literary devices

What is an allegory?

An abstract idea understood after reading the whole passage.

What does imagery refer to in literature?

Descriptive words to create an image appealing to the senses.

What is an oxymoron?

Contradicting words placed side by side.

What does setting refer to in a narrative?

The time and place that events take place.

What is a shift or volta in literature?

A change from realization.

What is alliteration?

Repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

What is assonance?

Repeating vowel sounds, mostly stressed or accented.

What does cacophony refer to?

Harsh unpleasant consonant sounds like b, g, d, k, p, s, t.

What is euphony?

Musically pleasant sounds.

What is onomatopoeia?

Words that sound like their meanings.

What is rhyme in poetry?

The repetition of sounds in two or more phrases that are close to each other.

What is an allusion?

A reference to a well-known mythological, literary, or historical person, place, or event.

What does ambiguity mean?

Words with more than one meaning.

What is an analogy?

A comparison of two things by highlighting their similarities.

What is an apostrophe in literature?

Speaking towards an imagined listener that cannot respond.

What is hyperbole?

Exaggerated statements used to make a point.

What is irony?

A contradiction between what is actually happening and what is expected.

What is a metaphor?

A comparison that states one thing is another.

What is metonymy?

A person, thing, or place referred to by something closely associated with it.

What is personification?

Giving human-like qualities to something nonhuman.

What is satire?

Writing that reveals the flaws of institutions, etc.

What is a simile?

A comparison of two things using 'like' or 'as'.

What does the term symbol refer to?

Using objects, events, animals, or humans to represent a meaning.

What is synecdoche?

Referring to something whole by mentioning a part of it.

What is anaphora?

Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines.

What does contrast mean in literature?

The difference between two things.

What is enjambment?

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.

What does inversion refer to in writing?

Arranging sentences differently than the usual order.

What is juxtaposition?

Comparing and contrasting by placing two or more words side by side.

What is repetition in literature?

Repeating words for emphasis.

What is a cliche?

An overused phrase that has become outdated.

What does connotation refer to?

The feelings or ideas associated with a word.

What is denotation?

The dictionary definition of a word.

What does diction mean?

The choice of words used to convey a specific meaning.

What is a euphemism?

A specific choice of words used to lessen impact or make something sound nicer.

What is a pun?

Words with similar sounds that have different meanings.

What is sarcasm?

Saying something that is different from what is actually happening, a form of verbal irony.

What is syntax?

The grammatical structure of sentences and their arrangement.

What is a ballad?

Orally passed down songs typically telling a story.

What is blank verse?

Poetry that has no rhyme but follows a meter or rhythm.

What is a dramatic monologue?

A speech that addresses an imaginary speaker who does not respond.

What is an elegy?

Writing that relates to mourning.

What is free verse in poetry?

Poetry that does not follow any specific rules.

What does the term pastoral refer to?

A literary work that idealizes the natural world.

What is a sonnet?

A specific type of poem containing a set number of lines and a specific rhythm.