Poetic Devices

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words placed near each other
or use of same consonant and adjacent pairs

Question 2

Allegory

Answer 2

representation of abstract of spiritual meaning

Question 3

analogy

Answer 3

a comparison, usually something unfamiliar with something familiar

Question 4

Euphemism

Answer 4

an understatement, used to lessen the effect of a statement

substitutes something offensive for something innocuous

Question 5

Euphony

Answer 5

series of musically pleasant sounds which convey harmony and beauty
eg than oars divide the ocean
too silver for a seam
or Butterflies of banks of noon

Question 6

Connotation

Answer 6

emotionally, psychological and social overtones of a word; implications and associations apart from literal meaning

Question 7

Oxymoron

Answer 7

a combination of two words which appear to contradict each other eg bittersweet, tragic comedy

Question 8

Synechdoche

Answer 8

indicating a person or object by letting a certain part represent the whole
eg all hands on deck

Question 9

pun

Answer 9

word play - words with totally different meanings have similar or identical sounds
eg like a firefly in the rain, i was de-lighted

Question 10

ambiguity

Answer 10

word or phrase which can mean more than one thing even in context - adds richness to interpretation
- one meaning often seems readily apparent

Question 11

allegory

Answer 11

representation of abstract or spiritual meaning

Question 12

simile

Answer 12

a direct comparision of 2 unlike things, using ‘like’ or ‘as’

Question 13

metaphor

Answer 13

direct comparision of 2 unlike things that one ‘is’ or the other ‘does’
eg Hes a zero, her fingers danced across the keyboard

Question 14

cacophony

Answer 14

discordant series of harsh, unpleasant sounds to convey disorder
eg my stick fingers click with a snicker

Question 15

Paradox

Answer 15

a statement which a seemingly contradiction may reveal an unexpected truth. often, two statements that are true, but cannot be true at the same time
i must be cruel to be kind - Hamlet
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others - Animal Farm

Question 16

hyperbole

Answer 16

an outrageous exaggeration used for effect

eg he weighs a tonne

Question 17

Onomatopoeia

Answer 17

words that sound like their meanings eg boom, buzz, tick, crash, gurgle
Assonance or alliteration can also be onomatopoeia: steady tick of the old hall clock

Question 18

allusion

Answer 18

reference to a person, historical, biblical or mythological situation

Question 19

contrast

Answer 19

closely arranged with strikingly different characteristics eg he was dark, sinister; she was radiant, pleasant, kind

Question 20

irony

Answer 20

contradictory statement or situation to reveal a different reality to what appears to be true

Question 21

assonance

Answer 21

repeated vowel sounds placed near each other, in same or adjacent lines, accented or stressed
eg Hes a brusin loser