Figurative Language

Front

What is a simile?

Back

A figure of speech that compares two dissimilar objects or concepts using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Her smile was like the sun.'

Front

What is onomatopoeia?

Back

A word that imitates the natural sounds of a thing. Example: 'buzz', 'sizzle', 'clang'.

Front

What is alliteration?

Back

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more nearby words. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Front

What is understatement?

Back

A figure of speech that intentionally makes a situation seem less important than it is. Example: 'It's just a scratch' when referring to a large dent.

Front

What is personification?

Back

A figure of speech where human attributes are given to non-human things. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Front

What is hyperbole?

Back

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

Front

What is imagery?

Back

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a picture in the reader's mind. Example: 'The golden sun set over the calm, blue ocean.'

Front

What is an idiom?

Back

A phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. Example: 'It's raining cats and dogs' means it's raining heavily.

Front

What is a metaphor?

Back

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

Front

What is a pun?

Back

A form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous effect. Example: 'Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.'