Language Features

simile

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

metaphor

A direct comparison.

hyperbole

A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humour.

adverbs

Describe actions (verbs); often end in -ly.

alliteration

A stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series.

colloquialism

A word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't).

imperative

a command or order

personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.

repetition

Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis.

adjective

A word that modifies a noun or pronoun.

onomatopoeia

A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.

listing

A list of associated ideas or things.

sibilance

A repeated 'S' sound.

connotation

The thoughts and feelings we associate with a word

diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

imagery

A description that appeals to the sense of sight.

pun

A technique exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

rhetorical question

A question that is asked for the sake of argument

A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected.

rhyme

Repetition of sounds at the end of words

sensory imagery

Language that evokes images and triggers memories in the reader of the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

slang

A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.

stanza

A group of lines in a poem also called a verse.

symbolism

1. The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. 2. The symbolic meaning attached to material objects.

tone

A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.

anthropomorphism

Attributing human characteristics to an animal or inanimate object (Personification)

Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena.

Pronouns

Replaces a noun. Examples: I, he, she, they, it, his