english literary techniques

for english end of year exam

Alliteration

The repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words close together.
Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within words close together.
Example: “Hear the mellow wedding bells.”

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Example: “I’ve told you a million times!”

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell).
Example: “The golden sunset spilled across the sky like molten lava.”

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
Example: “Time is a thief.”

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as.”
Example: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate natural sounds.
Example: “Buzz,” “clang,” “sizzle.”

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”

Oxymoron

Two contradictory terms combined for effect.
Example: “Deafening silence,” “bittersweet.”

Symbolism

Using a symbol (object, character, or action) to represent an idea or concept.
Example: A dove representing peace.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere created for the reader.
Example: Creepy, cheerful, tense, melancholic.

Zoomorphism

A literary device where animal characteristics or behaviours are attributed to humans, objects, or ideas.
Example: “He growled with wolfish hunger.”