Literary Devices Used in Poetry

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What is alliteration?

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Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a series of words, often used to create rhythm or emphasis. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

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What is onomatopoeia?

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Onomatopoeia is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound it describes. Example: 'buzz', 'hiss', 'clang'.

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What is an allusion?

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An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work. Example: Calling someone 'Scrooge' refers to the character from Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.

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What is internal rhyme?

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Internal rhyme is a rhyme that occurs within a single line of poetry, rather than at the end of lines. Example: 'I went to town to buy a gown.'

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What is personification?

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Personification is a literary device where human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts. Example: 'The leaves danced in the wind.'

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What is a simile?

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A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Her smile was as bright as the sun.'

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What is a metaphor?

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A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Time is a thief.'

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What is hyperbole?

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Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect. Example: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

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What is assonance?

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Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words to create rhythm or enhance mood. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'

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What is rhyme?

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Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds at the end of lines in poetry, often used to create a musical quality. Example: 'cat' and 'hat'.