Figure of Speech
Oxymoron
Oxymorons are combinations of contradictory or opposing words.
Eg: bittersweet or jumbo shrimp.
Simile
A simile compares two things using “like” or “as” to make descriptions vivid.
Eg: She was as busy as a bee.
Personification
This figure of speech attributes human qualities or actions to non-human entities.
Eg: The wind whispered through the trees.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole involves exaggeration for emphasis.
Eg: I’ve told you a million times.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds.
Eg: Buzz, meow, and hiss
Alliteration
Alliteration repeats the initial consonant sounds in a series of words.
Eg: Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Irony
Irony is a contrast between expectation and reality. Verbal irony is when someone says one thing but means another.
Eg: Nice weather on a rainy day.
Paradox
A paradox is a statement that appears contradictory but may be true.
Eg: less is more.
Pun
A pun uses a word or phrase with multiple meanings to create humor or wordplay.
Eg: Fruit flies like a banana.
Cliché
A cliché is an overused phrase or expression that has lost its originality or impact.
Eg: like “time will tell.”
Litotes
Litotes is a form of understatement where a positive assertion is made by negating its opposite.
Eg: She’s not unkind means she is kind.
