Module 5

FIGURES OF SPEECH

A figure of speech is a phrase that has an implied meaning and should not be taken at face value. This means that the real
meaning of such a phrase differs from its literal meaning. Figures of speech are also known as figures of rhetoric, figures of style,
rhetorical figures, figurative language, and schemes.

USES of Figures of Speech

While you may find several figures of speech definitions and examples online, it is important that you first understand the need
of using these phrases.
1) Many figures of speech contain metaphors, idioms, similes, ironies, antithesis, alliterations, paradoxes and personifications.
So, as you learn about these figures of speech, you also start to understand other aspects of the English language.
2) Since figures of speech are used not only in spoken English but also in the written word, using them can greatly enhance the
overall quality of your English.
3) In most cases, you can use these phrases in the form of a witty comeback or simply to demonstrate your eloquence in the
language.

TYPES of Figures of Speech

After looking at these phrases, you may be eager to start using figures of speech in your daily conversation. But for that, you
also need to know which figure of speech to use in which context.

1) ALLITERATION: Alliteration refers to repeating consonant sounds right next to each other, which creates a memorable or
melodic effect.
Examples:
a) She sells seashells by the seashore.
b) Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
c) Lazy lizards lying like lumps.

2) ANAPHORA: The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses.
Examples:
a) Every morning, every evening, every night, I think of you.
b) This land is my land, this land is your land, this land is our land.
c) I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up. I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will join
hands with little white boys and girls. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted.

3) APOSTROPHE: Directly addressing a nonexistent person or an inanimate object as though it were a living being.
Examples:
a) Oh, Moon, why do you hide behind the clouds when I need your light the most?
b) Why must you betray me now, dear pen, when I have an exam to finish?
c) Time, you cruel thief, why do you steal my happiest moments so quickly?

4) ASSONANCE: Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.

Examples:
a) The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.
b) The cat sat on the mat and laughed at the bat.
c) The moon rooms with too many books.

5) CHIASMUS: A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed.
Examples:
a) Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
b) Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
c) You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.

6) CIRCUMLOCUTION: Circumlocution is the use of a purposely wordy description. You can think of it as talking in circles.
Examples:
a) He has ceased to exist and moved on to a realm beyond our understanding.
b) There is a continuous and abundant downpour of precipitation descending from the sky.
c) She is currently in a delicate condition, carrying within her the beginnings of a new life set to arrive in due time.

7) EUPHEMISM: The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.
Examples:
a) He passed away. (instead of died)
b) They are economically disadvantaged. (instead of poor)
c) They live in a correctional facility. (instead of prison)

8) HYPERBOLE: Hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration that adds emphasis, urgency, or excitement to a statement.
Examples:
a) If I don’t eat soon, I’m going to die of hunger.
b) I've told you a million times to clean your room!
c) This bag weighs a ton, I can barely lift it!
9) IRONY: The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Also, a statement or situation where the meaning is
contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea.
Examples:
a) A marriage counselor files for divorce after years of giving relationship advice.
b) A pilot with a fear of heights struggles to look down from a tall building.
c) The police station gets robbed.

EL-CrW Creative Writing

Module 5
10) LITOTES: A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite.
Examples:
a) She’s not unkind.
b) That test wasn’t too difficult.
c) He’s not the worst cook in the world.

11) METAPHOR: An implied comparison between two dissimilar things that have something in common.
Examples:
a) Time is a thief.
b) Her voice is music to my ears.
c) The classroom was a zoo.

12) ONOMATOPOEIA: Onomatopoeia is when a word imitates the natural sound of a thing, making the description more
expressive and vivid.
Examples:
a) The bees buzzed around the garden.
b) The bacon sizzled in the pan.
c) The book fell to the floor with a loud thud.

13) OXYMORON: Not to be confused with ironies and paradoxes, this figure of speech is used to connect two opposite ideas
simultaneously. This means that, in an oxymoron figure of speech, two contrasting ideas are used within a single sentence to
have a jocular effect.
Examples:
a) Deafening silence filled the room.
b) It was a bittersweet goodbye.
c) She gave him a cold stare with loving eyes.

14) PARADOX: A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself but contains some truth, theme, or humor.
Examples:
a) The only constant in life is change.
b) I must be cruel to be kind.
c) This is the beginning of the end.

15) PERSONIFICATION: A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or
abilities.
Examples:
a) The wind whispered through the trees.
b) The alarm clock yells at me every morning.
c) The sun smiled down on us.

16) PUN: A pun is a form of wordplay that purposely substitutes words that sound similar but have different meanings.
Examples:
a) I used to be a baker, but I couldn't make enough dough.
b) The math teacher’s lecture was full of functions, but it didn’t add up.
c) A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it’s two-tired.

17) SIMILE: A simile compares two dissimilar things using like or as to give the reader a more vivid understanding of something.
Examples:
a) Her smile was as bright as the sun.
b) He ran like the wind.
c) Her heart was as cold as ice.

18) SYNECDOCHE: Synecdoche is when a smaller unit is used to signify a larger unit or vice versa.
Examples:
a) Give me a hand with this project.
b) The suits walked into the boardroom.
c) The crown will decide the nation’s future.

19) TAUTOLOGY OR PLEONASM: Use of more words than necessary to convey meaning. Meant for repeating the same fact
or idea in different words.
Examples:
a) It’s déjà vu all over again.
b) I saw it with my own eyes.
c) The end result was exactly what we predicted.

20) UNDERSTATEMENT: A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or
serious than it is.
Examples:
a) It rained a little last night. (Said after a heavy storm.)
b) We have a slight problem. (Said when facing a major crisis.)
c) I have a tiny favor to ask. (Said when asking for something huge.)

EL-CrW Creative Writing