Figurative Language Terms

Foreshadowing

The use of hints or clues in a story to suggest what action is to come.

Simile

A comparison between two things using either like or as.

Theme

The central or dominant idea behind a story.

Idiom

A phrase or expression which means something different from what the words actually say.

Inference

The act of drawing a conclusion that is not actually stated.

Personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human characteristics.

Irony

A subtle, sometimes humorous perception of inconsistency in which the significance of a statement or event is changed.

Metaphor

A comparison of two things that are basically dissimilar but are brought together in order to create a sharp image.

Proverb

A short saying that states a basic truth about life.

Allusion

A reference to a person, place, poem, book, or movie outside of the story the author expects the reader will recognize.

Symbol

An object, person, or place that has meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger than itself.

Dialect

A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis; overstatement