, had given him delight.

This passage from " The Birthmark " uses alliteration to tie together all of the things that Georgiana's birthmark is supposed to symbolize. By using words that alliterate—"sin and sorrow" and "decay and death," for example—Hawthorne is making the reader feel that these ideas are connected, rather than simply stating that they are connected. Alliteration is a figure of speech—a scheme—because it uses the mechanics of language to emphasize meaning.

Verbal Irony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

For Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men,

This quote from Julius Caesar comes from Marc Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral. Antony needs to hold Brutus and his conspirators accountable for Caesar's death without contradicting the crowd's positive impression of Brutus, so Antony uses verbal irony to simultaneously please and trouble the crowd. On the surface, Antony says what the audience wants to hear (that Brutus is honorable), but it becomes clear over the course of his speech that he means the opposite of what he says (and over time he convinces the audience to believe this opposite meaning as well). This is a figure of speech (a trope) because it's based on a play on the meaning of Antony's words.

Figures of Speech Examples in Music

Figures of speech are also common in music. Schemes fit naturally with songs because both schemes and songs manipulate sound and rhythm to enhance the meanings of words. Music also uses many tropes, because using words that have meanings beyond their literal ones makes language more interesting, and it allows songwriters to create music that uses just a few words to imply a complex meaning.

Assonance and Metaphor in Rihanna's "Diamonds"

So sh ine br igh t ton igh t, you and I We're beautiful l i ke d i amonds in the sk y Eye to eye , so al i ve We're beautiful l i ke d i amonds in the sk y

Rihanna uses assonance when she repeats the " eye " sound throughout the chorus of "Diamonds." This make the words echo one another, which emphasizes the similarity between the singer, the person she's talking about, and the "diamonds in the sky" to which she's comparing them both. Assonance is a scheme because it's using the sound of words—not their meaning—to draw a parallel between different things.

Rihanna also uses the phrase "Diamonds in the sky" as a metaphor for stars. This is a trope—a phrase that means something other than what it literally says—as Rihanna obviously doesn't think that there are actually diamonds in the sky. This verse is a good example of how figures of speech can often work together and overlap. In this case, the metaphor that allows her to use "diamonds" instead of "stars" also fits into her use of assonance (because "stars" lacks the "eye" sound).

Personification in Green Day's "Good Riddance"

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

While the first line of this song uses "a fork stuck in the road" as a metaphor for a choice, the more arresting figure of speech at work here is the personification of time in the second line. By giving "time" human characteristics—the ability to grab a person and tell them where to go—Green Day is helping listeners to make sense of the power that time has over people. This is a trope because the line doesn't mean what it literally says; instead, it's asking listeners to make a comparison between the characteristics of time and the characteristics of a person.

Anastrophe in Public Enemy's "Fight the Power"

Straight up racist that sucker was Simple and plain

In the line "Straight up racist that sucker was," Public Enemy uses anastrophe (which is the inversion of typical word order) to preserve the rhythm of the verse. Instead of saying "That sucker was straight up racist," Public Enemy chooses an odd phrasing that has one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables— " ra cist that su cker was/ Sim ple and plain ." This way, the beat falls more regularly across those two lines, which allows the rapper to make his point (that Elvis was racist) without the flow sounding awkward. Since anastrophe manipulates the order of words in order to achieve a rhythmic effect, it's a scheme.

Why Do Writers Use Figures of Speech?

Figures of speech is a category that encompasses a broad variety of literary terms, so it's difficult to give one answer to this question. Writers use different figures of speech to achieve different effects.

Schemes (figures of speech that manipulate sound, syntax, and word order) can make language more beautiful, persuasive, or memorable. Writers can use schemes to draw attention to an important passage, to create a sound that mirrors (or contrasts with) the meaning of words, or to give language a rhythm that draws the reader in. As schemes tend to work through sound and rhythm, they generally produce a visceral effect, or an effect felt in the body—broadly speaking, schemes are more sensory than intellectual.

In contrast, writers use tropes to grab the reader intellectually by adding complexity or ambiguity to an otherwise simple word or phrase. Tropes can ask the reader to make a comparison between two unlike things, they can impose human qualities on nonhumans, and they can mean the opposite of what they say. Tropes engage the intellect because the reader has to be alert to the fact that tropes do not use language at face value—a trope never means what it literally says.

All figures of speech help a writer to communicate ideas that are difficult to say in words or that are more effectively communicated non-verbally. This could be by repeating harsh consonants to create a scary atmosphere, or by using a metaphor to impose the qualities of something concrete (say, a rose) onto something more difficult to define (say, love). In general, figures of speech attempt to bring out a reader's emotion and to capture their attention by making language more colorful, surprising, and complex.

Other Helpful Figure of Speech Resources

Silva Rhetoricae on Figures of Speech : An excellent reference from BYU that explains the various ways that figures of speech have been categorized over history, including into schemes and tropes.
Silva Rhetoricae on schemes and tropes :
The Oxford Reference Page for Figure of Speech : A helpful definition of figures of speech in the context of the ancient study of rhetoric (did you know that the Roman rhetorician Quintillian defined "figure of speech" in 95 AD?)
What Are Tropes in Language? Skip to the "Distinction Between Figures and Tropes" section and read to the end—full of informative and thought-provoking discussion about tropes.
A YouTube video about tropes and schemes with pop culture examples.

The printed PDF version of the LitCharts literary term guide on Figure of Speech

PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
Downloads of 1917 LitCharts Lit Guides
Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
Explanations and citation info for 40,425 quotes across 1917 books
Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play
Alliteration
Climax (Figure of Speech)
Figurative Language
Parallelism
Verbal Irony
Tragic Hero
Extended Metaphor
External Conflict
Juxtaposition
Flat Character
Deus Ex Machina
Falling Action
Formal Verse
Protagonist

Literary Devices & Figures of Speech 101 (+ PDF)

FIGURES OF SPEECH AND OTHER LITERARY TERMS

This post contains hundreds of literary devices, figures of speech and other literary terms.

Are literary devices the same as figures of speech? The simple answer is yes and no. These two terms are similar and different at the same time. Here is a post that explains in detail the differences and similarities between a figure of speech and a literary device.

Figures of Speech or Literary devices refer to the use of language in ways that are unusual or unique.

These expressions are different from the way we ordinarily use language.

A: Ordinary Usage:

I fell asleep at 10:00 pm.

B: Special/Unusual:

Sleep visited me at 10:00 pm.

‘B’ therefore contains a figure of speech. Can you name it? It is called Personification.

Speakers and writers use figures of speech or literary devices to make the ideas they want to put across more striking and effective.

Definitions and Examples of Literary Devices

Now you can go through a collection of some of the most popular literary devices and figures of speech that you will encounter in most Literature tests for high school students.

For each literary device or figure of speech, you will find a brief definition followed by a few examples.

The list also contains examples and illustrations of less-known literary devices and figures of speech in English Literature. By the time you finish reading this post, you will be able to download your free PDF copy for offline use at any time.

Finally, remember that this collection is a mixture of both literary devices and figures of speech. There is more to learn about these two terms in this tutorial.

1. Metaphor

DEFINITION: A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a direct comparison is made between two unlike things without the use of ‘like’ or ‘as’

EXAMPLES 1: Stony eyes. 2. The memory of my blood

3. The necklaces of laughter 4. Beyond the snow of yesterday

5. Days sparkling with ever-new joys

S etting is the place, time or atmosphere within which a story or play occurs.

