Literary Terms

3. A figure of speech in which a person, place or thing is referred to by something closely associated with it.
6. A direct comparison of two unlike things stating that one is the other or does the actions of the other.
8. A figure of speech that presents an overstatement or exaggeration for emphasis.
10. A joke exploiting words which sound alike but have different meanings.
11. Vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates mental pictures for the reader.
12. A phrase that combines two words that are opposite or contradictory in meaning.
13. When an ordinary object, event, animal, or person represents extraordinary meaning or significance.
14. A direct comparison between two unlike things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
15. A repetition of consonant at the start of each word within a line of poetry.
17. The formation of a word to imitate the natural sound of something associated with it.
18. A repetition of consonant sounds within a line of poetry.

1. The topic of the poem.
2. A group of words that has a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
4. Also known as the mood or emotion of a poem.
5. A statement that appears contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth.
7. An understatement, used to lessen the effect of something that might sound harsh, offensive or hurtful.
9. A figure of speech in which the poet describes an abstract thing, or a nonhuman form as if it were a person.
13. When a whole object or idea is referred to by the name of one of its smaller parts.
15. A reference to something else in literature. e.g. the Bible.
16. A repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry.