Poetic Devices

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

The same letter or sound repeated at the beginning of a closely connected word- repetition of consonant sounds.

Question 2

Anaphora

Answer 2

The repetition of a word or word phrases at the beginning of successive lines of a poem.

Question 3

Antithesis

Answer 3

Contrasting or contradictory ideas, images, mood/tone, actions (irony) throughout an overall piece of work (poetry, prose, or plays).

Question 4

Assonance

Answer 4

The repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry.

Question 5

Couplet

Answer 5

End words in two successive lines that rhyme with one another.

I ate a fish.
It was quite a dish.

Question 6

Dichotomy

Answer 6

A contrast between two things within a paragraph.

Question 7

Enjambment

Answer 7

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

Question 8

Homonyms

Answer 8

Words that are spelled and sound the same but have different meanings.
e.g. bank (of a river) and bank (for storing money)

Why did the tightrope walker visit his bank?
To check his balance.

Question 9

Homophone

Answer 9

Two words that you sound the same, but are spelled differently and have a different meaning.

e.g. peace/piece; hour/our; write/right

Question 10

Imagery

Answer 10

Words or phrases that create a mental image in the mind of the reader–vivid descriptions.

Question 11

Juxtaposition

Answer 11

Contrasting ideas that occur within a sentence.

Question 12

Lines

Answer 12

Sentences within a poem, not in prose.

Question 13

Malapropism

Answer 13

Using a word which sounds almost like the correct word but has the wrong meaning.

e.g. The Specific Ocean instead of The Pacific Ocean; or She is rather erotic rather than She is rather neurotic.

Question 14

Metaphor

Answer 14

A comparison of two dissimilar things NOT using ‘like’ or ‘as’.

e.g. Ashley is an angel.

Question 15

Mood

Answer 15

Feeling created by a poem or story for the reader (reader’s reaction).

Question 16

Onomatopoeia

Answer 16

Words that are written as the sound that they make.

e.g. splash, buzz, hiss.

Question 17

Oxymoron

Answer 17

Figure of speech where contradictory or contrasting words appear in a conjunction (near each other).

Question 18

Pathetic Fallacy

Answer 18

Writing technique that uses weather to create atmosphere or mood in a story, poem, or play.

Question 19

Personification

Answer 19

Giving human characteristics to a nonhuman object.

Question 20

Pun

Answer 20

A play on words which usually plays with sounds and meanings .

e.g. You can tune a guitar, but you can’t tuna fish.

What athlete is warmest in winter? A long jumper!

Question 21

Quatrain

Answer 21

A stanza made up of four lines.

Question 22

Refrain

Answer 22

Line, part of a line, or a group of lines that is repeated in the course of the poem.

Question 23

Repetition

Answer 23

Repeating a word or phrase throughout a poem, line, story, or sentence/paragraph.

Question 24

Rhyme

Answer 24

Repeating a word or phrase throughout a poem, line, story, or sentence/paragraph.

Question 25

Rhyme scheme

Answer 25

The pattern of rhymes in a poem.

e.g. ABAB CDCD

Question 26

Rhythm

Answer 26

Syllabic count of words to create a beat.

Question 27

Sibilance

Answer 27

Repetition of the “S” at the beginning of a series of words.

Question 28

Simile

like, as, than, resemble

Answer 28

Comparing two dissimilar things using ‘like’ ‘as’ ‘than’ or ‘resemble’.

Question 29

Spoonerism

Answer 29

When the sounds in words in a phrase are moved around for comic effect

e.g. A blushing crow instead of A crushing blow or A lack of pies instead of A pack of lies

Who hides in the bakery at Christmas? A mince spy.

Question 30

Stanza

Answer 30

A group of verse-lines in a poem, set off by a space before and after the group.

e.g. A paragraph, but in a poem.

Question 31

Tone

Answer 31

Feeling created and intended by the writer or poet.

Question 32

Volta

Answer 32

Turning point in a poem such as between the first 8 lines and final 4 of a Sonnet.