Hyperboles- Extreme exaggerations…
A Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used
to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is rarely meant to be taken
literally.
Hyperbole is used to create emphasis. It is a literary device often used in poetry, and is
frequently encountered in casual speech. It is also a visual technique in which a deliberate
exaggeration of a particular part of an image is employed. An example is the
exaggeration of a person's facial feature in a political cartoon.
Examples:
-This coffee is heavenly – ( it tastes nice.)
-He towered over his partner – (he was 6" taller.)
-Her voice is sublime – (she sings well.)
-This things weighs a ton –( if it did, he wouldn't be carrying it at all.)
-The most beautiful girl in the world – (like he's seen all the rest of them).
Some common Hyperboles:
-thats enough to kill a horse
-the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
-I nearly died laughing
-I tried a thousand times
-She's a million years old
-couldn't care less
-not in a million years
-since the beginning of time
-that's enough to feed the army!
-I'm so tired i could sleep forever.
- I've done this problem a million times and i still can't get the correct answer.
- I laughed my head off.
-my dog is the size of a horse.
- his brain is the size of a pea.
My dog is so ugly…
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"We had to pay the fleas to live on him
"he has to sneak up on his dish to eat".
"we have to pay people to pet it"
"the fire hydrants disguise themselves!"
"you can't tell if she's coming or going"
"he saw himself in a mirror and ran away!"
"you could shave its butt and it would look like it was walking backwards."
"you have to put a bag over him to pet him!"
"fleas won't even live on him!"
"I have to tie a pork chop around his neck to get other dogs to play with him!"
" we have to wait 'till midnight to take him on walks."
"he only has cat friends!"
Hyperbole Activity:
In the following sentences, underline the hyperbole and write what it means on the line underneath.
1. My sister uses so much makeup that she broke the chisel trying to get it off last night.
2. My teacher is so old, they have already nailed the coffin shut.
3. My dog is so ugly, we have to pay the fleas to live on him.
4. The town I grew up in is so isolated, it makes ghost towns look popular.
5. My aunt is so fat, when she lies down, she’s as tall as she is standing up.
6. Your sister’s so skinny, she has to run around in the shower to get wet.
7. The Statue of Liberty is so big, when I looked up, I almost got whiplash.
8. I think of you a million times a day.
9. My dog is so ugly, he only has cat friends.
10. My best friend is so forgetful, I have to remind her what her name is.