Literary Terms and Devices

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Hyperbole

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

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Simile

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

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Onomatopoeia

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

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Metaphor

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

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Alliteration

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

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Personification

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

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Imagery

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

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Theme

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

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Irony

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

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Foreshadowing

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