Norte, Judy Anne D.

BSA 3/GEC-Engl5 (World Literature)

May 13, 2014

Mr. Edilberto M. de los Reyes

Figures of Speech

1. Simile it is a rhetorical figure expressing comparison or likeness that directly

compares two objects through some connective word such as like, as, so, than, or a
verb such as resembles. Although similes and metaphors are generally seen as
interchangeable, similes acknowledge the imperfections and limitations of the
comparative relationship to a greater extent than metaphors.
Examples:
as busy as a horse
as happy as a clam
2. Metaphor it is a figure speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on
some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object. Metaphor
is a type of analogy and is closely related to other rhetorical figures of speech achieve
their effects via association, comparison or resemblance.
Examples:
apple of my eye
light of my life
3. Personification it means representing a non-human living thing, inanimate object, or
idea as human or attributing to it human traits and qualities, such as a physical body,
emotions, desires, sensations, physical gestures and speech.
Examples:
The stars danced playfully in the beautiful scenery
The destroyed house appeared depressed.
4. Hyperbole it is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It
may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not
meant to be taken literally.
Examples:
I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
I have a million things to do.
5. Apostrophe it is an exclamatory figure of speech. It occurs when a speaker breaks
off from addressing the audience and directs speech to an absent third party.

Examples:
God deliver me from fools.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
6. Irony it is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or event characterized by an
incongruity, or contrast, between what the expectations of a situation are.
Examples:
A person who claims to be a vegan and avoids meat but will eat a slice of
pepperoni pizza because they are hungry.
A man who is a traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid parking tickets.
7. Metonymy it is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its
own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing
or concept.
Examples:
The pen is mightier than the sword.
To fish pearls.
8. Synecdoche it is a type of trope, which is a figure of speech. When used in
literature, a synecdoche will add to the visual imagery of the passage and enhance the
readers experience.
Example:
Music is my bread and butter.
He is the breadwinner.
9. Euphemism - is a generally innocuous word or expression used in place of one that
may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant.
Examples:

Passed away instead of died.

Correctional facility instead of jail.

10. Onomatopoeia it is a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the

source of the sound that it describes. It refers to the property of such words.
Examples:
Water plops into pond.
Trilling as a melodic hill