Figurative Language Flashcards
Apostrophe
A direct address to a dead or absent person, an abstract quality, or something non-human
Ex. “To a Mouse” or “O Canada”
Aphorism
A concise and poignant statement expressing a truth about life.
Ex. “Lost time is never found again”
Analogy
A special form of comparison that is used for a specific purpose: to explain something difficult or abstract by showing its similarity to something concrete/easy to understand
Ex. If the cell were a city, the mitochondria would be the power plant
Cliche
An overly used or stereotyped expression or phrase
Ex. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade
Euphemism
A deliberate softening of a harsh truth
Ex. The old man passed away (rather than died)
Hyperbole
The use of exaggeration
Ex. I’ve told you a million times
Idiom
A manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language. It’s meaning could not be inferred from the literal meaning of the words
Ex. “Backseat driver”, or “keep an eye on the kids for me”
Irony
The recognition of incongruity between reality and appearance. Can be situational, verbal, or ironic
Imagery
Words that create images in the reader’s mind by appealing to one or more of the 5 senses
Metaphor
A figure of speech that states a direct comparison between 2 dissimilar things
Ex. Juliet is the sun
Onomatopoeia
Use of words whose sounds seem to imitate the sounds associated with the action involved
Ex. Boom, buzz, crash
Personification
A figure of speech in which inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas are given human qualities
Ex. The stars danced across the midnight sky
Pun
A play on words that conveys two meanings at the same time
Ex. I’ve been to the dentist a lot, so I know the drill
Simile
A comparison between two things using “like” or “as”
Ex. You’re as cold as ice
Understatement
A phrase which expresses an idea in mild or restrained terms
Ex. “It’s a bit cold in here” when describing Burnsview
