Literary Devices and Poetic Forms

Enjambment

• The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

• A poetic device that involves the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

• A form of poetry that consists of 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme.

• A technique used to create a pause or break in a line of poetry.

Hyperbole

• Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

• A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things.

• A statement that is true and factual without exaggeration.

• A type of metaphor that uses 'like' or 'as' to compare two things.

Symbolism

• The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

• A literary device that involves exaggeration for emphasis.

• A technique used to create vivid imagery through sensory details.

• A method of storytelling that relies on chronological order.

Caesura

• A pause in a line of poetry, often occurring in the middle. Example: 'To err is human; || to forgive, divine.' Citation: Alexander Pope, 'An Essay on Criticism'

• A type of rhyme scheme used in sonnets.

• A literary device that involves the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

• A technique used to create a rhythmic flow in prose.

Onomatopoeia

• The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.

• A figure of speech that compares two unlike things.

• A type of rhyme that occurs at the end of lines.

• A word that has the opposite meaning of another word.

Alliteration

• Repetition of vowel sounds at the end of words. Example: 'The cat sat on the mat.'

• Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. Example: 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.'

• A figure of speech that involves an exaggeration. Example: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

• A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Her smile was like sunshine.'

Epigram

• A lengthy poem expressing deep emotions.

• A pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way.

• A type of narrative that tells a story.

• A formal speech given at a ceremony.

Ode

• A type of narrative poem that tells a story.

• A type of lyrical stanza that praises or glorifies an event or individual.

• A form of dramatic poetry that includes dialogue.

• A short poem expressing personal feelings.

Assonance

• Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

• Repetition of vowel sounds within words. Example: 'The crumbling thunder of seas.' Citation: Tennyson, 'Ulysses'

• A figure of speech that involves an exaggeration for emphasis.

• A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Understatement

• The presentation of something as being larger or more important than it actually is.

• The presentation of something as being smaller or less important than it actually is. Example: 'It's a bit chilly' when it's freezing.

• A statement that exaggerates the importance of something.

• A phrase that describes a situation in a humorous way.