Poetic Devices Flashcards
Alliteration
The same letter or sound repeated at the beginning of a closely connected word- repetition of consonant sounds.
Anaphora
The repetition of a word or word phrases at the beginning of successive lines of a poem.
Antithesis
Contrasting or contradictory ideas, images, mood/tone, actions (irony) throughout an overall piece of work (poetry, prose, or plays).
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry.
Couplet
End words in two successive lines that rhyme with one another.
I ate a fish.
It was quite a dish.
Dichotomy
A contrast between two things within a paragraph.
Enjambment
The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.
Homonyms
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.
Homophone
Two words that you sound the same, but are spelled differently and have a different meaning.
e.g. peace/piece; hour/our; write/right
Imagery
Words or phrases that create a mental image in the mind of the reader–vivid descriptions.
Juxtaposition
Contrasting ideas that occur within a sentence.
Lines
Sentences within a poem, not in prose.
Malapropism
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.
Metaphor
A comparison of two dissimilar things NOT using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
e.g. Ashley is an angel.
Mood
Feeling created by a poem or story for the reader (reader’s reaction).
Onomatopoeia
Words that are written as the sound that they make.
e.g. splash, buzz, hiss.
Oxymoron
Figure of speech where contradictory or contrasting words appear in a conjunction (near each other).
Pathetic Fallacy
Writing technique that uses weather to create atmosphere or mood in a story, poem, or play.
Personification
Giving human characteristics to a nonhuman object.
Pun
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!
Quatrain
A stanza made up of four lines.
Refrain
Line, part of a line, or a group of lines that is repeated in the course of the poem.
Repetition
Repeating a word or phrase throughout a poem, line, story, or sentence/paragraph.
Rhyme
Repeating a word or phrase throughout a poem, line, story, or sentence/paragraph.
Rhyme scheme
The pattern of rhymes in a poem.
e.g. ABAB CDCD
Rhythm
Syllabic count of words to create a beat.
Sibilance
Repetition of the “S” at the beginning of a series of words.
Simile
like, as, than, resemble
Comparing two dissimilar things using ‘like’ ‘as’ ‘than’ or ‘resemble’.
Spoonerism
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.
Stanza
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.
Tone
Feeling created and intended by the writer or poet.
Volta
Turning point in a poem such as between the first 8 lines and final 4 of a Sonnet.
