English Language Arts: Figurative Language

Simile
comparing two unlike things using words such as 'like' or 'as'
Example: They fought like cats and dogs!

Personification
..., A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes

Metaphor
comparing two unlike things NOT using words such as 'like' or 'as'
Example: How could she marry that snake?
figure of speech comparing two different things

Onomatopoeia
...imitates a sound

Imagery
Definition: Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses
Examples: The giant tree was ablaze with the orange, red, and yellow leaves that were beginning to make their decent to the ground.

Hyperbole
an overstatement or exaggeration

Irony
the use of words to express the opposite of their literal meaning

Alliteration
words that have the same beginning sounds together

Pun
A play on words that are similar in sound but different in meaning

Idiom
says one thing but means another

Symbolism
A (concrete) object that represents an abstract idea, feeling, or thought

Diction
A writer's or speaker's choice of words

Syntax
Sentence structure

Tone
A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization at the sentence and general level.