English Exam Content Flashcards
Metaphor
Figure of speech that compares two things without using like or as.
The moon was a ghostly galleon.
Simile
A library is like an island in the middle of a vast sea of ignorance.
She’s strong as an ox.
My pulse, like a drum / beats
Imagery
Imagery refers to the use of figurative language to represent objects, actions, and ideas in a way that appeals to our physical senses. Although we often think of imagery as visual, it often evokes a variety of senses and can evoke multiple senses at once
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him. The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats.
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
I am so hungry I could eat all the food here.
My brother said that he had a million things to do when he was actually sitting idly.
Amrita carried home a ton of papers that she had to grade before Friday.
Rory went on forever about the city she lived in.
Irony
A figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected, creating a noticeable incongruity.
When T.S. Eliot’s insignificant and ineffectual character Prufrock asks “Do I dare/ Disturb the universe?”
Juxtaposition
Placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences.
Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
All’s fair in love and war.
Personification
Attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea.
The tired old car coughed and wheezed and crawled down the street.
AND
Science-fiction novels were his constant companions.
Repetition
Intentionally using a word, phrase, or sentence structure two or more times in close proximity.
And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Allusion
Brief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) or to another work of art or literature.
Her smile is like kryptonite to me.
AND
Be careful not to open Pandora’s box!
Foreshadowing
be a warning or indication of (a future event).
Symbolism
Symbolism is the use of words or images to symbolize specific concepts, people, objects, or events. It is the idea that things represent other things
What we mean by that is that we can look at something — let’s say, the color red — and conclude that it represents not the color red itself but something beyond it: for example, passion, or love, or devotion.
Comma splices
an instance of using a comma to link two independent clauses (which should instead be linked by a colon, semicolon, or conjunction), as in he loves cooking, he’s great at making curries.
Sentence fragments
A sentence fragment is a sentence that is missing either its subject or its main verb. Incorrect: Went to the store yesterday.
Fused sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two independent clauses run together without proper punctuation or appropriate conjunctions. Incorrect: Helen cooked dinner therefore Ralph will wash the dishes. Correct: Helen cooked dinner; therefore, Ralph will wash the dishes.
Active voice
In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. Carmen sings the song.
