Word Play …

Definition:
◦ The result of rearranging the letters of a word or
phrase, using all of the original letters exactly once

Purpose:
◦ Can create emphasis, gives some words a deeper
meaning

Examples:
◦ Orchestra = Carthorse
◦ George Bush = He Bugs Gore
◦ Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort

Practice with this one:
◦ A Decimal Point = …
 I’m a dot in place!
◦ A Perfectionist = …
 I often practice!

Definition:
◦ A word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units
that can be read the same way in either direction.

Purpose:
◦ Creates emphasis, can hold a deeper meaning,
allows the reader to interpret more meaning

Example:
◦ Civic, level, kayak, Stanley Yelnats, Live Evil
◦ A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!


Word squares in which every row and column
reads as a word in both directions
Example: (fill in the blanks)
R
A
T
H
A
A
R
A
T
A
H
A
T
A
R

Your Turn:
T
R
A
A
P
J
R
A
T
T
R
A
P
R
A
J
A
A
J
A
R
P
A
R
T

Definition:

Purpose:

Examples:
◦ A phrase that suggests two or more meanings by
exploiting multiple meanings of words or similar
sounding words
◦ “To pun is to treat homonyms as synonyms”
◦ Create humor, double meanings can provide insight into
characters
◦ “Atheism is a non-prophet institution”
◦ “Why do we still have troops in Germany? To keep the
Russians in Czech!”
◦ "I think so, Brain, but if we give peas a chance, won't the
lima beans feel left out?"

Come up with your own example of a pun
you’ve heard at home/school/where ever.

Definition:
◦ Figure of speech that combines contradictory terms

Purpose:
◦ To create irony or show the irony in a situation

Examples:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Jumbo shrimp
Living dead
Virtual reality
Wilfred Owen's poem “The Send-off” refers to
soldiers leaving for the front line: who "lined the
train with faces grimly gay."
Identify the Oxymorons in this poem:
One sunny day in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got into a fight
Back to back, they faced each other,
Pulled out sabers and shot one another
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
And came and killed those two dead boys.
Identify the Oxymorons in this poem:
One sunny day in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got into a fight
Back to back, they faced each other,
Pulled out sabers and shot one another
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
And came and killed those two dead boys.

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
About Anagram, Palindrome, Pun, Oxymoron?
In your novel, find one example of “word
play” – (an anagram, palindrome, pun, OR
oxymoron … NOT one of each). Write the
quote and page number of the example and
explain how it is a play on words.
IE: “Jumbo Shrimp!” pg 34 – This is an
oxymoron because shrimp are small by
nature and cannot really be jumbo.

Definition:
◦ Extreme exaggeration for emphasis

Purpose:
◦ Create emphasis, persuade the reader to agree with
a statement/opinion

Example:
◦ The bag weighed a ton.
◦ That speech lasted for twelve years.


With a partner, create two examples of
hyperbole and record them in your notebook.
Look for one example of hyperbole in your
novel and record the quote and page number
in your RNB. Underneath the example, explain
the author’s purpose for including hyperbole
– what/why was he/she trying to exaggerate?