March Literary Devices (Definition)

Question 1

Enjambment

Answer 1

The continuation of a sentence without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line.
- “I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.”

Question 2

Stanza

Answer 2

A grouped set of lines in a poem

Question 3

Syncope

Answer 3

The omission of sounds, syllables, or letters from the middle of a word. It’s often used in poetry to fit the meter or rhyme.
- “O’er” (instead of “over”)
- “Ne’er” (instead of “never”)

Question 4

Alliteration

Answer 4

The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in words that are close to each other.
- “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Question 5

Consonance

Answer 5

The repetition of consonant sounds, only at the end or middle of words.
- “The lumpy, bumpy road.”
(The “m” and “b” sounds are repeated.)

Question 6

Assonance

Answer 6

The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
- “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.”
(The “ai” sound is repeated.)

Question 7

Apostrophe

Answer 7

A figure of speech where a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract concept, or an object.
- “O Death, where is thy sting?”
(Here, the speaker addresses “Death” as though it were a person.)

Question 8

Allusion

Answer 8

A reference to a person, place, event, or work of literature that is not directly mentioned but is expected to be understood by the audience.
- “He was a real Romeo with the ladies.”
(This alludes to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.)

Question 9

Iambic Pentameter

Answer 9

A type of meter in poetry where each line has ten syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables in a pattern (da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM).
- “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Question 10

Meter

Answer 10

The structured rhythm of a poem, determined by the number and type of beats or syllables in each line.

Question 11

Metaphor

Answer 11

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things by stating that one is the other.
- “Time is a thief.”

Question 12

Simile

Answer 12

A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.”
- “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”

Question 13

Tone

Answer 13

The attitude or feeling conveyed by the author or speaker in a piece of writing. It can be formal, informal, serious, humorous, etc.
- In a poem, if the tone is somber, the author might use words like “grief,” “lost,” or “mourn.”

Question 14

Mood

Answer 14

The emotional atmosphere that a piece of writing evokes in the reader. It’s the feeling the reader experiences.

Question 15

Hyperbole

Answer 15

An exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally.
- “I’ve told you a million times!”