Literary Techniques Practice

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

His heart was a block of ice.

Answer explanation

The literary device used in the sentence 'His heart was a block of ice.' is a metaphor. This is because a metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things. Here, the person's heart is being directly compared to a block of ice, suggesting that the person is emotionally cold or unfeeling.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

purple and pink popscicles

Answer explanation

The answer is 'alliteration'. The literary device being used in the question 'purple and pink popsicles' is alliteration. Alliteration is a technique where the same sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words is repeated. Here, the 'p' sound is repeated in 'purple', 'pink', and 'popsicles', which is characteristic of alliteration.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.RL.2.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

The leaves danced in the wind.

Answer explanation

The statement 'The leaves danced in the wind' is using the literary device 'personification'. This technique assigns human qualities to inanimate objects, animals, or concepts. In this case, leaves are given the human quality of dancing, which is an action typically associated with humans.

Tags

CCSS.L.6.5A

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used in each example:

Her eyes were as sparkly as diamonds.

Answer explanation

The literary device used in the given question is 'Simile'. This is because the statement 'Her eyes were as sparkly as diamonds.' makes a comparison using the word 'as'. Thus, it aligns with the definition of simile which is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

Her eyes were sparkly diamonds.

Answer explanation

The literary device being used in the question 'Her eyes were sparkly diamonds.' is a 'metaphor'. This is because the phrase directly compares 'eyes' to 'diamonds', suggesting similarity or likeness without using like or as, which is characteristic of a metaphor.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

Suzie cried a river.

Answer explanation

The literary device being used in the question 'Suzie cried a river.' is 'hyperbole'. A hyperbole is a type of figurative language in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect. In this case, the phrase 'cried a river' is an exaggeration of Suzie's emotional state, suggesting that she was crying a lot or very intensely.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

as straight as an arrow

Answer explanation

The question asks for the literary device being used in the phrase 'as straight as an arrow'. The correct choice is 'simile', a figure of speech that directly compares two things. Here, something is being compared directly to the straightness of an arrow, which is a characteristic of simile.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.L.5.5A

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.W.11-12.2D

waiting for a lifetime

Answer explanation

The phrase 'waiting for a lifetime' in the question is an example of hyperbole. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect. In this case, the phrase 'waiting for a lifetime' is an exaggeration, as it is unlikely someone would wait their entire life.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

Don't act like a Scrooge!

Answer explanation

The literary device being used in the question 'Don't act like a Scrooge!' is an 'allusion'. An allusion is a reference, direct or indirect, to a person, place, event, or work of art that is familiar to most educated people. In this case, 'Scrooge' is a character from Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', well-known for his miserly and grumpy demeanor. Therefore, 'Don't act like a Scrooge!' is making an allusion to this character.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.L.7.5A

CCSS.RL.8.4

Use your literary techniques reference sheet to determine the literary device being used.

might/night/light

Answer explanation

The literary device used in the question 'might/night/light' is 'rhyme'. Rhyme is a literary technique where the end or final sound in two or more words are repeated. Here, 'might', 'night', and 'light' all have the same end sound, signifying the use of rhyme.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.5.10

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4