Figurative Language Quiz

"She’s been working nonstop on her new painting" is an example of:

• Understatement

• Imagery

• Allusion

• Hyperbole

Answer explanation

The statement "The whole world was staring at me" is an exaggeration, suggesting that many people were watching. This is an example of hyperbole, as it amplifies the situation for effect, rather than being a literal truth.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

The phrase "Upon entering the junkyard, the aroma of half-eaten, discarded steak, fish, eggs and fruit stung unsuspecting nostrils" is an example of:

• Onomatopoeia

• Alliteration

• Imagery

• Personification

Answer explanation

The phrase uses descriptive language to evoke sensory experiences, particularly the smell of food waste, which creates a vivid mental image. This is an example of imagery, as it appeals to the reader's senses.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

"I must return to my younger self. To wearing my life like heavy wool, weaved in my own weight." This poem excerpt demonstrates: (Hint, look at the bolded letters)

• Consonance

• Assonance

• Oxymoron

• Alliteration

Answer explanation

The excerpt features alliteration, as seen in the repetition of the 'w' sound in 'wearing' and 'weaved.' This stylistic device enhances the musical quality of the poem, emphasizing the weight of the speaker's experiences.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

"Her grief was a wall she couldn't cross." This is an example of:

• Simile

• Personification

• Metaphor

• Allusion

Answer explanation

The phrase 'a tongue of fire' compares the child to fire, suggesting intensity and energy without using 'like' or 'as', which makes it a metaphor. It vividly illustrates the child's vibrant presence in the dark theater.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

“I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow.” is an example of:

• Paradox

• Understatement

• Hyperbole

• Oxymoron

Answer explanation

The statement "I am nobody" is a paradox because it combines contradictory ideas: claiming to be 'nobody' suggests a lack of identity, yet the assertion itself indicates a presence. Thus, it highlights the complexity of self-identity.

“His tender heir might bear his memory” uses what poetic device? Hint: Pay attention to the bolded letters.

• Anaphora

• Alliteration

• Assonance

• Anthropomorphism

Answer explanation

The phrase 'great old owl' and 'day will go' contain repeated vowel sounds, creating assonance. This poetic device enhances the musical quality of the lines, making 'assonance' the correct choice.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

Which literary device is bolded in this excerpt? “Oh, the bells, bells, bells! What a tale their terror tells Of Despair! How they clang, and clash, and roar!"

• Alliteration

• Consonance

• Assonance

• Onomatopoeia

Answer explanation

The excerpt uses onomatopoeia, as the words "clang," "clash," and "roar" imitate the sounds of bells, enhancing the auditory imagery and conveying the sense of chaos and despair.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

"I love everything about you. I love your face. I love your mind. I love your heart." is an example of:

• Anaphora

• Refrain

• Epistrophe

• Hyperbole

Answer explanation

The phrase "Stay safe. Stay well. Stay happy." uses anaphora, as it repeats the same initial phrase "Stay" at the beginning of each clause, emphasizing the message. This repetition is characteristic of anaphora.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

"The stubborn door refused to let anyone pass." This is an example of:

• Anthropomorphism

• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Imagery

Answer explanation

The phrase 'The ocean screamed' attributes human qualities to the ocean, which is an example of personification. It gives the ocean a voice, enhancing the emotional impact of the scene.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Which poetic device is this excerpt an example of? "The big sycamore by the creek was gone. The willow tangle was gone. The little enclave of untrodden bluegrass was gone. The clump of dogwood on the little rise across the creek-now that, too, was gone."

• Epistrophe

• Anaphora

• Anastrophe

• Alliteration

Answer explanation

The excerpt uses epistrophe, as the phrase 'was gone' is repeated at the end of multiple lines, emphasizing the loss of each element. This repetition at the end of phrases is characteristic of epistrophe.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4