Example: One major setting of Second Class Citizen, a novel by Buchi Emecheta is Lagos in Nigeria.

P lot refers to the sequence of causes and effects of events in a novel or play.

Top 5 Parts of Narrative Structure

IRONY (VERBAL IRONY) : An irony occurs when there is a difference between what is said and what is meant. Example: 1. My enemies shall continue to prosper.

Definition: A ballad is a poem that tells a story of adventure, of romance, or a hero. It is suitable for singing and usually has stanzas of four lines with a rhyme on the second and fourth lines.

The owl and the cat went to sea

In a beautiful pea-green boat

They took some honey and plenty of money

Wrapped in a five-pound note

The owl looked up to the stars above,

And sang to a small guitar

“O lovely cat! O cat my love

What a beautiful Cat you are

You are You are

What a beautiful Cat you are!”

A satire is a literary work which reveals, ridicules and criticizes bad things in society to reform it for the better.

i. A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe

ii. The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah

iii. Animal Farm by George Orwell

iv. Money Galore by Amu Djoleto

v. Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe

RHYTHM: Rhythm is the musical movement of the lines of poetry found in its metre, stress pattern, punctuation and rhyme.

SONNET: Sonnet poem of fourteen lines usually with a predetermined rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, and gg. The first eight lines of a Sonnet are called Octave and the last six lines, Sestet . Where the last two lines rhyme, they are called a Couplet.

9. Didactic Literature

DIDACTIC LITERATURE: Didactic Literature refers to any work of art that teaches a moral lesson.

10. Alliteration

ALLITERATION: Alliteration is the repetition of similar initial consonants in a work of art.

i. The cane cracked on the caked khaki.

ii. Stand silent

iii. Bitter bile

iv. Drawn drips

11. Epilogue

EPILOGUE: Epilogue is the final statement (coming at the end) in a work of art.

12. Prologue

PROLOGUE: A prologue is an introductory statement (coming at the beginning) in a work of art. In drama, the prologue is usually played by a CHORUS.

13. Romance

ROMANCE: A romance is a work of art filled with intense feelings of excitement, intrigue and suspense.

Example: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

14. Comic Relief

COMIC RELIEF: Comic relief refers to a point of humour in a tragedy.

15. Conflict

CONFLICT: Conflict in Literature refers to the struggle between opposing forces in a work of art. Conflict is an important ingredient in any piece of good literature.

16. Poetic Justice

POETIC JUSTICE: In Literature, poetic justice occurs when bad or evil is punished and good triumphs (is rewarded).

17. Oxymoron

OXYMORON: Oxymoron refers to the use of two usually opposite terms, close to each other in a brief expression.

i. Most foul, most fair

ii. Pure impiety

iii. Impious purity

iv. Friendly enemy

v. Bittersweet

vi. Harmless lion

vii. Pregnant virgin

33 Examples of Oxymoron in Literature

18. Kinesthetic Imagery

KINESTHETIC IMAGERY: Imagery depicting movement or action.

Example: i. The water crawled feebly into the next hole

ii. She grabbed it with the speed of lightning.

19. Auditory Imagery

AUDITORY IMAGERY: Imagery associated with hearing.

Example: i. They booed us every time we performed

ii. There was a loud silence in the room.

20. Visual Imagery

VISUAL IMAGERY: Imagery appealing to the reader’s or listener’s sense of sight.

21. Tactile Imagery

TACTILE IMAGERY: Tactile imagery is the type of imagery that appeals to our sense of touch .

i. This kind of news can only pierce a man’s heart like a spear.

ii. A loaf of bread can turn into hardwood if not preserved properly.

22. Olfactory Imagery

OLFACTORY IMAGERY: Imagery evoking the reader’s sense of smell.

i. Her beauty filled the room like the fragrance of French lavender.

ii. An offensive stench punched him in the face when he opened the second door.

Top 6 Types of Imagery in Literature

EPIC: An epic is a long narrative poem recounting the great deeds of heroic or supernatural figures from history.

24. Tragic Flaw

TRAGIC FLAW (HARMATIA): The weakness or failing in an otherwise great character which causes their downfall.

25. Reversal

REVERSAL: A reversal in Literature refers to a change in the fortunes of a tragic hero from happiness to sadness.

26. Hyperbole

HYPERBOLE: A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or an overstatement.

1. At his birth, the earth stood still.

2. Everyone in the country watched the national team play Brazil in the finals.

27. Litotes

LITOTES: Litotes is a literary device in which a point is made in the affirmative by using two negative terms. Another term for Litotes is an understatement

i. It is not uncommon for people to consider facts strange.

ii. I am a member of no unimportant family

28. Euphemism

EUPHEMISM: Euphemism refers to the use of a polite, milder or less direct word or expression to refer to something unpleasant, painful or taboo.

i. Senior citizen FOR Very Old Person

ii. Pass away FOR: Die

29. Synecdoche

SYNECDOCHE: Speaking of a whole by using just a part of it to represent it. (Part to represent a whole). Synecdoche is mostly used with parts of the human body.

Example: i. All hands on deck (Everybody must work).

ii. She has many mouths to feed (many people)

30. Metonymy

METONYMY: Speaking of something by using the name of something closely associated with it. (Usually objects)

i. The crown = The king/queen or monarch

ii. The bottle = Alcoholic beverages

ii. The rod = Punishment or discipline

iv. The law = Police or Justice system

FARCE: A farce in Literature is an extremely funny, hilarious play with elements of absurdity or abnormality

32. Burlesque

BURLESQUE is another term used to describe such farcical plays especially when they are intended to satirize or ridicule other more serious literary works.

33. Revellers

REVELLERS: Revellers in Literature refers to a group of unruly, usually drunk characters engaged in acts of immorality and extreme joy.

34. Alternate Rhyme

ALTERNATE RHYME is a rhyming pattern (scheme) with the first line rhyming with the third, the second with the fourth etc. i.e. abab, cdcd and so on.

Those who live through pain

And have their blood shed

Shall have so much gain

When their victories are read.

35. Secondary Text

SECONDARY TEXT: The part of a play usually written in italics or parentheses and directing the actions of characters or describing the setting.

36. Fiction

FICTION is an imaginary long narrative story. It is also called PROSE or NOVEL.

i. Faceless

ii. The Lord of the Rings

iii. The Great Gatsby

iv. Second Class Citizen

v. Invisible Man

vi. Native Son

37. Autobiography

AUTOBIOGRAPHY: A life story written by the person himself and usually in the first-person narrative voice.

38. Biography

BIOGRAPHY: The life story of a person written by another person.

39. Tragic Hero

TRAGIC HERO: The main character in a tragedy. He is usually a person of a high social status who uses lofty, poetic language but has a human failing (tragic flaw).

40. Syllable

SYLLABLE: A syllable is a linguistic unit on which stress is placed (or not placed) in poetry and other forms of expression.

Example: today (2 syllables) “to” is unstressed and “day” is stressed.

