Figurative Language

For quote quizzes

Alliteration

The repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. It is often used for poetic effect or to create a particular mood through sound.

Anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Connotative Diction

The use of words that evoke additional meaning or emotion beyond their literal definition, often influenced by cultural or personal associations.

Denotative Diction

The literal or primary meaning of a word, without its emotional or associative implications.

Parallelism

A rhetorical device that uses the same grammatical structure in successive phrases or clauses to create a rhythm or emphasize an idea.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, event, or work of literature that adds depth or meaning to a text.

Antithesis

A contrasting relationship between two ideas, often articulated in a balanced grammatical structure to highlight differences.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which a speaker addresses an absent person, abstract idea, or a thing directly, often imbued with emotion.

Euphemism

A figure of speech that substitutes a mild or vague term for one considered harsh or blunt, often used to soften the impact of what is being described.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that involves exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures for the reader.

Irony

A rhetorical device or situation where there is a contrast between expectation and reality, often highlighting humor or poignancy.

Juxtaposition

Litotes

An understatement that uses negation to express a positive trait, often for rhetorical effect.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things directly, suggesting that one is the other to highlight similarities.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms to create a paradoxical expression, highlighting a complex idea or emotion.

Paradox

A statement that appears self-contradictory or illogical but may reveal a hidden truth or insight.

Personification

A figure of speech that attributes human qualities or characteristics to non-human objects or abstract concepts.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not meant to be answered, often used to provoke thought or emphasize a point.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two different things using "like" or "as."

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, or vice versa, often used to create vivid imagery.

Motif

Assonance

A literary device where vowel sounds are repeated in close proximity within a group of words, creating a musical rhythm and enhancing memorability. The repetition involves identical or similar vowel sounds, but not necessarily the same letters, and the words don't need to be next to each other to create the effect.

Consonance

The repetition of the same consonant sounds within nearby words, not necessarily at the beginning of words

Asyndeton

A rhetorical device that omits conjunctions (like "and," "but," "or") from a list of words, phrases, or clauses to create a concise, fast-paced, and emphatic effect (Ex: “I came, I saw, I conquered).

Colloquial Language

Informal words, phrases, and expressions used in everyday, casual conversation, as opposed to formal writing

Anastrophe

A literary device where the writer will rearrange the normal word order to create a new effect with the sentence, saying, or idea (like Yoda)

Ethos

Logos

Pathos

Polysyndeton

The repeated use of coordinating conjunctions in close succession to connect different words, phrases, or clauses, which can slow the pace, create emphasis, and heighten emotion.

Epistrophe

Anaphora but end of clauses instead