Literary Devices and Figures of Speech Flashcards

What literary device is used in the sentence: 'The wind whispered through the trees'?

Answer: Personification

Personification gives the wind a human quality (whispering), which is a non-human subject acting like a person.

Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?

Answer: Life is a roller coaster.

A metaphor makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'; 'Life is a roller coaster' equates life directly to a roller coaster.

Which sentence uses a simile?

Answer: He ran like the wind.

A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to compare two things; 'ran like the wind' uses 'like' to compare his speed to the wind.

'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers' is an example of:

Answer: Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words; here the 'p' sound is repeated throughout.

Exaggeration used for emphasis or comic effect is called:

Answer: Hyperbole

Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration not meant to be taken literally, used to emphasize a point or create humor.

Words like 'buzz,' 'hiss,' and 'bang' are examples of:

Answer: Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to words that phonetically imitate or suggest the sounds they describe.

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth is called a:

Answer: Paradox

A paradox is a statement that appears self-contradictory or absurd but expresses a possible truth upon reflection.