Literacy Terms

Alliteration

The repetition of a sound or letter at the beginning of each word.

Allegory

A story within a story.

Allusion

An implied or indirect refrence to something.

Ambiguity

A word, phrase, statement, or idea that can be understood in more than one way.

Antithesis

The exact opposite, or a contrast between two ideas.

Analogy

A comparison between two things.

Anecdote

A super short amusing story that illustrates a real event.

Aphorism

A short statement of a principal or opinion.

Apostrophe

A non living object is addressed as it was a living thing.

Assonance

Repetition of vowels, without repetition of consonants.

Cacophony

Is the combination of words with harsh, and loud sound.

Euphony

Being satisfied with a harmonious sound.

Consonance

The repetition of the same constant sounds in a line of text.

Connotation

Using and looking at words to try different aspects.

Denotation

Is the actual meaning of the word.

Imagery

Visual descriptive language.

Irony

The use of words to express something other than the opposite of the literal meaning.

Dramatic Irony

Understanding of events or individuals in a work surpasses that of its characters.

Paradox

A statement that seems to go against common sense but may still be true.

Pathetic Fallacy

When human feelings overprotect onto inanimate things or animals.

Point of View

Is the writer’s way of deciding who is telling the story.

Narration

The way the story is being told.

Pun

The humours use of a word.

Rhetorical Question

A question that does not require an answer.

Sarcasm

The use of irony to mock or convey.

Satire

Satire is the use of irony, sarcasm, and humour.

Soliloquy

The act of talking to oneself.

Symbol

Anything that represents something else.

Synecdoche

Figure of speech in which a part is made to represent a whole.

Theme

Main subject being discussed in a piece of writing.

Tone

The attitude a character, narrator, or author takes towards a subject.

Understatement

The presentation of something as being less, smaller, or worse than it is.

Diction

The linguistic choices a writer makes to effectively convey an idea.

Diction: Colloquialism

The use of informal, regional, expressions and spellings.

Diction: Jargon

Special words or expressions that belongs to another writer.

Epigraph

Sentence, poem or quotation that belongs to another writer.

Euphemism

Polite and innocuous word used in a place of something more blunt or offensive.

Foil

A foil refers to any two characters who are “opposite of each other”.

Foreshadowing

A foreshadow refers to any time the writer hints towards later events.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated description or statement.

Metaphor

A statement where two object, often unrelated, are indirectly compared to each other.

Metonymy

The replacement of a word by another word that is an attribute or a close association.

Mood

The general atmosphere or emotional complexion.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced.

Personification

When an idea on a thing is given human attributes feelings or is spoken of as though humour.

Onomatopoeia

The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is narrated.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings

Inference

A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning taken from the information provided.