language features

Simile

A comparison using like or as. Example: “He fought like a lion.”

Metaphor

a figure of speech that directly compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another. Example: “Her words were daggers.”

Personification

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

Sensory Imagery

Description appealing to the five senses. Example: “The warm bread smelled sweet.”

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds. Example: “Silent, shadowy streets.”

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds. Example: “The mellow bells echoed.”

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates a sound. Example: “Buzz,” “crackle.”

Euphony

Smooth, pleasant sound. Example: “Lulled by the low murmuring waves.”

Cacophony

Harsh, jarring sound. Example: “The clash and clatter of metal.”

Juxtaposition

Putting contrasting ideas side by side. Example: love vs. hate together.

Contrast

Showing clear differences between two things. Example: a gentle character beside a violent one.

Repetition

Using the same word or idea multiple times. Example: “Alone, alone, all alone.”

Listing

A sequence to show accumulation. Example: “Blood, sweat, tears, and dust.”

Caesura

A strong mid-line pause in poetry. Example: “I came || I saw || I conquered.”

Enjambment

A sentence running onto the next line with no pause. Example: “Turn back, my soul, and seek your rest.”

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration. Example: “I’ve told you a million times.”

Understatement / Litotes

Downplaying something. Example: “It’s just a scratch.”

Symbolism

An object or action representing a deeper meaning. Example: a dove = peace.

Irony

The opposite of what is said or expected. Example: “Great job,” after a failure.

Dramatic Irony

Audience knows something characters don’t. Example: hero is doomed but unaware.

Allusion

Reference to another text/myth/event. Example: “He had the strength of Hercules.”

Apostrophe

Addressing someone absent or abstract. Example: “O Death, where is your sting?”

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not a real answer. Example: “Who wouldn’t want freedom?”

Epic/Homeric Simile

A long, extended simile over several lines. Example: warriors compared to waves.

Formulaic Phrase

Repeated expression in epic poetry. Example: “Rosy-fingered dawn.”

Epithet

A fixed descriptive label. Example: “Swift-footed Achilles.”

Invocation of the Muse

Poet asks the Muse for inspiration. Example: “Sing, Muse, of the wrath of Achilles.”

In medias res

Starting in the middle of events. Example: The Iliad begins during the war.

Direct Characterisation

The narrator directly describes a character. Example: “He was a cruel man.”

Indirect Characterisation

Character revealed through actions and speech. Example: someone hiding food shows selfishness.

Dialogue

Speech revealing personality or conflict. Example: arguments showing tension.

Monologue / Soliloquy

A long speech revealing inner thoughts. Example: Medea speaking alone about her pain.

Oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true).

Anaphora

Anaphora is a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences.

Lexical choices

Lexical choice refers to the deliberate selection of specific words—nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs—to shape meaning, tone, and audience perception. E.g slender has connotations of gracefulness whilst skinny can be criticised. Tone example can be saying commence (more formal) instead of start.