Literary Devices (Grade 9) Flashcards
What is Alliteration and provide an example.
The repetition of the same beginning sound in nearby words.
Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
What is Explication and provide an example.
The act of analyzing and interpreting the meaning of a text, often by looking closely at its details or figurative language.
Example: Analyzing a poem to understand its deeper meaning.
What is Figurative Language and provide an example.
Language that doesn’t mean exactly what it says but suggests something deeper or more vivid.
Example: “Her smile was a ray of sunshine.”
What is a Figure of Speech and provide an example.
An expression where words are used in a non-literal way to convey meaning more creatively.
Example: “Time is money.”
What is a Hyperbole and provide an example.
An exaggerated way of expressing something, not meant to be taken
literally.
Example: “I’ve told you a million times!”
What is Imagery and provide an example.
The use of detailed descriptions that appeal to the five senses to create a mental image or feeling.
Example: Describing a rainy day with words like “pattering” and “wet streets.”
What is a Metaphor and provide an example.
A comparison of two different things without using “like,” “as” or “than” suggesting they are the same in some way.
Example: “Time is a thief.”
What is Onomatopoeia and provide an example.
Words that sound like the things they describe.
Example: “Buzz,” “clang,” “crash.”
What is an Oxymoron and provide an example.
Two contradictory words placed together to create a surprising or unique idea.
Example: “Jumbo shrimp.”
What is Personification and provide an example.
Giving human characteristics to non-human things.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
What is a Pun and provide an example.
A joke that plays on words that sound alike but have different meanings.
Example: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
What is Repetition and provide an example.
Repeating words or phrases to emphasize an idea.
Example: “Never give up, never give in.”
What is a Rhetorical Question and provide an example.
A question asked for effect, where no answer is expected.
Example: “Who doesn’t love pizza?”
What is Sarcasm and provide an example.
Saying something but meaning the opposite, usually to mock or convey contempt.
Example: “Oh, great. Another homework assignment.”
What is a Simile and provide an example.
A comparison between two things using “like”, “as” or “than.”
Example: “Her hair was as soft as silk.”
What is a Symbol (Symbolism) and provide an example.
An object, person, or event that represents a deeper meaning beyond its literal sense.
Example: The conch in Lord of the Flies symbolizes power.
What is Foreshadowing and provide an example.
Foreshadowing is a device in which a storyteller gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.
Example: Romeo & Juliet Act 1 Scene 4: Romeo feels uneasy about attending the party, saying he fears “some consequence yet hanging in the stars” will lead to his “untimely death.”
What is Situational Irony and provide an example.
When the opposite of what you expect to happen happens.
Example: A fire station burning down.
What is Verbal Irony and provide an example.
When a person says one thing but means the opposite.
Example: A chef saying, “This dish could win an award,” after accidentally burning the food.
What is Dramatic Irony and provide an example.
When the audience knows something that characters do not.
Example: A character in a horror movie hides in a closet, unaware that the killer is inside with them, but the audience knows.
