Literary Devices

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Onomatopoeia

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The naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it. Example: 'buzz', 'hiss', 'clang'.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a visual representation in the reader's mind. Example: 'The clouds were edged with pink and gold.'

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Alliteration

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The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

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Personification

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Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities. Example: 'The ocean heaved a sigh.'

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Irony

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A literary technique in which what appears, on the surface, to be the case, differs radically from what is actually the case. Example: A fire station burns down.

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Metaphor

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

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Simile

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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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Hyperbole

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An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. Example: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

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Allusion

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A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. Example: 'He has the Midas touch.'

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Assonance

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The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'