FOOT: A metrical unit in poetry. It may consist of one stressed and one unstressed syllable, two stressed and one unstressed syllable etc

Example: I vow\ to thee\ my country = 3 feet

PARODY: An exaggerated imitation, which ridicules another work in a harsh manner.
PERSONA: The speaking voice in a poem. Usually, the persona is considered as distinct from the poet\writer.
ROUND CHARACTER: A character who changes and develops as the story progresses. He or she is also called a multi-dimensional character.
FLAT CHARACTER: A character who does not change or develop much in a story. – a mono-dimensional character. Such a character may also be referred to a stereotype.
SIMILE: It is comparison between two things or persons that are similar in one point and otherwise dissimilar. It is usually introduced by such words as ‘like’, ‘as’, ‘so’, e.g.
“A room without books is like a body without a soul”
“Great men stand like a solitary tower
“Baaba ran as fast as a horse in the race.
MIXED METAPHOR/CONFUSED METAPHOR: Two or more different metaphors used in the same sentence with reference to the same subject. e.g. He was fishing for his heart and a long search reached his goal.
ANTITHESIS: This results when opposites or contrasts are employed in the same sentence usually to emphasize a point.
Man proposes, God disposes
Speech is silver but silence is Gold
They speak like saints and act like devils.
PARADOX: It is a statement, which seems absurd at first sight and yet proves to be true on second thought. Example
The child is the father of the man
Cowards die many times before their death
The greeter the fool, the better the dancer.
ANTI-CLIMAX OR BATHOS: It is the opposite of climax consisting in a descent from a higher level to lesser heights, the intensity or importance weakening instead of increasing toward the end e.g. He lost his wife, his child, his household, goods and his dog at one swoop of fate”
TRANSFERRED EPITHET: An epithet sometimes transferred from its proper words, to another that is closely associated with it. In the sentence the qualifying adjective is transferred from a person to things e.g.
The ploughman homeward ploughs his weary way
He lay all night on a sleepless pillow
PUN OR PARONOMASIA: The use of words of the same sound with different meaning for the sake of humour.

Sample WASSCE English Summary Answers

Nov/Dec WASSCE Registration Fees and Facts

Dreamers often lie

Yes, they lie in bed as they dream

ECHOISM/ONOMATOPOEIA: It is the use of words whose sounds naturally suggest their meaning. e.g.

I bring fresh showers for the thirsty flowers

The arrow whizzed through the air

ALLITERATION/CONSONANCE: It is the repetition of the same initial consonant in several words near one another e.g.

Full fathom five their father lies

After life, fitful fever he sleeps well

Peter piper picked a peck of pickle pepper

INVERSION: It is a change in the natural or usual order of words for the sake of effect or emphasis. Compare the two statements below:

“I will go to Akatsi tomorrow”

To Akatsi tomorrow will I go (inversion)

SETTING: It refers to the place (location) where an actions and events in the story come. It is the sequence of events in a play or Novel.
IAMBUS (LIMBIC METRE): One unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one in poetry.

Example: – / – / – / –

I vow to thee my country
To you we owe the sea
THEME: The underlying message in a work of art. Love, hate, materialism, corruption, politics, etc

Example: Chume: Forgive us all

Congregation: Amen

Chume: Forgive us all

(And the, punctuated regularly with Amens)

Yes Father, make you forgive us all. Make you save us from palaver.

Save us from trouble at home. Tell our wives not to give us trouble …..

(The penitent has become placid. She is stretched out flat on the ground)

… Give us money to satisfy our daily necessities. Make you no forget those of

us who dey struggle daily. Those who be clerk today, make them chief clerk tomorrow. Those who are messengers today, make them senior service tomorrow …….

(The Amens grew more and more ecstatic)

Those who are petty trader today, make them big contractor tomorrow. Those who dey sweep street today, give them their own big office tomorrow. It we de walka today, give us our own bicycle tomorrow. I say those who dey walka today, give them their own bicycle tomorrow. Those who have bicycle today, they will ride their own car tomorrow.

(The enthusiasm of the response becomes, at this point quite overpowering) I say those who day push bicycle; give them big car big car tomorrow. Give them big car tomorrow. Give them big car tomorrow, give them big car tomorrow.

One theme of this extract is materialism .

“My people, I have been somewhere

If I turn here, the rain beats me

If I turn there the sun burns me

The firewood of this world

Is for only those who can take heart

That is why not all can gather it ……”

The theme of this extract is suffering

SOLILOQUY: A character’s speech to himself, which reveals his motives, and state of mind.
PERSONIFICATION (PROSOPOPEIA): giving human attributes or characteristics to inanimate, lifeless objects or animals or abstract ideas.
Cruel wishes entered him, departed and entered again
The sun rose from his bed
The engine coughed twice
PASTORAL POETRY: It is about simple, rural life (life in the countryside) especially of shepherds.

Example: “Michael” by William Wordsworth

SUSPENSE: When a reader is kept in a state of high expectancy, eager to know what will happen next.

Example: In English, my name means hope. In Spanish, it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting. It is like the number nine. A muddy color. It is the Mexican records my father plays on Sunday mornings when his shaving, songs like sobbing.

By delaying the disclosure of the narrator’s name, the writer has used the literary technique known as suspense

ALLUSION: The reference to issues that re outside the literary work being studied.

Example: A Daniel has come into judgment i.e. Biblical Allusion by Shylock in The MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare.

CLIMAX: The crisis stage in a series of events in a story or play.
APOSTROPHE: An address to an imaginary person or object as if they were present, usually in poetry.

Example: You my ancestors, come to my aid

ELEGY: Poetry meant to praise somebody or something.
DIRGE: A song meant for mourning the dead.
TRAGEDY: A play in which there occurs a sudden change (reversal) in the hero’s fortunes from happiness to disaster. It ends sadly

Example: Shakespeare’s Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, The Gods Are Not To Blame By Ola Rotimi.

COMEDY: A play whose characters are usually low or middle class citizens, bringing out their follies and weaknesses in an amusing but educative manner.

Example: Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again by Ola Rotimi And The Trials Of Brother Jero.

MIME: acting without speech but demonstrating with gesture, bodily movement and facial expression.
MIMICRY: imitating gestures, speech of others especially in drama.
ASSONANCE: A type of rhyme pattern in which there is repetition of similar middle vowels.

Example: i. Your name remains in frames of gold

ii. Tall walls fall mightily

RHYME: sameness of sounds especially in the last syllable of words in line endings of poetry Example: time/clime keep/reap
STANZA: A division of a poem of song.
CHAPTER: major division of prose.
PARAGRAPH: A sub-division of chapter.
FREE VERSE: A poem of irregular and unpredictable line – lengths.

Example: A plea for Mercy by Kwesi Brew.

BLANK VERSE: Unrhymed five-foot iambic poetry
HEROIC COUPLETS: Successive five –foot iambic lines rhyming in pairs
ASIDE: A statement made by an actor on stage but not meant to be heard by the other actors but which may be heard by the audience.
EPITAPH: An inscription on a tombstone

Example: Your Life Was A blessing To Us

POLY-SYLLABIC WORD: A word containing only one syllable.

Example: argument, examination.

MONO-SYLLABIC WORD: A word containing only one syllable.

go, bed, sun

POINT OF VIEW: The angle from which the narrator sees and narrates events.
FIRST PERSON NARRATOR: A person who narrates a story in which he takes an active part. He uses the pronoun, “I” a lot. He may be biased and subjective.
THIRD PERSON (OMNISCIENT) NARRATOR: A narrator who is not part of the story but narrates as an outsider. He uses the third person pronouns – He, She, It, They.
SECOND PERSON NARRATOR: The narrator who uses the second person pronouns and appears to be addressing the reader directly i.e. “You”.
EPISODE: An important event or incident in a literary work.

