Literary Techniques

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Description and Tags

A range of Literary Techniques which can be used in English Literature, to look out for when analysing an extract or a poem.

46 Terms

1

Stanza

A group of lines in a poem forming a division

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2

Rhyme

Correspondence of sound between words at the end of lines, especially in poetry

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3

Internal rhyme

Rhyme between words within a line of poetry

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4

Rhyming Couplet

Two consecutive lines that rhyme

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5

Half Rhyme

Imperfect rhyme, where the sounds are similar but not identical

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6

Rhythm

The overall pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem or piece of writing

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7

Caesura

A pause within a line of verse, often indicated by a punctuation mark

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8

Repetition

The repeating of a word or phrase for emphasis or effect

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9

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence without a pause at the end of a line of verse

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10

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two things using "like" or "as"

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11

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly compares two things without using "like" or "as"

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12

Personification

Giving human qualities to an object or idea

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13

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words

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14

Alliteration

Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

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15

Onomatopoeia

The use of words that imitate sounds

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16

Volta

A sudden shift in thought or direction in a poem

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17

Lineation

The arrangement of words into lines in a poem

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18

Imagery

The use of vivid language to create sensory experiences

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19

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts

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20

Sibilance

The repetition of hissing sounds (such as s, sh, and z)

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21

Juxtaposition

The placing of two contrasting ideas or images side by side to give a powerful effect of contrast between them

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22

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms

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23

Pathetic Fallacy

The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects - usually referring to nature.

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24

Hyperbole

An exaggeration

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25

Iambic Pentameter

A specific meter in poetry with five iambs - a pattern of a unstressed and stressed syllables - per line

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26

Metre

The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem, the specific and repeated change which used throughout a poem.

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27

End-stopped Lines

Lines of poetry that come to a complete stop at the end of the line

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28

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses

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29

Allusion

A reference to a historical or literary figure or event

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30

Semantic Field

A group of words that are related in meaning

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31

Blank Verse

Poetry which follows a metre - most commonly iambic pentameter - without rhyming

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32

Free Verse

Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme

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33

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within words which are close together

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34

Epistrophe

Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive lines or clauses

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35

Metonymy

A figure of speech where a word or phrase is used to represent something else closely associated with it

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36

Motif

A recurring element or theme in a work of literature

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37

Tone

The writer's attitude towards the subject or audience

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38

Irony

A contradiction between what is expected and what actually happens

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39

Contrast

The placing of opposing (or very different) ideas or characters side by side to highlight their differences

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40

Connotation

The implied meaning of a word, in addition to its literal meaning

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41

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but may contain truth

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42

Pun

A play on words that has two meanings

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43

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not expecting an answer

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44

Asyndeton

A deliberate omission of conjunctions (like and, but, or) between words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence for rhetorical effect.

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45

Polysyndeton

The excessive use of conjunctions (like and, but, or) between words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence for rhetorical effect.

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46

Parallelism

The use of similar words, clauses, phrases, sentence structure, or other grammatical elements to emphasize similar ideas in a sentence

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