Figures of speech are like the icing on the cake: they’re not crucial, but they make your writing more enjoyable to read and easier to understand. Writing quickly for your audience to understand makes them want to stick around.
What is a figure of speech?
A figure of speech is a way to describe something or someone, often interestingly and creatively. They can add color and flair to your writing and are often used to make a point or emphasize a feeling.
There are many different types of figures of speech, including similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, and consonance. The list goes on! In this article, we’ll cover some common examples of these figures of speech so you can learn how to use them in your writing.
What are the different kinds of figures of speech with examples?
Figures of speech are ways to use language creatively to convey a meaning that is not true. Usage of the figure of speech is seen with words, phrases, or even punctuation marks. Here are a few examples:
- Metaphor: A metaphor is a comparison between two things, with no words to indicate it’s a comparison. Example: “In the office, you’re just as adorable as a peacock.”
- Simile: A simile is a comparison between two things, including the words “like” or “as.” Example: “You’re like sunshine on a rainy day.”
- Personification: Personification is when an inanimate object or animal is given human qualities; it’s often used to compare the subject and its qualities. For example: “The pillows started shouting, crying, and begging when my children and my friends slept on it.”
- Alliteration: A figure of speech in which two or more words begin with the same letter or sound. For example, “the children ran for the door” is an alliteration because both words begin with the letter t.
- Onomatopoeia: A word that depicts sounds. For example, buzz and ding are onomatopoeic words because they sound like the sounds they describe (buzzing and dinging).
- Hyperbole: Hyperbole is an exaggeration used to emphasize or express strong feelings. Examples: “I’m so irritated and hungry that I could digest an elephant in one bite.”
- Euphemism: a mild expression substituted for a harsh or offensive one to avoid offending. Example: “passed away” instead of “died.”
- Anaphora: Anaphora is a figure of speech in which the same word or phrase is repeated multiple times at the beginning of a clause. The repetition can be either exact or vary slightly, as in “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
- Apostrophe: An example of the apostrophe is when an author speaks directly to someone who isn’t present. It can be seen in literature like Frankenstein: “O Jack! How can I describe my emotions in this situation?”
Summing it up!
Figures of speech are everywhere in the world around us. They can be used to make an argument or make a statement more interesting. They can reveal something about a person’s character or make them sound more fun. The possibilities are endless! Explore the iSchoolConnect website now!