Middle Two

Poetry

Poetry
Figure of Speech Definition
- A figure of speech is something which is used to convey a more deep or intense meaning.

- It is a phrase made up of two or more words which can add effect to the meaning of something
and is used in a nonliteral sense.

- When using literal speech, the words and sentences explain what is happening literally, or in
other words what is happening in reality.

-When we use a figure of speech to explain a situation, the words and sentences become non
literal and do not convey what is actually happening but rather give a feeling as to what is
happening.

An example to show the comparison between literal speech and a figure of speech would be:

 Literal – it is raining heavily.

 Figure of speech – it is raining cats and dogs.

Whilst we know that it is not literally raining cats and dogs, the figure of speech adds an
intensity to the meaning of the sentence and puts an emphasis on how much it is raining.

- A figure of speech is a word or phrase which is used to describe something in a non-literal

sense.

-These can be used as a literary device within a written text in order to explain something in a
more artistic sense or they can be used in English speaking.

- In the latter, they are usually used to compare something, give advice or create a less literal
description of something.

- When used as a rhetorical device a figure of speech will give an opposite or different meaning
to what is intended, It can also be used to convey a meaning or trigger emotion to the reader or
listener.

Figures of Speech Examples

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- There are various different types of figures of speech, whilst there are a large amount of types,
there are ten more common ones which we see in both written and spoken English. They are:

 Simile: this makes a comparison between two things using the words like or as,
Example ‘she shone as bright as the sun.’

 Metaphor: makes a comparison between two things which have something in common,
Example ‘the eyes are the window to the soul.’

 Alliteration: uses repeated letter sounds throughout a sentence, for

 Example ‘the high horse hopped along the highway.’

Types of Figures of Speech

There are different types of figures of speech and we are now going to look at those types, what
they are and how to use them by looking at some examples of them being used in sentences.

Alliteration
Alliteration is when there is a repetition of sound within a phrase or sentence. Here are some
examples of alliteration in use.

 She sells seashells on the seashore

 Peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper
 The dog dug deeper into the depths.
 Nicky’s necklace nipped at her neck.

Metaphor
Metaphor is when there is a comparison made between two different things which share
something in common. Here are some examples of metaphor in use.

 The world is your oyster.

 She was the shining star of the talent show.
 His eyes were ice.

Personification
Personification is when an object which is not alive is given human qualities. Here are some
examples of personification in use.

 My car is a real beauty.

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 That rod will take out someone’s eye.

 My alarm clock screams at me every morning.

Simile
Simile is a phrase which compares something to something else using the words like or as. Here
are some examples of simile in use.

 Her hair was as golden as the sun.

 The dog is as fit as a fiddle.
 I felt like a kite.