English Flashcards
alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Example:
For example, ‘tasty tacos’ is considered an alliteration, but ‘thirty typist’ is not, because ‘th’ and ‘ty’ don’t sound the same.
allusion
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.
examples:
Sam is young and hungry for success.
The smell of donuts is like kryptonite to me.
She showed up looking like Venus.
anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
example:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
examples:
“I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse,” “I’ve seen this movie a hundred times,” or “It cost an arm and a leg.”
metaphor
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
example:
Life is a highway. Her eyes were diamonds. He is a shining star. The snow is a white blanket.
onomatopoeia
the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named
example:
the “tick-tock” of a clock, the “ding-dong” of a doorbell, a beep, a zap, a hiccup, a hiss, and a cackle.
personification
attributing a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human, or representing an abstract quality in human form.
examples:
The wind howled in the night. The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition. Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name. My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.
repetition
the action of repeating something that has already been said or written.
example:
‘I have to practice my times tables over and over and over again so I can learn them.
point of view
a particular attitude or way of considering a matter.
examples:
first-person, second-person, third-person (limited and omniscient), and even fourth-person point of view
rhetorical question
a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.
example:
If you have ever been late, someone might say: ‘What time do you call this?
rhetorical question
a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.
example:
If you have ever been late, someone might say: ‘What time do you call this?
simile
a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid
example:
Life is like a box of chocolates
imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
example:
After the long run, he collapsed in the grass with tired and burning muscles. The grass tickled his skin and sweat cooled on his brow. In this example, imagery is used to describe the feeling of strained muscles, grass’s tickle, and sweat cooling on skin.
juxtaposition
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
example:
You can see the light of the stars at night only because of the darkness of space. By putting two separate things or concepts together, you can create contrast. This act is called juxtaposition.
tone
the attitude that a character or narrator or author takes towards a given subject.
