Poetic Terminology

Question 1

metaphor

Answer 1

figure of speech that compares two things by saying one thing is another

Question 1

assonance

Answer 1

literary device that involves the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words

Question 2

denotative

Answer 2

the literal/dictionary definition of a word without any separate ideas, feelings, interpretations or connotations

Question 3

rhetorical question

Answer 3

questions asked to make a point rather than to elicit a direct answer

Question 4

repetition

Answer 4

act of repeating words, phrases or ideas for emphasis or to create a memorable effect

Question 5

personification

Answer 5

when human qualities or characteristics are attributed to non-human things or concepts

Question 6

symbolism

Answer 6

when an object, person or action represents something beyond its literal meaning

Question 7

connotative

Answer 7

idea or feeling that we connect to a word

Question 8

juxtaposition

Answer 8

when two contrasting elements are placed together to highlight their differences

Question 9

onomatopoeia

Answer 9

when words imitate or mimic the sounds they represent

Question 10

slant rhyme

Answer 10

when words have similar but not identical sounds

Question 11

tone

Answer 11

attitude or mood conveyed in a piece of writing or speech

Question 12

alliteration

Answer 12

when words in a sentence or phrase start with the same sound or letter

Question 13

literal

Answer 13

taking words or phrases in their most basic or straightforward sense without any figurative or symbolic meaning

Question 14

irony

Answer 14

when something happens that is opposite to what you expect

Question 15

jargon

Answer 15

specialized words or phrases that are specific to a particular field

Question 16

simile

Answer 16

figure of speech that compares two things using like or as

Question 17

consonance

Answer 17

reoccurrence of similar sounds in words that have a close proximity

Question 18

hyperbole

Answer 18

exaggerated statements to make a point or add emphasis

Question 19

figurative language

Answer 19

a way of using words or expressions that go beyond their literal or straightforward meaning

Question 20

colloquial language

Answer 20

informal everyday language that people use in casual conversations

Question 21

oxymoron

Answer 21

two words side by side that have different meanings