Figures of Speech

What are Figures of Speech?

 Figures of Speech is a word or phrase used in a
non-literal sense, which has a different meaning
from its literal definition.
 We make use of figures of speech to provide
emphasis or clarity.
 Figures of speech are often used for exaggeration
or to make stories more interesting.
Figurative Language VS Literal Language:

 What is Figurative Language?

 Figurative language is phrasing sentences that deviate from the
conventional order and meaning of a simple sentence to convey a
message or moral of a story.
 What is Literal Language?
 The word “literal” means precise and exact. Literal language refers
to when a phrase means exactly what it says and does not contain
any hidden meanings.
The different types of Figures
of Speech:
The following are the most common types of figures of speech:
 Hyperbole
 Simile
 Paradox
 Metaphor
 Onomatopoeia
 Oxymoron
 Understatement
 Pun
 Personification
 Alliteration
 Assonance
 Irony
Hyperbole:
 Hyperbole is used to put exaggeration or emphasis
on a certain feature or calibre.
 E.g. “I've told you to clean your room a million
times”.

New Word:
Calibre- the quality of
someone’s character or the level
of their ability.
Simile:
 A simile compares two objects using the words
“like” or “as”.
 Example: the man is light like a feather.
 Example: He is as strong as an Ox.
Paradox: Save money by spending it.
 A paradox is a statement that is self-contradictory.
 The statement often contradicts beliefs and
misguides people.
 Example: “all animals are equal, but some are
more equal than others.”

New Word:
Contradictory-
Mutually opposed or
inconsistent
Metaphor:

 A metaphor compares two different objects with

similar or a common calibre.
 A metaphor does not use the words “like” or “as”.
 Example: “the snow is a white blanket”.
Onomatopoeia:

 Onomatopoeia is action through a vocal imitation

of a sound associated with the event.
 Example: the alarm clock goes off and the comic
book contains a speech bubble containing the word
“buzz”.
 Example: The bird smashed into the
window.
Oxymoron:

 An oxymoron places two opposite words together

to connect two different ideas.
 Example: love-hate; absolutely unsure; pretty ugly;
happily sad.
 Example: The juice tastes bitter-sweet.
Understatement:

 An understatement is the presentation of

something being smaller or less good or important
than it really is.
 Example: describing a huge storm: “looks like it
rained a little bit.”
 Pun:

 A pun is a play on words.

 A pun is often used when
there is more than one
meaning to a phrase or
sentence.
 This is often done to give
different meanings to a phrase
or sentence.
 Example: “the duck said to
the bartender, ‘put it on my
bill”.
Personification:
 Personification is the act of giving non-living
things human characteristics.
 Example: the tall tree that talks, boasts about his
pretty leaves.
 Example: “lightning danced across the sky”.
Alliteration:

 The occurrence of the same

letter or consonant at the
beginning or closely
connected words of a
sentence or phrase.
 Example: the red rose ripped
my t-shirt.
 Example: the fat fig fell out
of the tree.
Assonance:

 The repetition of vowels in nearby words.

 Example: the fat cat sat on the mat.
 Irony:

 A contrast between what is

expected and what actually
happens.
 Example: two friends agree
not to wear a particular dress
to an event, yet both show up
in the same dress.
Identify the Figure of Speech:

 The flowers smiled at the tree.

 Life is like a box of chocolates.
 The tall tree that talks, slouches over the pond.
 It’s raining cats and dogs.
 The thunder was snoring.
 A pilot has a fear of heights.
 “She had a photographic memory but never developed it”.
- examples.yourdictionary.com