Example: The Outbreak of an epidemic in the Gods Are Not To Blame.

ORAL LITERATURE: unwritten literature (i) involving the active participation of the performance and the audient (ii) which is communally owned (iii) which tells much about the history and culture of the people (iv) influenced by the environment of the people.

Example: Myth, proverbs, praise songs, dirge, riddles, war songs, folktales, fables.

PRIMAL MYTH: A piece of oral literature which tells a story about how the world was created.
DRAMA: A piece of literature meant to be performed. Its key elements include (i) imitation or impersonation (ii) disguise (iii) dance (iv) mime (v) dialogue

Example: The Gods Are Not To Blame, As You Like It, THE TRIALS OF BROTHER JERO, ROMEO AND JULIET, THE MARRIAGE OF ANANSEWA.

ATTITUDE: The feeling of a writer or one character towards a character. Words used to describe attitude include;
Positive Attitude: Admiration, like, approval, sympathy
Negative Attitude: disgust, contempt, disapproval, unsympathetic, dislike

Msimangu opened the book, and read to them first from the book. And Kumalo had not known that his friend had such a voice. For the voice was of gold, and the voice had such love for the words it was reading. The voice shook and beat and trembled, not as the voice of an old man shakes and beats and trembles, or as a leaf shakes and eats and trembles but as a deep bell when it is struck. For it was not only a voice of gold but it was the voice of a man whose heart was golden, reading from a book of golden words.

( Alan Patton – Cry The Beloved Country P 78 )

Kumalo’s attitude towards Msimagu is one of admiration.

CONTRAST: Presenting two opposing sides of an issues in order to emphasize a point about one side.
FABLE: A story involving animal characters. Example: The Tortoise and the Birds.
LANGUAGE OR DICTION: The kind of words and sentence construction (syntax) used in a work of art. It could be: formal or pedantic, archaic or old fashioned, humorous or funny, simple, complex, informal.
ONOMATOPOEIA: Use of words whose sounds echo their meaning.

Example: i. The bomb boomed

ii. Tooting of horns.

iii. The bells are tolling

iv. Bells are chiming

ELEMENTS IN THE PLOT OF TRAGEDY: Conflict, reversal, denouement.
ELEMENTS OF COMEDY: Caricature, humour, wit, parody, absurdity
NEGRITUDE: Literature, especially poetry meant to celebrate Africa and its black people. Its main proponent is Leopold Sedar Senghor. Example: i) Long long have you held (ii) Black woman (iii) I will pronounce your name, Naett.
EPITHET: The use of descriptive words especially when added to names, titles etc.

Example: i. Sango, the thunder lion

More Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

Click the NEXT PAGE button below to see a lot more literary devices and figures of speech.

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4 thoughts on “literary devices & figures of speech 101 (+ pdf)”.

You are doing a great job. Keep the flag flying sir. I’m a literature teacher and I want to know whether my students are to read all the prescribed literature texts or not. Actually, what I’ve been doing is ensure they read texts based on each of the genres both African and Non-African. So I want to know if that works for the poetry or they have to read all of the prescribed poetry. Thanks.

Hi Fatima. Thanks for reaching out. Yes, for the poetry section, students/candidates must study all the 12 prescribed poems. Six for African poetry and another six for non-African poetry. When it comes to prose and drama, only one text should be selected out of the two options in each case. Here is the breakdown. African Drama – one text Non-African Drama – one text African Prose – one text Non-African Prose – one text. So in all, they will be reading four books apart from the twelve poems. Please remember that there is an additional Shakespeare drama text. It is compulsory for the objective test paper. Please let me know if you need any additional information.

You are doing a great job, sir. I’m a new literature teacher in highschool and I have beneficted a great deal from your tentalizing works. We are solidly behind you, and may the almighty Allah continue to bless you with more wisdom.

I’m glad you liked this site, Robert. Thank you.

I. What are Figures of Speech?

A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language that has other meaning than its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied or suggested meaning, rather than a dictionary definition. We express and develop them through hundreds of different rhetorical techniques, from specific types like metaphors and similes , to more general forms like sarcasm and slang.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative, more expressive, and just more interesting! Many have been around for hundreds of years—some even thousands—and more are added to our language essentially every day. This article will focus on a few key forms of figures of speech, but remember, the types are nearly endless!

III. Types of Figure of Speech

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds of categories. Here, though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure of speech:

A. Metaphor

Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner other than their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to make comparisons between unrelated things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for example, is a metaphor, since a career is not a literal mountain with a peak , but the metaphor represents the idea of arriving at the highest point of one’s career.

An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from other figures of speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a particular language, culture, or group of people. In fact, the English language alone has about 25,000 idioms. Some examples include “it’s raining cats and dogs” when it is raining hard, or “break a leg” when wishing someone good luck.

This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:

There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two birds with one stone.

The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same amount of time or same place.

A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s language and used to express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular example. Most proverbs employ metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk isn’t literally about milk).

This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:

I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch!

Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like something has happened before it actually does.

A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to compare two things that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,” doesn’t mean he was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really tall.

This example uses a simile for comparison:

The internet is like a window to the world —you can learn about everything online!

The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets you see the whole world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world implies that it lets you see anything and everything.

E. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings. Some common examples include s mall crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant , and so on.

A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger meaning. For example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,” meaning thirty (curiously, this metonym survives in some places, even when the ships in question are not sail-powered!) Similarly, the crew on board those ships may be described as “hands” rather than people.

Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative meaning. Many times (but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related Terms). For example, maybe you eat a really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that was the best cookie I ever had”—of course, what you really mean is that it’s the worst cookie you ever had, but being ironic actually emphasizes just how bad it was!

IV. The Importance of Figures of Speech

In general, the purpose of a figure of speech is to lend texture and color to your writing. (This is itself a figure of speech, since figures of speech don’t actually change the colors or textures on the page!) For instance, metaphors allow you to add key details that make the writing more lively and relatable. Slang and verbal irony, on the other hand, make the writing seem much more informal and youthful (although they can have the opposite effect when misused!) Finally, other figures of speech, like idioms and proverbs, allows a writer to draw on a rich cultural tradition and express complex ideas in a short space.

V. Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)

This is one of the most famous metaphors ever crafted in the English language. Shakespeare uses his extended metaphor to persuade the audience of the similarities between the stage and real life. But rather than making his play seem more like life, he suggests that life is more like a play. His metaphor calls attention to the performative, creative, and fictional aspects of human life.

“Our words are b ut crumbs that fall down from the feast o f the mind.” (Khalil Gibran, Sand & Foam )

Gibran’s timeless metaphor succeeds for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is not a cliché – had Gibran said “words are just the tip of the iceberg ,” he would have been making roughly the same point, but in a much more clichéd way. But the feast of the mind is a highly original metaphor. In addition, it’s a successful double metaphor. The crumbs and the feast are two parts of the same image, but they work together rather than being “mixed” (see How to Use Figures of Speech ).

