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FIGURE
OF
SPEECH
Creativity of:
Sushmita Kant
Alisha
Megha
Shobhna
Pooja
Sarabhjeet
 Introduction
Authors often use figures of speech in both
literature and poetry to enhance their writing.

Figures of speech present ordinary things in new

or unusual ways.
They communicate ideas that go beyond the
words’ usual, literal meanings.
 Objectives
By the end of this tutorial, you should be able
to:

• Recognize seven figures of speech

• Identify figures of speech in poems

 Definitions
Imagery:Descriptive writing that appeals to the senses.
Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as.

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like

or as.

Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds.

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement.

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning.

Personification: Giving human traits or characteristics to

something that isn’t human.
 Imagery
Definition:
Descriptive writing that appeals to the senses
(sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing)

Think of it this way:

When a writer uses imagery, the descriptive
writing helps create a picture or image in our
mind.

Imagery = Mental Image

 Imagery
Example:
The bearers bear the bride along like a pearl
on a string.
 Imagery
Another example:
The bride skims like a bird on the foam of a
stream .
 Simile
Definition:
Comparing two unlike things using like or as.

Example:
We bear her along like a pearl on a string.

Explanation:
The bride and the pearl are unlike things.
When you compare the softness of carrying
the bride to the softly carried pearl, you are
using a simile.
 Simile
More examples:
She sways like a flower.

She skims like a bird.

She hangs like a star.

She falls like a tear.

His temper was as explosive as a volcano.

 Metaphor
The definition of a metaphor is similar to the
definition of a simile but there is one important
difference between the two.
Remember the definition of simile has two parts:
•Two unlike things are being compared
•The words like or as are used to make the comparison

There will also be two parts to the definition of a

metaphor.
 Metaphor vs. Simile
Use the following examples to figure out the
definition of metaphor.
Simile: Mike is like a teddy bear.
Simile: Mike is as soft as a teddy
bear.
Metaphor: Mike is a teddy bear.

Simile: That boy is like a pig.

Simile: That boy is as messy as a pig.
Metaphor: That boy is a pig.
An implied comparison between two unlike
things that actually have something
important in common.

Example:
The boy was a fish in the water.
 Alliteration
Take a look at the following examples of
alliteration..

Brad wore his blue and brown blazer.

She springs like a beam on the brow of
the tide.
Gaily, O Gaily we glide and we sing.
Six swans went swimming in the sea.
 Alliteration
Have you figured it out yet?
Here are more examples to help refine your
definition.

Alliteration  Sue shook her silky silver hair

as the sun was setting.
NOT Alliteration  Elizabeth easily eyed an
elephant in the elevator.
 You’re Right!
Alliteration is the repetition of beginning
consonant sounds, such as “Six silly swans went
swimming in the sea.”

It’s important to note that not

every word in the sentence has to
begin with the same letter in order
for it to be considered alliteration.

In the above example, only 5 out of

8 words begin with an “s”.
 Hyperbole
Think about the following examples of hyperbole.
You will later select the best definition for this
figure of speech.

My backpack weighs a ton.

 Hyperbole
Another example:
The wolf was 100 feet high.
 Hyperbole
More examples:

You could have knocked me over with

a feather.

I’ve told you a million times!

 Hyperbole
Hyperbole is a major exaggeration or overstatement.

Authors use this figure of speech to emphasize a point

or add humor.

Example:
I nearly died laughing
 Onomatopoeia
When you see this: You often hear this:

Buzz and ring are both examples of onomatopoeia.

 Onomatopoeia
More examples:
When you see this: You often hear this:
 Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like its
meaning.

It can also be described as the use of a word which

imitates a sound.

Other examples include: screech, whirr, sizzle,

crunch, bang, , zap, roar, growl, click, snap, crackle,
and pop.
 Personification
Definition:
Giving human traits or characteristics to something
that isn’t human, such as animals, objects or non-
living things

Think of it this way:

When a writer uses personification, he or she
gives characteristics of a person to an animal,
object or thing.
 Personification
Example:
The willow tree shook her long hair.
Explanation:
The example is referring to the way that the
willow tree’s long branches sway in the wind.
By saying “shook her long hair”, the tree is
given characteristics of a human.
 Personification
More examples:
The car danced across the icy road.
The angry clouds marched across the sky.
The stars in the clear night sky winked at me.
The tulips nodded their heads in the breeze.