Figure of Speech Definition Example

1. Alliteration Repetition of initial Black Beauty, Funny Frog, Selling Socks

(MOST consonant sounds
COMMONLY
USED)
FUN FACT

2. Anaphora Repition of a word

or phrase at the
beginning of 2 or
Animals -Walt Whitman
more consequent
lines of a poem
3. Assonance Repetition of vowel Patience always pays
sounds among a
group of words
4. Oxymoron Contradictory terms
are used together
The tiger in the zoo – Leslie Norris
5. Juxtaposition Juxtaposition happe The same poem contrasts the tiger living in the
ns when there are zoo and the tiger living in the jungle, since here
two or more contrasting locations bring our contrasting
elements in a scene emotions in the tiger, it is an example of
that contrast with juxtaposition
each other.
6. Synecdoche When a part of Jake went to buy himself a set of wheels.
something is used to (here a set of wheels is used to symbolize a car)
represent a whole
7. Metaphor Comparison Time is money.
between 2 things
that are not similar Here both time and money are different from
but have something each other, but they have one thing in common
in common. It often (Their VALUE!). This shows that time is valuable,
has deep meaning. and we must not waste it.
No connectives are
used.
8. Simile It is a way of saying She is as sweet as sugar.
something is like He is as grumpy as a bear.
something else. It is
 just like metaphor, Here as is used as a connective
but it makes use of
connectives. E.g.:
like and as
9. Rhyming Pattern of rhyme at Twinkle Twinkle Little star
Scheme the end of each line How I wonder what you are?
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
10. Transferred When and adjective Desperate Eyes
Epithet used to describe a
particular thing is Here the eyes are not desperate, the person
transferred to himself is desperate for something
another
11. Enjambment Lines continue
without
punctuations
12. Personificati Representing The leaves danced in the wind.
on something as if it is a
person (by giving Dancing is a human quality adjoined to leaves
human qualities)
13. Onomatopoe Words intended to Boom, Smash, Poof, Aaargh
ia imitate sounds
14. Hyperbole Exaggeration I am so hungry I could eat a horse
15. Paradox A statement which Be cruel to be kind.
contradicts itself but
may also have a Sometimes the truth might be painful to hear
deep truth but saying it anyway shows that you are a kind
person
16. Irony A situation in which Water is as clear as mud.
evident meaning of
something is Here the person intends to say that the water is
opposite to intended not clear
meaning
17. Polyptoton Repetition of words Strong – Strength
derived from the Blood Bleed
same root
18. Sibilance Sibilance is a figure Sam sold seven stocks since September
of speech in which a
hissing sound is
created within a
group of words
through
the repetition of "s"
sounds.
19. Humor Expressing Sometimes I need something that only you can
something funny provide – Your Absence
20. Sarcasm Sarcasm is an ironic
remark meant to
mock by saying
something different
than what the
speaker really
means.
21. Satire Using humor,
exaggeration,
sarcasm, and irony
altogether to ridicule
or criticize someone
of their faults

NOTE: THIS FIGURE OF SPEECH IS COMMONLY

USED IN POLITICAL CARTOONS
22. Repetition Repeating a word The poem ‘Amanda’ (Robert Klein) involves the
throughout the frequent repition of the word ‘Amanda.’
poem for effect

23. Asyndeton Lines which continue A dime, Another ball, Worthless

without a
conjunctions. The ball poem – Walt Whitman
24. Imagery Use of descriptive
language to create a
picture in the mind
of the reader
Tea from Assam – Arup Kumar Dutta
25. Free Verse Poetry / lines with
rhyme or rhythm

26. Rhyming A Rhyming

Couplet Couplet is two line
of the same length
that rhyme and
complete one
thought.
27. Consonance Alternative Form of A bond that Transends the beyond
Assonance:
Repetition of one or
more consonant
sounds among a
group of words
28. Analogy Comparing 2 things Finding my car keys is like finding a needle in a
for the purpose of haystack
 explanation
.Complex structure
29. Homonyms Same spelling – Tell
different meaning 1) To inform
2)To Count
Portrait of a lady – Khushwant Singh
30. Allusion Relating to popular
literary work. Just
like metaphor but it
is more complex.
Commonly known as Amanda – Robert Klien
logical argument.