Imagery
Words that trigger a mental image and appeal to five senses.
Makes reader feel present by being very descriptive.
“The sky darkened, the wind felt crisp.”
Personification
Giving human traits to non-human things.
Makes situation feel alive by building connection with nature.
“The thunder yelled”
Foreshadowing
A hint of what’s going to occur later on.
Builds suspense by preparing for change.
“He had no idea, that this would be their last hug.”
Onomatopoeia
A word that sounds like a noise.
Adds realism by pulling readers into action scenes.
“Vroom”
Alliteration
Repeating the same starting sound in a set of words.
Adds rhythm/flow which highlights an idea.
“Silent snow swept the streets”
Assonance
Set of words that sound the same due to repetition of vowel sounds.
Creates musical/poetic tone.
“The cold stone rolled slowly”
Anaphora
Repetition at the start of a sentence or phrase.
Helps the reader remember the message and creates a sense of hope, fear, determination, or sorrow.
“We will survive. We will rebuild. We will unite.”
Simile
= Similar
A comparison using the words “like” or “as”, shows similarity between two things.
Helps create clarity about an idea by comparing.
“Her voice was like music”
Metaphor
A direct comparison saying one thing “is” another, often symbolic.
Creates a symbolic meaning.
“Her voice was music”
Vivid Verbs
Strong and specific word action or emotion word.
Paints a picture of an emotion.
“The man was happy” < “The man beamed”
Suspense/Tension
Builds anticipation, danger, stress etc
Prepares reader for climax.
“Her heart was bounding…and she opened the door slowly..”
Repetition
Repeating a word or phrase for emphasis.
Reinforces important ideas, themes or feelings.
“Silenct. Silent. Silent. In the dark.”
Tone
Authors attitude (angry, happy etc)
Shapes how the reader feels when reading.
Diction
Type of word choice. (formal, descriptive, informal etc)
“Mom” vs “Mother”