Literary Elements Quiz

Which is true about the PLOT of a story?

• It has a structure.

• It teaches a lesson.

• It has a surprise ending.

Which is an example of THEME?

• The danger of greed

• Irony

• Flashback

Which is an example of SYMBOLISM with the meaning presented to the reader?

• She would sit under the tree for hours and write in her diary.

• The bare tree outside her window was a constant reminder of her mental state.

• The cherry trees in the park are most beautiful in April.

Which sentence is a good example of FORESHADOWING?

• Callie shuddered as she looked up at the tower, and saw bats diving in and out of the window, hunting the dark for things she could not see.

• Neil deGrasse Tyson remembered his first visit to an observatory, when the night sky came alive on the big screen above him and took his breath away.

• Jess could hardly believe that she finally made it home safely, after all the weeks she had been stranded in the wilderness alone with no supplies.

Which of these statements suggest IRONY?

• His lack of self-confidence kept him from pursuing a career as a lawyer.

• The very thing she feared the most, getting an injection, was the thing that saved her life.

• Sun Yung Wei is the most cheerful 103-year-old I’ve ever seen.

Which sentence is an example of a FLASHBACK?

• He looked at the photograph and smiled, thinking about the future.

• The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the fields.

• As she walked through the old house, memories of her childhood summers spent there flooded back to her.

Which of these sentences best illustrates the use of METAPHOR?

• Time is a thief that steals our moments.

• The wind whispered through the trees.

• The stars were like diamonds in the sky.

Which sentence is an example of a SIMILE?

• The room was a sea of tranquility.

• He was as brave as a lion in the face of danger.

• Her smile was a beacon of hope.

Which sentence is an example of PERSONIFICATION?

• The sun smiled down on the village.

• The river was a winding snake through the valley.

• The mountain stood tall and proud.

Which of these sentences best illustrates the use of HYPERBOLE?

• He ran faster than the wind.

• The leaves danced in the breeze.

• The clock ticked loudly in the silent room.