English Literary Techniques

Question 1

What is Alliteration?

Answer 1

The repetition of a single consonant sound at the beginning of words or on stressed syllables.

Question 2

Define Allegory.

Answer 2

A story in prose or verse with a literal meaning co-existing with a metaphorical interpretation.

Question 3

What does Allusion refer to?

Answer 3

An implicit reference to another work of literature, art, or a person/event.

Question 4

What is Anaphora?

Answer 4

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses.

Question 5

Define Antithesis.

Answer 5

Contrasting ideas, often using opposite meanings, to highlight differences.

Question 6

What is an Anecdote?

Answer 6

A brief story or account used to reinforce a point.

Question 7

What is Anacoluthon?

Answer 7

A sentence that begins in one way but ends in a different way, often with a hyphen linking two clauses.

Question 8

Define Antonomasia.

Answer 8

The substitution of a proper noun for an epithet or title.

Question 9

What is Apostrophe in literature?

Answer 9

Addressing a person, place, or thing as though it could respond.

Question 10

What does Assonance mean?

Answer 10

The repetition of similar vowel sounds for effect.

Question 11

What is Asyndeton?

Answer 11

The omission of conjunctions or articles to speed up the pace.

Question 12

Define Cliché.

Answer 12

A worn-out phrase or expression that has lost its original impact due to overuse.

Question 13

What is Connotation?

Answer 13

The implied or suggested meaning of a word beyond its literal definition.

Question 14

What does Denotation refer to?

Answer 14

The literal meaning of a word.

Question 15

Define Dramatic Irony.

Answer 15

When the audience knows something the characters do not.

Question 16

What is a Euphemism?

Answer 16

The use of a mild or indirect expression instead of a direct or harsh one.

Question 17

What does Foreshadowing mean?

Answer 17

The technique of hinting at future events in a narrative.

Question 18

What is Hyperbole?

Answer 18

An exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Question 19

Define Juxtaposition.

Answer 19

Placing two elements side by side to highlight their differences.

Question 20

What is a Metaphor?

Answer 20

A direct comparison between two unlike things to reveal a deeper meaning.

Question 21

What does Personification mean?

Answer 21

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities.

Question 22

Define Simile.

Answer 22

A comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to show similarities between two things.

Question 23

What is Synecdoche?

Answer 23

Using a part to represent a whole or vice versa.

Question 24

What is Epiphora (Epistrophe)?

Answer 24

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.

Question 25

Define Bathos.

Answer 25

An attempt at achieving sublime expression that leads to an absurd or comical result.

Question 26

What is Chiasmus?

Answer 26

The reversal of grammatical structure in subsequent clauses or phrases.

Question 27

What does Colloquialism refer to?

Answer 27

Informal language or expressions often used in everyday speech.

Question 28

What is an Oxymoron?

Answer 28

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms (e.g., ‘bittersweet’).

Question 29

Define Paradox.

Answer 29

A statement that appears contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth.

Question 30

What is a Rhetorical Question?

Answer 30

A question posed to make a point rather than to elicit an answer.

Question 31

What does Anesis refer to?

Answer 31

A rhetorical device where a concluding phrase deliberately diminishes or discredits the previous statement.

Question 32

What is Hendiadys?

Answer 32

Using two nouns joined by a conjunction to express a single idea.

Question 33

Define Onomatopoeia.

Answer 33

Words that imitate the natural sounds associated with them.

Question 34

What is Epizeuxis?

Answer 34

The repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis or effect.

Question 35

What does Parody mean?

Answer 35

A humorous or mocking imitation of a work, style, or genre.

Question 36

Define Repetition.

Answer 36

The intentional reuse of words or phrases for emphasis or to create rhythm.

Question 37

What is Epistrophe?

Answer 37

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Question 38

What does Elipsis refer to?

Answer 38

The omission of words for effect, often represented by three dots.

Question 39

What is Anacoluthon in grammar?

Answer 39

A grammatical inconsistency in a sentence structure that disrupts the flow.

Question 40

Define Adynaton.

Answer 40

A hyperbolic expression emphasizing the impossible or unattainable.

Question 41

What is Amphiboly?

Answer 41

Ambiguity caused by loose grammar that leads to multiple interpretations.

Question 42

What does Antiphrasis mean?

Answer 42

Using a word in the opposite sense to its proper meaning.

Question 43

Define Anthropomorphism.

Answer 43

Attributing human traits or behaviors to non-human entities.

Question 44

What is Bathos in literature?

Answer 44

A sudden descent from the sublime or serious to the ridiculous.

Question 45

What is Chiasmus in rhetoric?

Answer 45

The reversal of elements in two parallel clauses.

Question 46

What does Ellipsis refer to in writing?

Answer 46

The omission of words for brevity, often to create suspense.

Question 47

What is Aposiopesis?

Answer 47

Breaking off a sentence abruptly, leaving it unfinished.

Question 48

Define Conceit.

Answer 48

An elaborate metaphor that may extend throughout a work.

Question 49

What is Antanaclasis?

Answer 49

The repetition of a word with a different meaning each time.

Question 50

What is Anaphora in literature?

Answer 50

Repetition of a phrase at the beginning of sentences to create rhythm.