“If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.” (Russian Proverb)

Like many proverbs, this one draws on a simple metaphor of chasing rabbits. The rabbits can stand in for all sorts of objectives, from jobs to relationships, but the coded message is quite clear – focus your energy on a single objective, or you will likely fail. This literal statement, though, is quite dry and not terribly memorable, which shows the power of figures of speech.

VI. Examples of Figures of Speech in Pop Culture

The chorus to Sean Kingston’s Fire Burning contains a couple of figures of speech. First of all, there’s the word “shorty” used as a slang term (see Related Terms ) for a young woman. She may or may not be literally short, but the figure of speech applies either way (though it could easily be taken as belittling and derogatory). Second, Kingston sings the metaphor: “she’s fire, burning on the dance floor.” Hopefully this is a figure of speech and not a literal statement; otherwise, Kingston and everyone else in the club are in mortal danger!

“Oh, thanks! This is much better!” (Townspeople, South Park )

This is an example of irony. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, South Park satirized the government’s response to the disaster by writing about a similar disaster in South Park. In a bumbling effort to rescue people from the floods, the authorities accidentally spill oil on the flood waters and set it on fire, making the situation far more dangerous. In response, they ironically “thank” the people responsible—their meaning is obviously the opposite of their words!

Years of talks between Washington and Havana resulted in Obama’s historic visit to Cuba on March 21st. (Patreon 2016)

This is a common form of metonym in foreign policy and news media. The capital city of a country is used as a metonym for the national government. The talks, of course, are not literally between these two cities, but between the leaders and government officials of the two countries (US and Cuba).

VII. Related Terms

Literal and figurative language.

Language is generally divided into two categories: literal, and figurative. Literal language relies on the real definition of words and phrases, or their literal meanings. Figurative language, on the other hand, relies on implied meanings, which can be understood differently depending on the location or who is using it. For example, “the sky is blue” relies on the literal definition of the word “blue,” while “I am feeling blue” relies on the figurative definition. All figures of speech rely on the use of figurative language for their meaning.

Sarcasm is mocking or bitter language that we use to express different meaning than what we say; often the exact opposite. When your intended meaning is the opposite of the literal meaning, that’s irony (another type of figure of speech), which includes common phrases like “Oh, great…” when you really mean something is bad.

Slang is language that uses atypical words and phrases to express specific meanings. It varies greatly by region, demographic, and language—for example, you would find different slang in the U.S. and in the U.K. even though they are both English speaking countries. Likewise, teenagers and the elderly will use different slang terms, as would Spanish and English. Many slang terms are figures of speech. For example, “bro” could be used to describe a friend rather than an actual brother; this would be using the word as a figure of speech.

List of Terms

Alliteration
Amplification
Anachronism
Anthropomorphism
Antonomasia
APA Citation
Aposiopesis
Autobiography
Bildungsroman
Characterization
Circumlocution
Cliffhanger
Comic Relief
Connotation
Deus ex machina
Deuteragonist
Doppelganger
Double Entendre
Dramatic irony
Equivocation
Extended Metaphor
Flash-forward
Foreshadowing
Intertextuality
Juxtaposition
Literary Device
Malapropism
Onomatopoeia
Parallelism
Pathetic Fallacy
Personification
Point of View
Polysyndeton
Protagonist
Red Herring
Rhetorical Device
Rhetorical Question
Science Fiction
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Synesthesia
Turning Point
Understatement
Urban Legend
Verisimilitude
Essay Guide
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4.17: Lesson 12: Figures of Speech in Poetry

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Simile

A simile compares one thing to another by using the words like or as. Read Shakespeare’s poem “Sonnet 130.”

Sonnet 130 Author : William Shakespeare © 1598

And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare, as any she belied with false compare.

In this sonnet, Shakespeare’s simile in the first line is a contrast where one thing is not like or as something else. He wrote, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.”

A metaphor compares one to another by saying one thing is another. Read Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope Is the Thing with Feathers.”

Hope Is the Thing with Feathers Author : Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all

And sweetest in the Gale is heard And sore must be the storm — That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm —

I’ve heard it in the chillest land — And on the strangest Sea — Yet, never, in Extremity, It asked a crumb — of Me.

Notice that Emily Dickinson compared hope to a bird–the thing with feathers. Because there are bird images throughout the poem, it is called an extended metaphor poem.

Personification

A personification involves giving a non-human, inanimate object the qualities of a person. Robert Frost did that in his poem “Storm Fear.”

Look specifically at the strong action verbs to find the human traits that are attributed to the wind and storm.

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Understatement

The Spider and the Fly Author : Mary Howitt ©1853

Lesson 12: Figures of Speech in Poetry. Authored by : Linda Frances Lein, M.F.A. License : CC BY: Attribution
Sonnet 130. Authored by : William Shakespeare. Provided by : Wikisource. Located at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Sonnet_130_(Shakespeare) . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Hope Is the Thing with Feathers. Authored by : Emily Dickinson. Provided by : Wikisource. Located at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/%22Hope%22_is_the_thing_with_feathers_u2014 . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Storm Fear. Authored by : Robert Frost. Provided by : Wikisource. Located at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Boy%27s_Will/Storm_Fear . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Authored by : Robert Frost. Provided by : Wikisource. Located at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Stopping_by_Woods_on_a_Snowy_Evening . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
The Spider and the Fly. Authored by : Mary Howitt. Provided by : Wikisource. Located at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_First_Series_of_Hymns_and_Songs/Descriptive_Songs/The_Spider_and_the_Fly . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Figure of Speech

Definition of figure of speech.

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to create an effect. This effect may be rhetorical as in the deliberate arrangement of words to achieve something poetic, or imagery as in the use of language to suggest a visual picture or make an idea more vivid. Overall, figures of speech function as literary devices because of their expressive use of language. Words are used in other ways than their literal meanings or typical manner of application.

For example, Margaret Atwood utilizes figures of speech in her poem “ you fit into me ” as a means of achieving poetic meaning and creating a vivid picture for the reader.

you fit into me like a hook into an eye a fish hook an open eye

The simile in the first two lines sets forth a comparison between the way “you” fits into the poet like a hook and eye closure for perhaps a garment. This is an example of rhetorical effect in that the wording carefully achieves the idea of two things meant to connect to each other. In the second two lines, the wording is clarified by adding “fish” to “hook” and “open” to “eye,” which calls forth an unpleasant and even violent image. The poet’s descriptions of hooks and eyes are not meant literally in the poem. Yet the use of figurative language allows the poet to express two very different meanings and images that enhance the interpretation of the poem through contrast .

Types of Figures of Speech

The term figure of speech covers a wide range of literary devices, techniques, and other forms of figurative language, a few of which include:

Personification

Understatement.

Alliteration
Onomatopoeia
Circumlocution

Common Examples of Figures of Speech Used in Conversation

Many people use figures of speech in conversation as a way of clarifying or emphasizing what they mean. Here are some common examples of conversational figures of speech:

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that utilizes extreme exaggeration to emphasize a certain quality or feature.

I have a million things to do.
This suitcase weighs a ton.
This room is an ice-box.
I’ll die if he doesn’t ask me on a date.
I’m too poor to pay attention.

Understatement is a figure of speech that invokes less emotion than would be expected in reaction to something. This downplaying of reaction is a surprise for the reader and generally has the effect of showing irony .

I heard she has cancer, but it’s not a big deal.
Joe got his dream job, so that’s not too bad.
Sue won the lottery, so she’s a bit excited.
That condemned house just needs a coat of paint.
The hurricane brought a couple of rain showers with it.

