Literary Techniques

Question 1

Imagery

Answer 1

The image a writer creates using words

Question 2

Personification

Answer 2

Describing an object, animal or idea as if it were a person

Question 3

Contrast/juxtaposition

Answer 3

Placing two opposing ideas next to each other

Question 4

Oxymoron

Answer 4

Two complete opposites used together to create a new meaning e.g bitter sweet

Question 5

Symbolism

Answer 5

Using something to represent something else

Question 6

Simile

Answer 6

When the writer compares two things using like or as

Question 7

Metaphor

Answer 7

When something is said to be something else, stronger than a simile e.g “ a blanket of mist”

Question 8

Hyperbole

Answer 8

Extreme exaggeration

Question 9

Ambiguity

Answer 9

Where words/ sentences have more than one meaning

Question 10

Rhetorical question

Answer 10

A statement disguised as a question ; a question that doesn’t need a response

Question 11

Alliteration

Answer 11

Repetition of the same letter at the beginning of a series of words

Question 12

Onomatopoeia

Answer 12

Words whose sound imitate their meaning e.g bang! Clap!

Question 13

Assonance

Answer 13

Repetition of vowel sounds

Question 14

Consonance

Answer 14

Repetition of consonants

Question 15

Sibilance

Answer 15

Repetition of the “s” sound e.g she sells sea shells on the sea shore

Question 16

Allegory

Answer 16

A story in which the characters and events are symbols that stand for ideas about human life or society

Question 17

Colloquial

Answer 17

Slang, maybe be used in a story or poem to make it more informal or personal

Question 18

Irony

Answer 18

Using words humorously or sarcastically implying the opposite of what they mean

Question 19

Tone

Answer 19

The atmosphere or feeling of a story or poem e.g sadness, joy, anxiety, regret, anger

Question 20

Lexical set

Answer 20

A group of words belonging to the same topic e.g haunt, ghost, nightmare

Question 21

Semantic field

Answer 21

A set of words related in meaning e.g love, passion, affection

Question 22

Connotation

Answer 22

Concepts associated to certain words/objects/ideas

Question 23

Pathetic fallacy

Answer 23

Putting emotions or characteristics to nature, to make a scene more foreboding or dramatic

Question 24

Satire

Answer 24

A work containing heavy sarcasm and humour to criticise an element of society or politics

Question 25

Understatement

Answer 25

When a writer or speaker says less than they mean; the opposite of exaggeration

Question 26

Allusion

Answer 26

When the writer makes references to figures or events from literature, history or mythology