Literary Terms and Devices

An extreme exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally. Example: 'I have seen this movie 1,000 times!'

A comparison between two unlike objects using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Her smile is like the sun.'

Words that imitate sounds. Examples: 'POW!', 'Bang!', 'Buzz'.

A comparison between two unlike objects not using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Time is a thief.'

Words that start with the same sound and are used repeatedly in a sentence. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Giving human traits to non-human things. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Example: 'The golden sun set over the calm, blue ocean.'

The central idea or message in a literary work. Example: 'Love conquers all.'

A contrast between expectation and reality. Example: A fire station burns down.

Hints or clues about what will happen later in a story. Example: Dark clouds foreshadow a storm.