Figures of speech & lang tools - Literary devices

Allegory

a story with a hidden meaning or moral

Allusion

a brief hint to a famous person, place, or book

Analogy

Comparison to show how two things are alike

Denotation

the exact, literal dictionary meaning of a word

Diction

The specific choice of word a writer uses

Euphemism

a mild word used in place of a harsh one

figurative language

words used in a non-literal way to add power

Hyperbole

a massive exaggeration for effect

idiom

a phrase with a cultural meaning different from its literal word “a piece of cake”

imagery

words that paint a picture using the five senses

irony

contrast between expectation and reality

Metaphor

direct comparison calling one thing another

paradox

statement that seems false but reveals a truth

simile

a comparison using “like” or “as”

Syntax

the order or structure of words in a sentence