A paradox is a figure of speech that appears to be self-contradictory but actually reveals something truthful.

You have to spend money to save it.
What I’ve learned is that I know nothing.
You have to be cruel to be kind.
Things get worse before they get better.
The only rule is to ignore all rules.

A pun is a figure of speech that contains a “ play ” on words, such as using words that mean one thing to mean something else or words that sound alike in as a means of changing meaning.

A sleeping bull is called a bull-dozer.
Baseball players eat on home plates.
Polar bears vote at the North Poll.
Fish are smart because they travel in schools.
One bear told another that life without them would be grizzly.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that connects two opposing ideas, usually in two-word phrases, to create a contradictory effect.

open secret
Alone together
controlled chaos
pretty ugly

Common Examples of Figure of Speech in Writing

Writers also use figures of speech in their work as a means of description or developing meaning. Here are some common examples of figures of speech used in writing:

Simile is a figure of speech in which two dissimilar things are compared to each other using the terms “like” or “as.”

She’s as pretty as a picture.
I’m pleased as punch.
He’s strong like an ox.
You are sly like a fox.
I’m happy as a clam.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things without the use of the terms “like” or “as.”

He is a fish out of water.
She is a star in the sky.
My grandchildren are the flowers of my garden.
That story is music to my ears.
Your words are a broken record.

Euphemism is a figure of speech that refers to figurative language designed to replace words or phrases that would otherwise be considered harsh, impolite, or unpleasant.

Last night , Joe’s grandfather passed away (died).
She was starting to feel over the hill (old).
Young adults are curious about the birds and bees (sex).
I need to powder my nose (go to the bathroom).
Our company has decided to let you go (fire you).

Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human characteristics to something that is not human.

I heard the wind whistling.
The water danced across my window.
My dog is telling me to start dinner.
The moon is smiling at me.
Her alarm hummed in the background.

Writing Figure of Speech

As a literary device, figures of speech enhance the meaning of written and spoken words. In oral communication, figures of speech can clarify, enhance description, and create interesting use of language. In writing, when figures of speech are used effectively, these devices enhance the writer’s ability for description and expression so that readers have a better understanding of what is being conveyed.

It’s important that writers construct effective figures of speech so that the meaning is not lost for the reader. In other words, simple rearrangement or juxtaposition of words is not effective in the way that deliberate wording and phrasing are. For example, the hyperbole “I could eat a horse” is effective in showing great hunger by using figurative language. If a writer tried the hyperbole “I could eat a barn made of licorice,” the figurative language is ineffective and the meaning would be lost for most readers.

Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating figures of speech into their work:

Figure of Speech as Artistic Use of Language

Effective use of figures of speech is one of the greatest demonstrations of artistic use of language. Being able to create poetic meaning, comparisons, and expressions with these literary devices is how writers form art with words.

Figure of Speech as Entertainment for Reader

Effective figures of speech often elevate the entertainment value of a literary work for the reader. Many figures of speech invoke humor or provide a sense of irony in ways that literal expressions do not. This can create a greater sense of engagement for the reader when it comes to a literary work.

Figure of Speech as Memorable Experience for Reader

By using effective figures of speech to enhance description and meaning, writers make their works more memorable for readers as an experience. Writers can often share a difficult truth or convey a particular concept through figurative language so that the reader has a greater understanding of the material and one that lasts in memory.

Examples of Figure of Speech in Literature

Works of literature feature innumerable figures of speech that are used as literary devices. These figures of speech add meaning to literature and showcase the power and beauty of figurative language. Here are some examples of figures of speech in well-known literary works:

Example 1: The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.

Fitzgerald makes use of simile here as a figure of speech to compare Gatsby’s party guests to moths. The imagery used by Fitzgerald is one of delicacy and beauty, and creates an ephemeral atmosphere . However, the likening of Gatsby’s guests to moths also reinforces the idea that they are only attracted to the sensation of the parties and that they will depart without having made any true impact or connection. This simile, as a figure of speech, underscores the themes of superficiality and transience in the novel .

Example 2: One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

Both described at the same time how it was always March there and always Monday, and then they understood that José Arcadio Buendía was not as crazy as the family said, but that he was the only one who had enough lucidity to sense the truth of the fact that time also stumbled and had accidents and could therefore splinter and leave an eternalized fragment in a room.

In this passage, Garcia Marquez utilizes personification as a figure of speech. Time is personified as an entity that “stumbled” and “had accidents.” This is an effective use of figurative language in that this personification of time indicates a level of human frailty that is rarely associated with something so measured. In addition, this is effective in the novel as a figure of speech because time has a great deal of influence on the plot and characters of the story. Personified in this way, the meaning of time in the novel is enhanced to the point that it is a character in and of itself.

Example 3: Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?

In this passage, Bradbury utilizes metaphor as a figure of speech to compare a book to a loaded gun. This is an effective literary device for this novel because, in the story, books are considered weapons of free thought and possession of them is illegal. Of course, Bradbury is only stating that a book is a loaded gun as a means of figurative, not literal meaning. This metaphor is particularly powerful because the comparison is so unlikely; books are generally not considered to be dangerous weapons. However, the comparison does have a level of logic in the context of the story in which the pursuit of knowledge is weaponized and criminalized.

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Figures of Speech: Types, Usage & Examples [Download PDF]

Updated on
Nov 6, 2023

All of us use different figures of speech in our everyday lives, no matter which language we speak. Being familiar with different types of figures of speech can not only increase your vocabulary in a particular language but also help you in your career. This is especially true for those who want to pursue a career in translation, poetry or writing. Also, having a solid idea of the different figures of speech can come in handy for a wide range of exams, including both language proficiency exams for studying abroad , and different competitive exams for work or study.

Want to familiarise yourself with this? Take a look at this blog for detailed information on the popular types of figures of speech.

This Blog Includes:

What are figures of speech, importance of figures of speech, 1. personification, 2. metaphor, 4. alliteration, 5. onomatopoeia, 6. hyperbole, 7. euphemism, 9. anaphora, 10. apostrophe, 12. paradox, 13. oxymoron, 14. assonance, 15. metonymy, classifying of figures of speech, download figures of speech pdf, 15 most common examples of figures of speech, writing figures of speech, examples in english literature, how to ace figures of speech.

Check out our essay on peer pressure

It is an integral part of any language, which is used extensively not only in our day-to-day speech but also in written texts and oral literature . These are words or phrases used in a distinctive way to produce a rhetorical effect.

To say it in very simple terms, it is a phrase whose actual meaning is different from its literal meaning.

Figures of Speech are developed and expressed through a variety of different rhetorical techniques. All of us use different figures of speech in our daily conversations, both deliberately and subconsciously.

It enhances your writing and content. For example, metaphors add important details that make the writing more relatable to the readers. Idioms help to express complex ideas in a short space. It makes the content presentable and more enjoyable to the writers. Most of the time, you may use these words as a sarcastic response or just to demonstrate your command of the language.

Must Read: Best Novels for Students

15. Types of Figures of Speech with Example

There is a wide range of different types of figures of speech that are used in our daily communication. Let us take a look at some of the most popular ones that are used extensively:

Personification attributes human nature or human qualities to abstract or inanimate objects.

