Figures Of Speech Flashcards
Irony
Statement that conveys the opposite meaning of what is literally said. It contradicts the situation
Litotes
Understatement which implies a negative to express the meaning of the affirmative eg that dress is not too bad or she isn’t the friendliest woman in the world
Metaphor
Comparison of 2 different things that share a common characteristic
Alliteration
Repetition of consonant sound within a phrase or sentence
Anaphora
A word repeated multiple times within a phrase
Eg my life is happy, my life is simple, my life is complete
Antithesis
Applying a juxtaposition of ideas which are contrasting in a statement that is balanced
Eg love is an ideal thing marriage is a real thing
Apostrophe
Speaking to a dead object or thing as if it’s still alive like come on trousers you have to fit me
Assonance
Similarity in sounds between vowels in the middle of neighboring words
Chiasmus
When two sentences are balanced against one another but the words are reversed
Like work to live and do not live to work
Euphemism
Replacement of a phrase which might be deemed as offensive by one which implies which implies the same meaning but does not carry offence with it.
Instead of saying he died, you would say he passed away
Hyperbole
Term that uses exaggeration to add more dramatic meaning to the sentence.
Metonymy
Phrase replaced with another used to describe something in an indirect manner for example
My husband is a silver fox
Onomatopoeia
Word resembling the sound it’s making
Oxymoron
Two words in a phrase contradict each other
She’s pretty ugly
Paradox
Statement which contradicts itself
He’s a wise fool
It is the beginning of the end.
Personification
When an object is given human qualities
Pun
Is a play on words, it uses a word in a different sense and gives the sentence double meaning
An egg for breakfast is not easy to beat
Insinuate that it’s really nice or not easy to make
Simile
Phrase that compares two things using like or as
Synecdoche
Is a statement in which a part of something is expressed to relate to the whole.
For example he has got some new wheels
Understatement
Statement conveyed to be less important than what is actually being conveyed for example I only have 2 million dollars
