Figurative Language: Idioms, Alliteration & Assonance

What is alliteration?

• The repetition of letters in a line of poetry
• the repetition of letter sounds in a line of poetry
• the repetition of vowel sounds in poetry
• the repetition of consonant sounds in poetry

Which detail from the following excerpt of the poem "Little Birds" contains alliteration?

Little Birds are feeding

Justices with jam,

Rich in frizzled ham:

Rich, I say, in oysters

Haunting shady cloisters -

That is what I am.

• "Little birds are feeding"

• "Justices with jam"

• "Rich in frizzled ham"

• "That is what I am"

How could the following sentence be rewritten to contain alliteration?

I accidentally left my phone at home.

• I accidentally left my phone in the basement.

• I fled, forgetting my phone was in the family room floor.

• I neglected to get my phone when I left the apartment.

• I've left my phone on the sofa many times before.

How could the following sentence be rewritten to contain assonance?

Joy ate lots of dessert.

• Joy ate seven ice cream sandwiches.

• Joy consumed cake and cookies.

• Joy devoured doughnuts all day.

• Joy did eat three pieces of cheesecake.

Match the idiom with its real like meaning.

"I am a couch potato" means...

• I went crazy.

• I am kind.

• I am lazy.

• I should focus.

What is assonance?

• The repetition of letters in a line of poetry
• the repetition of letter sounds in a line of poetry
• the repetition of vowel sounds in poetry
• the repetition of consonant sounds in poetry

Match the idiom with its real like meaning.

'I want to pick your brain' means

• I want to ask you a question.

• I will be quite.

• I started some trouble.

• I should focus.

What does the idiom mean?

If you put on your thinking cap, you can help me solve this problem. 

• wear a hat
• keep warm
• think hard

An idiom is defined as...

• A figure of speech that cannot be understood by its literal/exact meaning

• a comparison

• descriptive words using the five senses

• Multiple words that begin with the same sound

Which of the following is the best definition of alliteration?

• An Anglo-Saxon technique that is not used today

• A type of poetry developed in ancient Rome

• The use of multiple literary devices in one line

• The repetition of sounds in a series of words