For example , we often use phrases like the howling wind, dancing leaves, time flies etc. Some examples of personification in a sentence are:

The opportunity knocked at his door
The plants in her house silently begged to be watered
Lightning danced across the sky
The wind howled in the night.

A metaphor is used to imply a comparison between two things that have something in common but are in general different from each other.

Some examples of the usage of metaphors in a sentence are as follows:

It is raining cats and dogs
He is the star of our class
Life is a highway.
Her eyes were diamonds.

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things that are different from each other but have similar qualities. These are generally formed through the usage of the words ‘as’ or ‘like’.

Some examples of similes in a sentence include:

He is as brave as a lion
Her expression was as cold as ice
Swim like a fish
As light as a feather

Alliteration is a sentence that consists of a series of words that have the same consonant sound at the beginning.

Some popular examples of alliteration in a sentence include:

She sells sea shells on the seashore
A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies
All Adam ate in August was apples and almonds
Barry bought a book to bring to the backyard barbecue

This is a figure of speech that is used to express a sound. To be more precise, it involves the use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the action or object referred to i.e. hiss, clap etc.

Some examples of onomatopoeia include:

The buzzing bee flew over my head
The stone hit the water with a splash
The boulder hit the ground with a flump .
Leaves rustle in the wind and are whipped into the air.

A hyperbole is a figure of speech that consists of an exaggeration. It is the usage of exaggerated terms in order to emphasize or heighten the effect of something.

Some examples of using hyperboles in a sentence include:

I have told you a million times to not touch my stuff!
She has got a pea-sized brain
I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
She’s as old as the hills.

Euphemism is the usage of a mild word in substitution of something that is more explicit or harsh when referring to something unfavourable or unpleasant. Some examples of its usage include:

This mall has good facilities for differently-abled people
He passed away in his sleep
Passed away” instead of “died”
“Let go” instead of “fired”

Irony or sarcasm is a figure of speech in which the usage of words conveys the opposite of their literal meaning. These are often used in a humorous manner. Some examples of irony include:

Your hands are as clean as mud
The dinner you served was as hot as ice
Coming home to a big mess and saying, “it’s great to be back”
Telling a rude customer to “have a nice day”

It is a repetition of a word or phrase at the start of several sentences of clauses.

Some of the examples of anaphora are as follows:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “I Have a Dream” Speech
Charles Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities
“Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.”
“Get busy living or get busy dying.”

It addresses a subject that is not present in the work. In this case, the object is absent or inanimate.

Here are some examples of apostrophes.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are
Welcome, O life!
Alarm clock, please don’t fail me.
Seven, you are my lucky number!

Puns are among the most frequently used figures of speech in daily conversation. They may be great conversation starters since they make you sound clever and occasionally even humorous.

Here are a few instances of puns in speech:

Denial is a river in Egypt (referring to The Nile using the word Denial).
Her cat is near the computer to keep an eye on the mouse.
No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery.
Everyone thinks my runny nose is funny, but it’s snot.

These figures of speech, like ironies, emphasize something by discussing the exact opposite of it. A paradox, on the other hand, differs from irony in that it does not make the contrast as evident.

Let’s examine two instances of paradoxical figures of speech:

“Some of my biggest triumphs have also been failures,” (According to US actress Pearl Bailey)
“War is good. Slavery is freedom. “Ignorance is power,” (As said by English author George Orwell)
Save money by spending it
If I know one thing, it’s that I know nothing

This figure of speech, which should not be confused with ironies and paradoxes, links two opposing ideas at once. This indicates that two opposing concepts are utilized inside a single sentence to create levity in an oxymoron figure of speech. For instance ,

This is another fine mess you have got us into
Suddenly the room filled with a deafening silence
The comedian was seriously funny
You are clearly confused by the situation you have found yourself in

Internal vowels in nearby words that are the same or comparable in sound. Here are a few examples of assonance in speech:

How now, brown cow?
The light of the fire is a sight
Go slow over the road
Try as I might, the kite did not fly

Metonymy is a figure of speech when one term or phrase is used in place of another with which it is closely related. It is also a rhetorical technique used to describe something indirectly by making references to objects around it.

Here are a few instances of Metonym:

“That stuffed suit with the briefcase is a poor excuse for a salesman,” the manager said angrily.
The pen is mightier than the sword”
I’m a Silicon Valley guy. I just think people from Silicon Valley can do anything.
Most of the successful people in Hollywood are failures as human beings.

How to Use a Figure of Speech?

Figures of speeches do not convey the literal meaning, hence, it is very important to know how to use the figure of speech. The most significant way of doing this is by making sure that the figure of speech that you are using implies, or gives out the desired effect and feeling.

There are different ways and points you can remember to easily do this. Some of them are as follows.

Figures of speech can be categorized into categories that are based on their functions when they are used in sentences. The main categories from these are as follows:

Those figures of speech show phonetic resemblances and represent sounds. Similes, personification, metaphors, metonymy, euphemism, and synecdoche are the figures of speech used for this purpose.
Those figures of speech that show a relationship or resemblance. This kind of speech is used to create a similar effect by using similar-sounding words
Those figures of speech that show emphasis or unimportance. This kind of speech provides emphasis showing the level of importance or unimportance. Hyperbole, oxymoron, antithesis, and irony are the figures of speech used for this purpose.

50 Figures of Speech Examples

When dissolving like soap in water. (Smile)
John is a goat. (Metaphor)
A rain starts or thinner, then look at the joy in the soil, the birds told me that you are going to distant lands. That beautiful sound of the mountain has travelled all around. (Personification)
The wave of the sea did not go as far as my heart. (Hyperbole)
Can you hear the clicks coming from the roof? (Onomatopoeia)
The monkey ate the beans in his hand. (Onomatopoeia)
I could not sleep through my mother’s snort during the night. (Onomatopoeia)
The flowing waters of the waterfall took all my troubles. (Onomatopoeia)
The food in the cauldron was boiling and scalding. (Onomatopoeia)
I don’t want to hear the buzz of the fly standing by my ear. (Onomatopoeia)
He suddenly exploded when he threw the ball into the thorns. (Onomatopoeia)
I lubricated the creaking door hinges beautifully. (Onomatopoeia)
Daredevil: someone who takes unnecessary risks
Cheapskate: someone who hates to spend money
Joined at the hip: to be exceptionally close to someone
Elbow grease: hard physical effort
Oddball: a weirdo or a strange person
Down-To-Earth: sensible and realistic
Go-Getter: a person who is active, energetic, and has the initiative to pursue the things they want.
Break a leg: good luck
Cutting corners: Doing something poorly in order to save time or money
Hang in there: Don’t give up
Pull yourself together: Calm down
So far so good: Things are going well so far
A busybody: always wants to know about other people’s private lives
Forty winks: a short nap
Barrel of laugh: someone who is very funny
Old as the hills: some who is very old
Red tape; Official or bureaucratic tasks
To be yellow; To be cowardly
To see red; To be very angry
Blackout; Faint
Black and blue; Describe something that is badly bruised
Golden opportunity; The perfect chance
Have the blues; Be sad or depressed
Black sheep; A person who is a disgrace to a family or group
That’s a storm in a teacup, stop fussing about it, you can do it.
The air hostess greeted the passengers with a sunny smile.
They have the intention to flood the market with their new mobile phones.
If someone has a clean bill of health, they apply to many profession
My grandmother’s old, but she’s as fit as a fiddle.
If you a few days of rest and medication, you’ll be as fit as a fiddle.
I’m sorry I can’t make it. I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.
If someone looks or feels like ill or tired, they look dead warmed up.
Oh dear! You look like death warmed up, I think the doctor will prescribe you a lot of medicine. You shouldn’t be working all night when you’re so ill, you look like death warmed up.
My mum’s not worried about the operation. She’s been under the knife several times.
Stacy went under the knife last week.

