Literary Devices

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What is a simile?

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A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'. For example, 'Her smile is like the sun.'

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What is a metaphor?

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A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things without using 'like' or 'as'. For example, 'Time is a thief.'

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What is hyperbole?

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Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect. For example, 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

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CCSS.L.11-12.5A

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What is personification?

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Personification is a literary device where human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts. For example, 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

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What is onomatopoeia?

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Onomatopoeia is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound it describes. Examples include 'buzz', 'hiss', and 'clang'.

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What is a proverb?

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A proverb is a short, commonly known saying that expresses a truth or a piece of advice. For example, 'A stitch in time saves nine.'

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What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?

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A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to make a comparison, while a metaphor makes a direct comparison without those words.

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CCSS.W.11-12.2D

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What is imagery in literature?

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Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures for the reader.

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What is alliteration?

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Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a series of words. For example, 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

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What is an idiom?

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An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. For example, 'It's raining cats and dogs' means it's raining heavily.

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