CCR English
Mr. Braam
A Little Review on Figurative Speech
Here's some reminders about definitions and examples of different types of figurative speech.
(Compiled from a number of sources)
fig·u·ra·tive
adjective \ˈfi-g(y)ə-rə-tiv\
of words, language, etc. : used with a meaning that is different from the basic meaning and that
expresses an idea in an interesting way by using language that usually describes something else :
not literal
HERE IS A PARTIAL LIST OF EXAMPLES:
Simile
A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another to suggest they
are alike.
Example: busy as a bee
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brave as a lion
stand out like a sore thumb
as easy as shooting fish in a barrel
as dry as a bone
as funny as a barrel of monkeys
they fought like cats and dogs
like watching grass grow
clean as a whistle
Metaphor
The metaphor states a fact or draws a verbal picture by the use of comparison. A simile would
say you are like something; a metaphor is more positive - it says you are something.
Example: You are what you eat.
When you use a metaphor, you make a statement that doesn’t make sense literally, like “time is a
thief.” It only makes sense when the similarities between the two things become apparent or
someone understands the connection.
Examples include:
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the world is my oyster
you are a couch potato
time is money
he has a heart of stone
America is a melting pot
you are my sunshine
CCR English
Mr. Braam
Personification
A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an object.
Example: My teddy bear gave me a hug.
Personification gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas. This can
really affect the way the reader imagines things. Examples include:
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opportunity knocked on the door
the sun greeted me this morning
the sky was full of dancing stars
the vines wove their fingers together to form a braid
the radio stopped singing and stared at me
the sun played hide and seek with the clouds
Oxymoron
A technique in which two words with opposite meanings are put together for a special effect.
Example: Jumbo shrimp
black light
tough love
cruel kindness
Onomatopoeia
The use of a word to describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object or an
action.
Example: snap crackle pop
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that sound like their meaning, or mimic sounds. They add a
level of fun and reality to writing. Here are some examples:
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the burning wood hissed and crackled
the words: beep, whirr, click, whoosh, swish, zap, zing, ping, clang, bong, hum, boom, munch,
gobble, crunch, pow, smash, wham, quack, meow, oink, and tweet.
Hyperbole
An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is true. Tall tales are
hyperboles.
Example: He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all.
Hyperbole is an outrageous exaggeration that emphasizes a point, and can be ridiculous or funny.
Hyperboles can be added to fiction to add color and depth to a character. More examples: :
CCR English
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Mr. Braam
You snore louder than a freight train.
It's a slow burg. I spent a couple of weeks there one day.
She is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company.
I had to walk 15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Idioms
According to Webster's Dictionary, an idiom is defined as: peculiar to itself either grammatically
(as no, it wasn't me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings
of its elements.
Example: Monday week for "the Monday a week after next Monday"
Imagery
Imagery is a type of figurative language that appeals to the senses. The descriptions can be about
living things or inanimate objects.
A good example is from Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":
A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the
breeze.
He doesn’t say “many” or “a lot of” daffodils, he uses the word “host.” That means a huge
number of daffodils. Later, he personifies the daffodils, and personification will be covered later
on.
Another example is from “The Eagle” by Tennyson,
“He clasps the crag with crooked hands."
The hard consonant sounds add even more to the imagery here.
Alliteration
Frequently included as an example of figurative language, alliteration is more of a sound device.
The repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or group of sounds in a series of words.
Alliteration includes tongue twisters.
Example: She sells seashells by the seashore.
Alliteration is the easiest of the examples of figurative language to spot. It is a repetition of the
first consonant sounds in several words. Some good examples are:
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wide-eyed and wondering while we wait for others to waken
and tongue twisters like:
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Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter
butter better.
CCR English
Mr. Braam
Other examples
Want to see a list that includes some lesser-used (but still VERY valid) examples of figurative
speech? Try these:
1. Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or
verses. (Contrast with epiphora and epistrophe.)
2. Antithesis
The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.
3. Apostrophe
Breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing, some abstract quality, an
inanimate object, or a nonexistent character.
4. Assonance
Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.
5. Chiasmus
A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but
with the parts reversed.
6. Euphemism
The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.
7. Irony
The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. A statement or situation
where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea.
8. Litotes
A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed
by negating its opposite.
9. Metonymy
A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it's
closely associated; also, the rhetorical strategy of describing something indirectly by
referring to things around it.
