Literary Devices: Figurative Language Quiz - By Teacher A

Literary Devices

• Figures of speech change the literal meaning of words to express complexity, capture a physical or sensory effect, or extend meaning.
• Simile: a comparison between unlike things, using "like" or "as", e.g. "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
• Metaphor: a comparison between unlike things without the use of "like" or "as", e.g. "Your eyes are the windows to your soul."
• Hyperbole: an exaggeration, e.g. "I told you a million times to be quiet."
• Personification: giving human qualities to an animal, thing, or idea, e.g. "The wind screamed my name."
• Theme: the main idea of a story, or the message the author is conveying, usually about life, society, or human nature.

Flashbacks and Irony

• Flashback: a scene in a narrative that returns to an earlier time.
• Irony: a literary device for conveying meaning by saying the exact opposite of what is really meant, e.g. "This is my brilliant son who failed out of college."

Plot and Mood

• Plot: the fuel of the story, including elements of exposition, central conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Mood: the emotion that the reader feels while reading, e.g. sad, joyful, or angry.

Style and Tone

• Style: how something is said in literature, e.g. formal, informal, poetic, etc.
• Tone: the attitude an author takes toward the audience, subject, or character, conveyed through words and details.

Literary Devices Study Sheet

• Metaphor: compares two unrelated things or ideas to highlight a similarity in their qualities without using "like" or "as", e.g. "Time is a thief."
• Simile: compares two different things using "like" or "as", e.g. "Her smile is like the sun."
• Personification: gives human qualities or characteristics to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts, e.g. "The wind whispered through the trees."
• Hyperbole: an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally, e.g. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
• Alliteration: the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close succession, e.g. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
• Onomatopoeia: a word that imitates the sound it represents, e.g. "The bees buzzed."
• Irony: a contrast or incongruity between expectations and reality, e.g. a fire station burning down.
• Symbolism: uses symbols to represent ideas or qualities, e.g. a dove symbolizing peace.
• Imagery: descriptive language that appeals to the senses, e.g. "The fragrant aroma of spring flowers filled the air."
• Foreshadowing: gives an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story, e.g. clouds gathering on the horizon.
• Allusion: a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance, e.g. saying someone has a "Midas touch."

Consonance, Rhythm, and Repetition

• Consonance: the repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity within a sentence or phrase, e.g. "The lumpy, bumpy road was tough to navigate."
• Rhythm: the pattern of sounds in speech or writing, often created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables, e.g. "The cat sat on the mat."
• Repetition: the literary device that involves intentionally using the same word or phrase multiple times to emphasize a particular idea or theme, e.g. "She was happy, truly happy, for the first time in years."