Literary Devices Study Guide

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Metaphor

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A comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'Time is a thief.' (This suggests that time steals moments from our lives, just like a thief would steal possessions.)

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Simile

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A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'Her smile was as bright as the sun.' (This compares her smile to the brightness of the sun.)

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Onomatopoeia

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A word that imitates the sound it represents. Example: 'The bees buzzed in the garden.' (The word 'buzzed' sounds like the noise bees make.)

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Idiom

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A phrase that means something different from the literal meanings of its words. Example: 'It's raining cats and dogs.' (This means it is raining heavily, not that animals are actually falling from the sky.)

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Alliteration

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words. Example: 'She sells seashells by the seashore.' (The 's' sound is repeated.)

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Paradox

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A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth. Example: 'Less is more.' (This suggests that simplicity can be more effective than complexity.)

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Irony

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The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, often for humorous or emphatic effect. Example: A fire station burns down. (It’s ironic because you expect a fire station to be safe from fire.)

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Personification

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Giving human traits or qualities to non-human things or animals. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.' (The wind is described as if it can whisper, a human action.)

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Oxymoron

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A figure of speech in which two contradictory terms appear together. Example: 'Bittersweet.' (This combines opposite ideas of bitterness and sweetness.)

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Hyperbole

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Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally. Example: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.' (This exaggeration emphasizes extreme hunger.)