10. Paradox
A statement that appears to contradict itself.
11. Pun
A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the
similar sense or sound of different words.
12. Synecdoche
A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole (for example, ABCs for
alphabet) or the whole for a part ("England won the World Cup in 1966").
13. Understatement
A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less
important or serious than it is.
CCR English
Mr. Braam
SENSORY DETAILS
Sensory details are words that help readers see, hear, feel, taste, and smell the object of the
author's description. Examples of phrases using sensory detail for sight could be, 'the deep blue
of the ocean' or 'the flash of fireworks lit up the night sky.' Other examples relevant to smell and
taste include, 'the sweet aroma of baking cornbread' and 'salty chips. ‘Here is a chart describing
the different sensory details you might use of writing about a day at the beach.
CCR English
Mr. Braam
VIVID VERBS
NOTE: Mr. Braam has a massive list of vivid verbs that can be borrowed
Grammatically Correct Weekly grammar tip created by Student Success Center Peer Writing Tutors.
Using Vivid Verbs to Create Better Sentences
by Candice Chovanec Melzow
As writers we often get stuck in particular patterns of writing, and one of these
patterns is using the same verbs over and over again. One way to solve this problem is by
replacing your general verbs with vivid verbs.
Vivid verbs are useful for a variety of reasons. First of all, they make your writing
more interesting and enjoyable for the reader. Secondly, vivid verbs have more specific
meanings than the general verbs they replace. However, you must be careful when
replacing a general verb with a vivid verb to ensure that the vivid verb does not
significantly alter the meaning of the sentence. Always consult a dictionary if you’re
unsure of a word’s exact meaning.
The following table reveals several examples of general verbs and the vivid verbs that
you can use to replace them. Keep in mind that each vivid verb has its own distinct
meaning.
General Verb
dislike
eat
like/love
run
say/said
walk
work
Vivid Verbs
abhor, abominate, avoid, condemn, deplore, despise, detest,
disapprove, hate, loathe, resent, scorn, shun
consume, devour, dine, feast upon, gobble, ingest
admire, adore, appreciate, cherish, be fond of, worship
dart, dash, jog, lope, scamper, scurry, sprint
address, critique, define, establish, evaluate, examine, formulate,
identify, propose, recommend, , report, suggest, urge
amble, hike, march, plod, saunter, stroll, stride, trek, trudge
employ, labor, toil, slave
Let’s take a look at some examples that show how replacing general verbs with vivid
verbs make sentences more interesting and more specific:
EX As the students walked through the park, the breeze blew the leaves on the trees.
EX As the students ambled through the park, the breeze lifted the leaves on the trees.
In the revised sentence, the verb “ambled” connotes relaxation and pleasantness,
while the verb “lifted” connotes a gentle action. Here the use of vivid verbs conveys a
pleasant tone. Now, let’s look at another example:
CCR English
Mr. Braam
EX The harder James worked, the more he disliked his job and the customers he served.
EX The harder James toiled, the more he detested his job and the customers he served.
In the revised sentence, the verb “toiled” denotes hard labor, while the verb
“detested” denotes intense dislike. Here the use of vivid verbs conveys a more negative
tone. Also note that not all of the verbs in the example sentence were replaced with vivid
verbs; the writer chose to leave the verb served because it seemed specific enough for the
situation. Vivid verbs are best used in moderation; replacing more than two or three
general verbs in one sentence could make the sentence difficult for the reader to
understand.
The examples above demonstrate how using vivid verbs can significantly improve
your writing by making it more enjoyable and more specific. In effect, vivid verbs are a
great tool to use when you want to make your meanings clear to the reader.
Test Your Knowledge
by Candice Chovanec Melzow
Test your understanding of vivid verbs by replacing each of the common verbs in the
following sentences with a specific vivid verb.
1. Janet laughed at the professor’s Freudian slip.
2. The college student saw the traffic accident that occurred on Highway 87.
3. When I arrived home I was hungry enough to eat the entire cake.
Answer
1. Janet snickered or sniggered or giggled at the professor’s Freudian slip.
2. The college student witnessed the traffic accident that occurred on Highway 87.
3. When I arrived home I was hungry enough to devour or consume or gobble up the
entire cake.
[Note that answers may vary. Even if you do not see your answer here, it may still be
correct.]