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Simile

like / as.

Metaphor

is.

Personification

human characteristics.

Apostrophe

inner monologue, an aside.

Hyperbole

exaggeration or extravagance.

Alliteration

repetition of consonants.

Assonance

repetition of vowels.

Consonance

repetition of syllables, often end syllables.

Imagery

figurative or descriptive.

Repetition

reiteration ... say it again.

Onomatopoeia

cuckoo, meow, bang, boom.

is a comparison of two things using like or as.

It adds meaning to an idea with something already familiar to us

"The hard gust of wind hit like the blow of a fist ... As cold as ice ... He was tough as nails".

Many similes are clichés or phrases are overused and betray a lack of original thought. Use them carefully.

is a substitute of one idea for another or an implied comparison.

It adds lots of meaning with very few words.

"Time is a thief ... All the world's a stage ... Life is a journey".

"Dead metaphors" have lost impact over time through over use. "Mixed metaphors" blend too many ideas.

is the treatment of an object or thing as if it were a person.

It adds richness and character to inanimate things.

"The deserted house appeared depressed".

Personification is a commonly favored literary tool, to add meaning and emotions and you may in fact use it without even knowing it.

addresses someone or something as if they were present and can understand.

We share in the thoughts of the speaker.

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are ... O western wind, when will thou blow".

The apostrophe is a forceful, emotional device ... You will use it most in informal writing contexts.

is a deliberate exaggeration to emphasise an idea or add emotional effect.

Are exaggerations to create emphasis or effect.

"The bag weighed a ton".

Hyperbole are not to be taken literally.

consists of repeating consonants at the beginning of words.

Alliteration adds interest to the text or narrative.

"She sells sea shells by the sea shore".

Alliteration is most commonly used in modern music but is also seen in magazine article titles, advertisements & business names.

consists of repeating vowel sounds in a phrase or sentence.

Assonance adds interest to the text or narrative.

"Jack Black sat back".

Together with alliteration and consonance, assonanceserves as one of the building blocks of verse.

consists of repeating similar sounding syllables.

Consonance adds interest to the text or narrative.

"Mammals named Sam are clammy".

Consonance is quite often employed in rap, whether to underscore rhyme or to offer a kind of rhyme substitute.

uses language that engages our senses such as sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and even motion.

When an author uses an object that is not really there, in order to create a comparison between one that is, usually evoking a more meaningful visual experience for the reader.

"Like a sculptor adding layer and layer to his statue, building it up into a beautiful work of art".

Auditory imagery represents a sound. Kinesthetic imagery represents movement. Gustatory imagery represents a taste. Tactile imagery represents touch.

is a repeating word or phrase for rhythm or emphasis.

It emphasises a thought.

"We feared nothing, because we had nothing to fear".

Repetition is such a common literary device that it is almost never even noted as a figure of speech.

are words that sound like the noise they name.

Helps us enter the poem and "hear" the sound it represents.

"Snap those fingers ... cuckoo, meow, bang, boom, a-a-aahhhchooo".

Onomatopoeia may also refer to the use of words whose sound suggests the sense like a locomotive, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".

Author	Harvey
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Contact	Harvey.Rough@iCapisce.com
Description	Techniques used in poetry
Domain	English
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