Sophomore English Common Figurative Language

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another.

Simile

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things using 'like' or 'as'.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that pairs contradictory words to express complex meanings.

Hyperbole

An intentional exaggeration of the truth used to emphasize importance or create comic effect.

Personification

Describing non-human things as having human attributes.

Idiom

A phrase with a meaning different from its literal interpretation, understood within a group or society.

Onomatopoeia

A figure of speech where words evoke the actual sound of the thing they describe.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part of something is used to refer to its whole.

Metonymy

A figure of speech that refers to something not by its name, but by something closely associated with it.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same sound in a group of words to create a musical effect.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words to create a musical effect.

Juxtaposition

A literary technique where two or more things are placed side by side for comparison and contrast.

Motif

A repeated pattern or recurring element in a story.

Archetype

A universally recognized story element that symbolizes something common in human experience.

Point of view

The perspective from which a story is told.

Tone

The speaker’s attitude toward the subject conveyed through stylistic choices.

Mood

The atmosphere or emotional setting created by a literary work.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities beyond themselves.

Trope

A storytelling pattern, device, or motif characteristic of a particular genre.

Stream of consciousness

A method of narration that describes happenings in the flow of characters' thoughts.

Analogy

A literary device used to compare similarities between two unrelated things.

Irony

A technique that contrasts expectations and reality, often creating humor or emphasis.

Foreshadowing

The act of providing an advanced hint of what is to come.

Flashback

A transition in a story to an earlier event or scene.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a known statement, person, place, event, or thing.

Characterization

The act of describing essential features of a character.

Direct characterization

Character description provided directly by the author.

Indirect characterization

Character description revealed through actions, speech, or thoughts.