Poetic Devices Flashcards
What is a simile?
A figure of speech that compares two different things using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
True or False: A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things without using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
True
Fill in the blank: A __________ is a recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story.
motif
What is personification?
Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or inanimate objects.
Choose the correct poetic device: ‘The wind whispered through the trees.’
Personification
What does alliteration refer to?
The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words.
True or False: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
True
What is the effect of using onomatopoeia in poetry?
It imitates natural sounds, enhancing the sensory experience for the reader.
Identify the poetic device: ‘The thunder rumbled like a freight train.’
Simile
What is an example of hyperbole?
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, such as ‘I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.’
Fill in the blank: A __________ is a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph.
extended metaphor
What is the purpose of a rhyme scheme in poetry?
To create a pattern of sounds that contributes to the poem’s musicality and structure.
True or False: A couplet consists of two lines of poetry that typically rhyme.
True
What is enjambment?
The continuation of a sentence or clause over a line break in poetry.
Choose the correct poetic device: ‘The stars danced playfully in the night sky.’
Personification
What is an oxymoron?
A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms, such as ‘bittersweet.’
Fill in the blank: The __________ is the central idea or theme in a poem.
subject
What is imagery in poetry?
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates mental images.
True or False: A stanza is a grouped set of lines in a poem, often separated by a blank line.
True
What is a refrain?
A repeated line or group of lines in a poem, typically at the end of a stanza.
Identify the poetic device: ‘The silence was deafening.’
Oxymoron
