Figures of Speech

Figures of Speech
a figure of speech is a word or phrase that
means something more or something other
than it seems to say—the opposite of a literal
 expression.
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1. Personification
This type of figure of speech is constructed by
attributing certain human characteristics to
otherwise inanimate objects. 

•Opportunity knocked at his/her door.

•Time flies when you’re having fun
2. Metaphor
This type of figure of speech is generally used
by talking about two very different kinds of
things that have a common link.

•She is the apple of my eye.

•The Sun is a creature of habit.
3. Simile
These phrases are somewhat similar to metaphors but are
more direct than implied in their meaning. In similes, the
indirectly implied meaning is replaced with the words “as”
or “like.”

•His response was as cold as ice.

•After taking his medication, he became fit as a fiddle.
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4. Alliteration
These types of phrases are figures of speech that have a
similar sounding consonant (non-vowel letters) at the
beginning of each word.

•Claire, close your cluttered closet.

•Go and gather the green leaves on the grass.
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5. Hyperbole
Are phrases meant to emphasize the
importance of something by using over
exaggerated words.

•Have told you a million times not to

touch my stuff!
•He has a pea-sized brain.
6. Euphemism
Euphemisms are figures of speech that are used to replace
stronger and harsher phrases. These are generally milder or
more acceptable terms that you can use in your
conversations to sound more polite and sometimes,
politically correct.

•She has “passed away”, instead of “died.”

•The company has “let him go,” instead of “fired him.”
7. Irony
Figures of speech sometimes also express sarcasm. You
can use these phrases to convey a certain meaning by
stating the opposite of it. 

•During a thunderstorm, Thomas exclaimed ironically,

“What beautiful weather we are having!”
•Gerald proposed a useless idea, to which Thomas
responded saying, “That’s genius!”
8. Understatement
An understatement is also a type of figure of speech.
It is aimed at inciting a less reactive response to a
particular statement. 

•That condemned house just needs a coat of paint.

•Sue won the lottery, so she’s a bit excited.
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9. Oxymoron
This figure of speech is used to connect two
opposite ideas simultaneously.

•This is another fine mess you have got us into.

•Suddenly the room filled with a deafening
silence
10. Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part is made to
represent the whole or vice versa.

I really need to work harder, I have hungry

mouths to feed.