English Study Material

Figures of Speech Notes

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that

possesses a separate meaning from its literal
definition.

Simile
A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a
different kind.
It is used to make a description more emphatic or vivid. It is usually introduced by
words such as like, as or so.

Examples: -
The king was as brave as a lion.
The siblings fought like cats and dogs.
Love is patient so is my mother.

Metaphor
A metaphor is an implied Simile. It does not like a simile, state that one thing is
like another but takes that for granted as if two things were one.

Examples -
The classroom was a zoo.
The camel is the ship of the desert.
The sky is an infinite ocean
His eyes were ice.

Trick : Check the presence of as and like , if

they're absent then it's most likely a metaphor
 Personification
Here inanimate objects and abstract notions are spoken of as
having life and intelligence (Giving Human Characterstics)
Example:-
I heard the cake call my name.
My car is a real beauty.
The wind howled at night.
Lightening danced across the sky.

Apostrophe
It is a special form of personification. It is the direct address to the dead,
the absent, or to a personified person or idea.

Example :-
Car, please get me to work today.
Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean-roll!

Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a rhetorical device that uses an ostensible self-contradiction to
illustrate a rhetorical point . Oxumoron - made of oxus, meaning “sharp” and
moros, meaning “dull”

Example :-

All the politicians agreed to disagree.

Living dead; irregular pattern; the cat is mighty small.
He is a wise fool. Poor little

Hyperbole
Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Example:

My shoes are killing me.

The bag weighs a tonne.
There is enough food in the cupboard to feed an entire army.
Alliteration
The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of
adjacent or closely connected words.

Example:
Peter Piped Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers.
Man may come, Man may go

Irony
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be
too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Example:
My uncle has recently passed away (died).
She’s on the streets (homeless).
We’re going to have to let you go (firing you).
He’s creative with the truth.
The dog was put to sleep.
He’s a couch potato.

Litotes
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be
too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Example:
It’s not a difficult problem.
The trip wasn’t a total waste.
She doesn’t always have the best sense of direction.
Transferred Epithet
Here an epithet is transferred from its proper word to another
that is closely associated with it in the sentence.
Example:.
He passed a sleepless night.
I had a wonderful day.
A careless match.
He pointed an angry finger at me.

Exclamation
The exclamatory form is used to draw greater attention to a point than a mere
bald statement of it could do.
Example:.
What a beautiful dress!

Rhetorical question
Asking a question not for the sake of getting an answer but to put a point more
effectively.
Example:
Do you want to be a failure for the rest of your life?

Understatement
A statement which is made to be less important than what is actually being
conveyed.
Example:
I only have 2 million dollars.
The Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground.
The deserts are sometimes hot, dry and sandy.
Onomatopoeia
Word that imitates the natural sounds of a thing.
It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the
description more expressive and interesting.
Example:
The buzzing bee.
The sack fell into the river with a splash.
The rustling of the leaves.
My watch ticks loudly.
The crow cawed overhead.

Paradox
A paradox is a figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict
itself.

Example:
The child present in the class was absent.
This is the beginning of the end.
Deep down, you're really shallow.
Less is more.
Your enemy’s enemy is your friend.

Allusion
Author refers to when we hint at something and expect the other person to
understand what we are referencing.

Example :-
Chocolate is his Kryptonite.
If I'm not home by midnight, my car might turn into a pumpkin.
She felt like she had a golden ticket.
Is there an Einstein in your physics class?
His job is like pulling a sword out of a stone.
Malapropism
Malapropism the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a
word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, sometimes
humorous utterance..

Example:-
A miss-speech.
I might just fade into bolivian.
He is the very pineapple of politeness!”
What do I look like, an inferior decorator?

Sarcasm
The use of irony to mock or convey contempt. Used mainly to say the opposite
of what's true to make someone look or feel foolish.
For example
They are really on top of the things.

Satire
The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's
stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other
topical issues.