Literary device list

The repetition of vowel sounds within words.

Example: "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."

• Metaphor

• Hyperbole

• Assonance

• Alliteration

A comparison of two things without using "like" or "as."

Example: "He was a lion in battle, fierce and untamed."

• Simile

• Metaphor

• Symbolism

• Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human objects or ideas.

Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."

• Personification

• Simile

• Metaphor

• Onomatopoeia

Exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Example: "I've told you a million times to clean your room!"

• Irony

• Assonance

• Hyperbole

• Simile

The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of words.

Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

• Alliteration

• Assonance

• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

A comparison of two things using "like" or "as."

Example: "Her hair was like a golden river flowing down her back."

• Metaphor

• Personification

• Symbolism

• Simile

Words that sound like the sound they describe.

 Example: "The buzz of the bees was loud in the garden."

• Personification

• Simile

• Metaphor

• Onomatopoeia

A contradiction between what is expected and what actually happens.

Example: "A fire station burned down."

• Hyperbole

• Irony

• Personification

• Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent something else.

Example: The boomerang is a symbol of the Aboriginal culture of Australia, representing their deep connection to the land, as well as their beliefs about the cyclical nature of life and the importance of spiritual and cultural traditions. The boomerang is also a symbol of resilience and the ability to bounce back from adversity, as it returns to its owner when thrown correctly.

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Personification

• Symbolism

 

Hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story. Example: "The dark clouds on the horizon were a sign of the storm to come."

• Metaphor

• Foreshadowing

• Personification

• Symbolism