Must Read: Poetic Devices

Given below are some of the common examples to explain the figures of speech:

Let’s learn more about figures of speech and their examples below.

In writing, when figures of speech are used effectively, these devices enhance the writer’s ability for description and expression so that readers have a better understanding of what is being conveyed. Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating it into their work:

Figure of Speech as Artistic Use of Language : Effective use of figures of speech is one of the greatest demonstrations of artistic use of language. Being able to create poetic meaning, comparisons, and expressions with these literary devices are how writers form art with words.
Figure of Speech as Entertainment for Reader: Effective figures of speech often elevate the entertainment value of a literary work for the reader. Many invoke humour or provide a sense of irony in ways that literal expressions do not. This can create a greater sense of engagement for the reader when it comes to a literary work.
Figure of Speech as Memorable Experience for Reader: By using it effectively to enhance description and meaning, writers make their works more memorable for readers as an experience. Writers can often share a difficult truth or convey a particular concept through figurative language so that the reader has a greater understanding of the material and one that lasts in memory.

Numerous figures of speech that are used as literary devices may be seen in works of literature. These add meaning to literature and showcase the power and beauty of figurative language. Here are some examples in well-known literary works:

The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.

Fitzgerald makes use of simile here as a figure of speech to compare Gatsby’s party guests to moths. The imagery used by Fitzgerald is one of delicacy and beauty and creates an ephemeral atmosphere. However, the likening of Gatsby’s guests to moths also reinforces the idea that they are only attracted to the sensation of the parties and that they will depart without having made any true impact or connection. This simile underscores the themes of superficiality and transience in the novel.

One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

Both described at the same time how it was always March there and always Monday, and then they understood that José Arcadio Buendía was not as crazy as the family said, but that he was the only one who had enough lucidity to sense the truth of the fact that time also stumbled and had accidents and could therefore splinter and leave an eternalized fragment in a room.

In this passage, Garcia Marquez utilizes personification as a figure of speech. Time is personified as an entity that “stumbled” and “had accidents.” This is an effective use of figurative language in that this personification of time indicates a level of human frailty that is rarely associated with something so measured. In addition, this is effective in the novel because time has a great deal of influence on the plot and characters of the story. Personified in this way, the meaning of time in the novel is enhanced to the point that it is a character in and of itself.

Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?

In this passage, Bradbury utilizes metaphor as a figure of speech to compare a book to a loaded gun. This is an effective literary device for this novel because, in the story, books are considered weapons of free thought and possession of them is illegal. Of course, Bradbury is only stating that a book is a loaded gun as a means of figurative, not the literal meaning. This metaphor is particularly powerful because the comparison is so unlikely; books are generally not considered to be dangerous weapons. However, the comparison does have a level of logic in the context of the story in which the pursuit of knowledge is weaponized and criminalized.

Also Read: History of English Literature

Wondering what the hard and fast rule is to ace this section? The only thing that will help you is practice. We have curated a list of the best books that will help you ace it like a pro:

Test Yourself and Complete this Exercise on Figures of Speech

Some common figures of speech are alliteration, anaphora, antimetabole, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, hyperbole, irony, metonymy, onomatopoeia, paradox, personification, pun, simile, synecdoche, and understatement.

Simile. Browse more Topics under Vocabulary. Metaphor. Personification. Hyperbole. Onomatopeia.

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from its literal definition. It can be a metaphor or simile designed to make a comparison. It can be the repetition of alliteration or the exaggeration of hyperbole to provide a dramatic effect

” Life is a highway” is an example of a metaphor.

“Life is like a box of chocolates” is an example of a simile.

Hope you found this blog on some popular figures of speech interesting and informative. Being familiar with these figures of speech can help you tremendously in preparing for various competitive exams. Need help in your preparation for IELTS , TOEFL or GMAT ? Leverage Live offers live interactive classes and doubt-clarification sessions by top certified experts who can help you ace your test with flying colours. Reach out to us today !Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.

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14 comments

Wow this is amazing for better knowledge

Thanks for reading. You can also check: English Speech Topics for Students Speech on Right to Education Speech on Tourism in India Speech on Importance of Social Media

Thanks for reading. You can also check: English Speech Topics for Students Speech on Right to Education Speech on Tourism in India Speech on Importance of Social Media For more call us at 1800 57 2000!

Thanks for reading. Also, read: English Speech Topics for Students Speech on Child Labour Speech on Indian Culture Speech on Right to Education

This is so educational to an English teacher and very helpful for lesson preparation and presentation. I need more

Hi Ruth! Thank you for the comment, here are some more blogs for you to enjoy- https://leverageedu.com/blog/one-word-substitution/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/examples-of-simile/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/antonyms/

Tell us in the comments if these are helpful!

Figure of speech are a word or a phrase used in a distinctive way to produce a rhetorical effect

Excellent presentation

Hi, Ashit! Thank you for giving our blog a read! Here we are referring few other topics to read: Generation Gap Speech How to Write a Speech on Discipline? Parts of Speech

Hi Joy, It’s a delight to know that you have found our blog interesting and excellent. Thanks for the positive feedback. We highly appreciate it. Here are some more interesting reads that we would like to suggest to you: https://leverageedu.com/blog/english-speech-topics/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/asl-topics/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/speech-writing/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/public-speaking/

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Other Common Tropes

Other Common Schemes

Figure of Speech Examples

Figures of Speech Examples in Literature

Metaphor in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca

Parallelism in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

Alliteration in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark"

Verbal Irony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Figures of Speech Examples in Music

Assonance and Metaphor in Rihanna's "Diamonds"

Personification in Green Day's "Good Riddance"

Anastrophe in Public Enemy's "Fight the Power"

Why Do Writers Use Figures of Speech?

Other Helpful Figure of Speech Resources

Literary Devices & Figures of Speech 101 (+ PDF)

Definitions and Examples of Literary Devices

1. Metaphor

9. Didactic Literature

10. Alliteration

11. Epilogue

12. Prologue

13. Romance

14. Comic Relief

15. Conflict

16. Poetic Justice

17. Oxymoron

18. Kinesthetic Imagery

19. Auditory Imagery

20. Visual Imagery

21. Tactile Imagery

22. Olfactory Imagery

24. Tragic Flaw

25. Reversal

26. Hyperbole

27. Litotes

28. Euphemism

29. Synecdoche

30. Metonymy

32. Burlesque

33. Revellers

34. Alternate Rhyme

35. Secondary Text

36. Fiction

37. Autobiography

38. Biography

39. Tragic Hero

40. Syllable

More Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

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I. What are Figures of Speech?

III. Types of Figure of Speech

A. Metaphor

E. Oxymoron

IV. The Importance of Figures of Speech

V. Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

VI. Examples of Figures of Speech in Pop Culture

VII. Related Terms

List of Terms

4.17: Lesson 12: Figures of Speech in Poetry

Figure of Speech