Poetic Devices Flashcards
(20 cards)
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Alliteration
Same consonants at start of word
“Biggie bought a Bentley.”
Effect: Creates emphasis, often speeds up the rhythm
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Assonance
Same vowel sounds within words.
“Fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese.”
Effect: Enhances musicality, draws attention to key words, slows rhythm
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Consonance
Same consonant sounds within or at end of words
“Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile.”
Effect: Adds texture, harmony and flow to the lyrics. Speeds up rhythm.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Full Rhyme
Repetition of similar sounds, especially at the end of a line.
“I came to bring the pain / Hardcore from the brain.”
Highlights words or ideas, slows the rhythm creating emphasis.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Internal Rhyme
Rhyme that occurs within one line.
“I be rolling in my ride, with my pride by my side.”
Effect: Speeds up rhythm, draws connection between ideas.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Slant Rhyme (Half Rhyme)
Words that almost rhyme but not fully.
“Orange” & “Door Hinge.”
Effect: Creates a subtle connection between words. Breaks language rules.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Onomatopoeia
Sound words
Bang!
Effect: Makes desc more vivid and immersive.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Repetition
Repeating the same word/phrase over and over again
Effect: Reinforces ideas, makes lines more memorable.
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Enjambment
When a sentence or phrase continues past the end of a line without pausing
“It’s spreading / It’s warmth across the sleeping city”
Effect: Creates suspense, emphasises ideas, mimics natural speech
Rhythm + Sound Devices
Flow
Long lines with no breaks.
Figurative Language
Metaphor
A direct comparison between two unlike things
Uses “is.”
Creates deeper meaning and often levels of meaning. Vivid imagery.
Figurative Language
Simile
A comparison between things using “like” or “as”
Effect: Makes descs more vivid. Creates meaning via association
Figurative Language
Personification
Giving human characteristics to non-human things.
Effect: Brings objects to life and imbues them with emotion
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration.
“I’ve told you a million times!”
Effect: Creates emphasis, humour, or dramatic effect.
Figurative Language
Imagery
Word pics using the 5 senses.
(Sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell)
Effect: Helps the reader visualise scenes and feel emotional.
Figurative Language
Symbolism
Using an object, colour, or action to represent a deeper meaning.
Like, how a dove represents peace.
Effect: Creates depth, and often multiple layers of meaning.
Other Structural Devices
Stanza
A group of lines in a poem. Sort of like a paragraph.
Effect: Organises ideas, controls pacing, and can highlight shifts in tone.
Other Structural Devices
Line Break
Where a poet chooses to end a line, affecting rhythm and meaning.
Effect: Can create emphasis on a specific word or phrase.
Other Structural Devices
Juxtaposition/Contrast
Placing two similar/ contrasting ideas close together.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Effect: Highlights similarities, differences, or the relationship between things.
