Figurative Language

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What is an oxymoron?

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An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms, such as 'jumbo shrimp' or 'civil war'.

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What is a pun?

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A pun is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect, like 'Knowing sign language is pretty handy'.

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What is personification?

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Personification is a literary device where human characteristics are attributed to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas.

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What is onomatopoeia?

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Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate the sound they represent, such as 'buzz', 'bang', or 'sizzle'.

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What is hyperbole?

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Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis, such as 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse'.

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What is alliteration?

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Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words, like 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore'.

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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, suggesting they are alike in a significant way, such as 'Time is a thief'.

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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', such as 'as brave as a lion'.

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What is an idiom?

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An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning, like 'kick the bucket' meaning to die.

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What is a metaphorical expression?

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A metaphorical expression uses metaphor to convey an idea or concept in a more vivid or imaginative way.