A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative
language—language that has other meaning than its normal definition.
In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied or suggested
meaning, rather than a dictionary definition.
The principal figures of speech are:
A. Based on likeness
1. simile
4. personification
2. metaphor
5. apostrophe
3. epithet
B. Based on other relations
1. synecdoche
3. allusion
2. metonymy
4. hyperbole
C. Based on sentence structure
1. climax
4. oxymoron
2. anticlimax
5. antithesis
3. irony
A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like”
and “as” to compare two things that are not related by definition.
•You were as brave as a lion.
•They fought like cats and dogs.
•He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that is used to make a comparison between
two things that aren't alike but do have something in common.
“Hope is on the horizon.”
“His words cut deeper than a knife.”
“The moonlight sparkled brighter than a gypsy.”
Epithet is the literary term for the application of a word or phrase to someone
that describes that person's attributes or qualities. Often, this word or phrase,
used to describe the person, becomes synonymous with the person and can be
used as part of his/her name or in place of his/her name.
• Richard the Lion-Heart
• The Great Emancipator (Abraham Lincoln)
•
•
•
•
Grey-eyed Athena
Ivan the Terrible
Star-crossed lovers
Fair Ophelia
Personification is the literary term for giving human characteristics to something
that is not human. When an author or speaker personifies something, he or she
describes the thing as acting as a living, thinking, feeling human being might act.
•Lightning danced across the sky.
•The wind howled in the night.
•The car complained as the key was turned.
•Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.
•My alarm clock yells at me every morning.
Apostrophe is used when a character in a literary work speaks to an object, an
idea, or someone who doesn't exist as if it is a living person.
• Oh, rose, how sweet you smell and how bright you look!
• Car, please get me to work today.
• Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, how lovely are
your branches.
• Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a whole is represented by a part of
it. It is a common element in literature.
•"Beautiful are the feet that bring the good news."
•Boots on the ground—refers to soldiers
•New wheels—refers to a new car
•Ask for her hand—refers to asking a woman to marry
Metonymy is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name
of something else with which it is closely associated.
• The pen is mightier than the sword.
• Have you read Shakespeare?
• She lived a Hollywood lifestyle.
An allusion is when a person or author makes an indirect reference in speech,
text, or song to an event or figure.
• Your backyard is a Garden of Eden.
• I guess I should see this message about a new job as
my burning bush.
• I was surprised his nose was not growing like Pinocchio’s.
• He was a real Romeo with the ladies.
Hyperbole is the use of over-exaggeration to emphasize a point or to be
humorous.
• Her skin on her face was as thin and drawn as tight as the skin of
onion and her eyes were gray and sharp like the points of two picks.
• I'll love you till China and Africa meet
Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or
sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance.
• To infinity, and beyond!
• If you think that's bad, it gets worse.
• Let a man acknowledge his obligations to himself, his family, his country,
and his God.
Anticlimax terms/phrases are figures of speech in which statements or ideas
descend according to their importance.
• The fire burnt Peter's house down and he lost his cell.
• She is a great writer, a mother and a good humorist.
• He lost his family, his car and his cell phone.
Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended
meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words.
• The name of Britain’s biggest dog was “Tiny.
• Oh great! Now you have broken my new camera.
• His friend’s hand was as soft as a rock.
• My friend’s kids get along like cats and dogs.
Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an
effect. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective proceeded by
a noun with contrasting meanings
• Open secret
• Tragic comedy
• Seriously funny
awfully pretty
original copies
liquid gas
• There was a love-hate relationship between the two neighboring
states.
• The professor was giving a lecture on virtual reality.
• All the politicians agreed to disagree.
OXYMORON
he was the perfect embodiment of being alone in a crowd.
There was an employee in the office who was regularly irregular.
The contractor was asked to give the exact estimate of the project.
Antithesis is a figure of speech which refers to the
juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas. It involves the
bringing out of a contrast in the ideas by an obvious contrast
in the words, clauses, or sentences, within a parallel
grammatical structure.
•Man proposes, God disposes."
"Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing."
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind."
Many are called, but few are chosen.
ANTITHESIS
•To err is human; to forgive divine."
•"Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.“
•“In order to lead, you must walk behind.”
•Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
•Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
•A fire station burns down.
•A marriage counselor files for divorce.
•The police station gets robbed.
• A traffic cop gets his license suspended
because of unpaid parking tickets.
• A pilot has a fear of heights.