Literary Techniques
Stanza | A group of lines in a poem forming a division |
Rhyme | Correspondence of sound between words at the end of lines, especially in poetry |
Internal rhyme | Rhyme between words within a line of poetry |
Rhyming Couplet | Two consecutive lines that rhyme |
Half Rhyme | Imperfect rhyme, where the sounds are similar but not identical |
Rhythm | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem or piece of writing |
Caesura | A pause within a line of verse, often indicated by a punctuation mark |
Repetition | The repeating of a word or phrase for emphasis or effect |
Enjambment | The continuation of a sentence without a pause at the end of a line of verse |
Simile | A figure of speech comparing two things using "like" or "as" |
Metaphor | A figure of speech that directly compares two things without using "like" or "as" |
Personification | Giving human qualities to an object or idea |
Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words |
Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words |
Onomatopoeia | The use of words that imitate sounds |
Volta | A sudden shift in thought or direction in a poem |
Lineation | The arrangement of words into lines in a poem |
Imagery | The use of vivid language to create sensory experiences |
Symbolism | The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts |
Sibilance | The repetition of hissing sounds (such as s, sh, and z) |
Juxtaposition | The placing of two contrasting ideas or images side by side |
Oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms |
Pathetic Fallacy | The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects |
Hyperbole | An exaggeration |
Iambic Pentameter | A specific meter in poetry with five iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) per line |
Metre | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem |
End-stopped Lines | Lines of poetry that come to a complete stop at the end of the line |
Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses |
Allusion | A reference to a historical or literary figure or event |
Semantic Field | A group of words that are related in meaning |
Blank Verse | Poetry written in iambic pentameter without rhyme |
Free Verse | Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme |
Consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds at the end of words close together |
Epistrophe | Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive lines or clauses |
Metonymy | A figure of speech where a word or phrase is used to represent something else closely associated with it |
Motif | A recurring element or theme in a work of literature |
Tone | The writer's attitude towards the subject or audience |
Irony | A contradiction between what is expected and what actually happens |
Contrast | The placing of opposing ideas or characters side by side to highlight their differences |
Connotation | The implied meaning of a word, in addition to its literal meaning |
Paradox | A statement that seems contradictory but may contain truth |
Pun | A play on words that has two meanings |
Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect, not expecting an answer |
Stanza | A group of lines in a poem forming a division |
Rhyme | Correspondence of sound between words at the end of lines, especially in poetry |
Internal rhyme | Rhyme between words within a line of poetry |
Rhyming Couplet | Two consecutive lines that rhyme |
Half Rhyme | Imperfect rhyme, where the sounds are similar but not identical |
Rhythm | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem or piece of writing |
Caesura | A pause within a line of verse, often indicated by a punctuation mark |
Repetition | The repeating of a word or phrase for emphasis or effect |
Enjambment | The continuation of a sentence without a pause at the end of a line of verse |
Simile | A figure of speech comparing two things using "like" or "as" |
Metaphor | A figure of speech that directly compares two things without using "like" or "as" |
Personification | Giving human qualities to an object or idea |
Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words |
Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words |
Onomatopoeia | The use of words that imitate sounds |
Volta | A sudden shift in thought or direction in a poem |
Lineation | The arrangement of words into lines in a poem |
Imagery | The use of vivid language to create sensory experiences |
Symbolism | The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts |
Sibilance | The repetition of hissing sounds (such as s, sh, and z) |
Juxtaposition | The placing of two contrasting ideas or images side by side |
Oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms |
Pathetic Fallacy | The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects |
Hyperbole | An exaggeration |
Iambic Pentameter | A specific meter in poetry with five iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) per line |
Metre | The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem |
End-stopped Lines | Lines of poetry that come to a complete stop at the end of the line |
Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses |
Allusion | A reference to a historical or literary figure or event |
Semantic Field | A group of words that are related in meaning |
Blank Verse | Poetry written in iambic pentameter without rhyme |
Free Verse | Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme |
Consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds at the end of words close together |
Epistrophe | Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive lines or clauses |
Metonymy | A figure of speech where a word or phrase is used to represent something else closely associated with it |
Motif | A recurring element or theme in a work of literature |
Tone | The writer's attitude towards the subject or audience |
Irony | A contradiction between what is expected and what actually happens |
Contrast | The placing of opposing ideas or characters side by side to highlight their differences |
Connotation | The implied meaning of a word, in addition to its literal meaning |
Paradox | A statement that seems contradictory but may contain truth |
Pun | A play on words that has two meanings |
Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect, not expecting an answer |
