figurative language

Simile

A comparison of two different things using the words "like" or "as".

Example: "Her smile was as bright as the sun."

Metaphor

A direct comparison that states one thing is another thing, without using "like" or "as".

Example: "Time is money."

Personification

Giving human traits, feelings, or actions to non-human objects, animals, or ideas.

Example: "The wind whispered through the trees.”

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or humor, not meant to be taken literally.

Example: "I have told you a million times."

Onomatopoeia

A word that mimics the natural sound of the thing it describes.

Example: "The door slammed shut with a bang."

Idiom

Idiom: A common phrase or expression with a figurative meaning separate from the literal definition of its individual words.

Example: "It costs an arm and a leg (meaning it is very expensive)."

Alliteration

Alliteration: The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.

Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Oxymoron

Oxymoron: Placing two opposite or contradictory terms right next to each other for effect.

Example: "Bittersweet" or "organized chaos.”

Irony

A contrast or discrepancy between expectation and reality

.Example: A fire station burning down