Literary Techniques Flashcards
Alliteration
The repetition of the same starting sound in a sequence of words.
Colloquialism
The use of informal words or phrases in writing. Situates writing in time and place (accents, pronunciation)
Emotive Language
Words that use strong words based on feeling or emotion.
Foreshadowing
The author provides the reader with hints or clues as to what will happen in the future.
Hyperbole
Highly exaggerated statements that create emphasis, but are not necessarily true.
Imagery
Consists of descriptive language that can function as a way for the reader to better imagine the world of the piece of literature and also add symbolism to the work.
Metaphor
A literary device in which direct comparisons are made between two unlike objects.
Onomatopoeia
The use of words that imitate sounds.
Oxymoron
The use of two contradictory words together.
Pathetic Fallacy
A type of personification where emotions are given to a setting, an object or the weather.
Personification
A literary device that gives human attributes/characteristics of animal (non-human)
Repetition
Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer.
Rhetorical Question
A rhetorical question is asked just for effect or to lay emphasis on some point discussed when no real answer is expected.
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words occurring at the end of lines in poems or songs.
Slang
The use of casual language in everyday speech in writing.
Simile
A comparison of something using like or as.
