FIGURE OF SPEECH

1. Simile :

It is a type of comparison between things or objects by using “as” or “like.” See the following example:

My heart is like a singing bird

Whose nest is in a water’d shoot;

My heart is like an apple-tree

My heart is like a rainbow shell…

2. Personification :

When we compare a non living thing with a living thing. Or, when we put the quality of a person in non
living things.

The fire swallowed the whole forest.

The stars were playing hide and seek with the clouds.

The whole town was sleeping.

3. Understatement and Hyperbole

These two figures of speech are opposite to each other. Hyperbole uses extreme exaggeration. It
exaggerates to lay emphasis on a certain quality or feature. It stirs up emotions among the readers,
these emotions could be about happiness, romance, inspiration, laughter or sadness.

(I have not met him for a long time. =) I have not met him since ages.

(He ran fast.=) He ran faster than the speed of light.

(I have told you so many times.=) I have told you million times.

(He was very tired.=) He was so tired that he could sleep for years.

4. Metaphor

Metaphor is comparing two unlike objects or things, which may have some common qualities.(Direct
comparison)

He was a tortoise in the race.(=He was very slow in the race)

The news was a dagger to his heart.(= The news was very shocking)

The camel is the ship of the desert.

 5. Pun

Pun is the manipulation of words that have more than one meanings. It brings humor in an expression. It
is a humorous play on words with multiple meaning. (short of joke) . It creates vagueness(unclear) forces
the reader to think in a deeper way.

The horse is a stable animal.[stable meaning (a) balance/sound (b)constant]

Fish are smart because they live in school.[two meanings(a)education institution(b)group of fish.

I completed all my homework.[two meanings (a)house work(b)assignment] For example, a group of ships is called a
fleet, a group of cows is called a herd,
I enjoyed the play[two meanings(a)drama(b)game] lions = pride, baseball players= team,
ants= colony, fish =school, bacteria =
You were right so I left [two meanings(a)went away(b)left way] culture, camels = caravan,
candidates = slate, crows = murder, dogs
=pack, monkeys = tribe,
eggs = clutch, snakes = bed,

6. Alliteration : Alliteration is the repetition of initial constant sounds of nearby words. It is a

literary sound device used for emphasis and effect. It is used to produce a rhythm/musical effect
(tongue twister), like coca-cola, Mickey mouse, etc.
 Feeling lazy, he laid low in the lounge.
 Betty Botter bought some butter
 She sells seashells by the seashore

7. Paradox : Two ideas/statements which are opposite(contradictory). It consists of a whole

sentence. But in Oxymoron there are two words – original copy, natural acting etc

Eg. Don’t go to the water , until you have learned how to swim.

Water water everywhere, not any drop to drink.

Death is the end , yet the beginning.

8. Oxymoron: It is a combination of two contradictory terms. Paradox consists of a whole sentence.

Oxymoron on the other hand comes with only two words that contradicts itself. In simple words,
Paradox is considered to be an action that is contradictory and oxymoron is a description of a
phrase, which is contradictory, like ‘cold fire’, pretty ugly, found missing, natural acting, original
acting…
Eg. She is pretty ugly. He was found missing. It is the original copy.