Literary Terms Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Literary Devices

Which literary device uses words in a way other than their literal meanings to make a comparison, add emphasis, or say something in a fresh and creative way?

What is the term for a scene in a story that occurred before the present time in the story?

Which point of view features a narrator who is a character in the story and describes things from his or her own perspective using 'I'?

What is the term for extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement?

What do you call poetry that does not rhyme or have a measurable meter?

Literary Devices

Allegory: a work that conveys a hidden meaning, usually moral, spiritual, or political, through symbolic characters and events.
Alliteration: the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Allusion: a brief reference to a real or fictional person, event, place, or work of art.

Antagonist: the opponent or enemy of the main character, or protagonist.
Characterization: the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.
Direct Characterization: the writer or a narrator tells the reader what the character is like.
Dynamic Character: a character who undergoes a significant internal change over the course of a story, such as a change in understanding, values, or insight.

Story Structure

Climax: the point when the problem reaches its most intense point and begins to be resolved.
Conflict: a struggle between opposing forces.
Exposition: the opening event or the main problem that the main character faces.

Writing Style

Dialogue: the conversation between characters in a work of literature.
Diction: the author's specific word choice.

Other Terms

Biography: the life history of an individual, written by someone else.

Test your knowledge of literary terms with this quiz! From allegory to allusion, and antagonist to alliteration, challenge yourself to identify and understand the key elements of literature.