Descriptive Devices Flashcards
Action Words
Action-packed verbs, (-ing verbs)
Describe movement, action that the reader can ‘picture’ happening ‘now’
The man’s frantic flapping and splashing in the deep water indicated he wasn’t a competent swimmer
Alliteration
The deliberate repetition of initial consonant sounds.
Peter piper picked a pepper
Allusion
A reference to a famous literary archetype, mythological, spiritual, or historical figure, character or event.
To understand the use of particular allusion, one must recognize the figure or event alluded to and then must apply its characteristics or qualities to the subject.
Analogy
A comparison between two things (beyond a simple metaphor) for the purpose of explanation or clarification.
Apostrophe
A type of personification.
A direct address towards (by the speaker) towards an inanimate object or idea thereby giving human-like qualities to the object
ex. rain, rain go away
Assonance
The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds.
Jake ate the cake that was baked for eight.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech stated as an extreme exaggeration.
I waited for an eternity for the bus this morning.
Idiom
Words or phrases that aren’t meant to be taken literally. They are so commonly used that it has a valid meaning.
If someone has Cold Feet it doesn’t mean that their toes are actually cold. It means they are nervous.
Imagery
A recurring theme in a poem expresses through repeated, rich, sensory images.
Visual, Taste, Touch, Sound
Can also be created by things other than the senses - seasonal, animal, ocean, etc…
Irony
A manner of speaking or writing in which the literal meaning expresses is the opposite of the meaning intended and which aims at ridicule, humour or sarcasm.
Jargon
The specialized language used by people in the same work or profession, sport, activity, or other domain.
Loan Word
A word adopted from a foreign language with little or no modification.
It is not defined or translated, it is used deliberately to add meaning or effect
Usually they are shown in italics to distinguish them.
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a direct comparison is made between two different things with similar or comparable qualities.
Onomatopoeia
words that sound like the sounds they describe.
Bang, crash, snap, crackle, pop
Oxymoron
A figure of speech in which two words with contrasting or contradictory meanings are situated side by side for effect.
Sweet pain, Jumbo shrimp, dry ice, little giant
Paradox
A figure of speech in which a phrase or sentence expresses seemingly contrasting or contradictory ideas.
In death she lives. A blind man often sees best
Personification
The treating of an abstract thing or object as if it had human qualities in description
The rain danced with the surface of the lake
Repetition
Repeating a word, phrase, or sentence.
It adds emphasis, unity, and/or power to expression.
Simile
A type of metaphor in which an indirect comparison between two different things which have similar or comparable qualities is made
Always contain like, as, or than
Spatial Relationships/Descriptions
A structure in which details are presented as they are (or were) located in space - from left to right, top to bottom, etc.
Using directional words to enhance a reader’s understanding - right, left, under, above, near, next to.
