Poetic Literary Devices Quiz

Which literary device is used when a writer refers to a significant person, place, thing, or idea in culture, history, literature, or politics briefly and indirectly?

Which literary device is used when the writer addresses someone or something that is not present in his work?

Which type of rhyme occurs in the last syllables of verses?

Which type of traditional poetry is characterized by its brevity, emotional intensity, and musical quality?

Which literary devices are inherent in a literary text, such as the characters, setting, conflict, plot, and theme of a short story?

What does the term 'stage directions' refer to in drama?

Which genre of literature focuses on a detailed written account of a person's life by another individual?

In creative nonfiction, which form of writing involves discrete accounts of a person's daily experiences and thoughts?

What distinguishes an autobiography from a biography?

Which element in drama sets the scene and drives the storyline?

What is the defining characteristic of an essay in creative nonfiction?

Which element in drama gives instructions to actors on how they should look, move, and speak?

Poetic Terms

Allusion: A literary device that refers to a significant person, place, thing, or idea in culture, history, literature, or politics briefly and indirectly.
Apostrophe: A literary device that addresses someone or something that is not present in the work.
End rhyme: A type of rhyme that occurs in the last syllables of verses.
Lyric poetry: A traditional poetry characterized by brevity, emotional intensity, and musical quality.
Literary elements: Devices inherent in a literary text, such as characters, setting, conflict, plot, and theme.
Literary techniques: Devices used deliberately by a writer to convey a particular meaning, such as dialogue.

Drama

Definition: A literary work that tells a story through actions and dialogues, usually performed on stage.
Elements:
- Characters: Actors that set the scene and flow of the story.
- Dialogues: Conversations between characters.
- Plot: A series of events that take place.
- Stage directions: Statements that tell actors how to look, move, and speak, and provide a description of the setting and mood.

Creative Nonfiction

Definition: A major genre of literature that refers to narratives of real events told in a literary style.
Subgenres:
- Memoir: A narrowly focused account of a single event in a person's life.
- Biography: A detailed account of a person's life written by another person.
- Autobiography: A written account of a person's life written by the subject themselves.
- Diary: A collection of discrete accounts of a person's experiences and thoughts each day.
- Essay: A writing that features a personal comment or description of any subject.

Test your knowledge of poetic terms such as allusion, apostrophe, end rhyme, and lyric poetry with this quiz. Learn about various literary elements used in poetry.