| Irony |
Expressing something by using words that mean the opposite (humorous or sarcastic) |
| Analogy |
Comparing the likeness of two things |
| Personification |
Giving an inanimate object human characteristics |
| Simile |
Comparing two objects as they have something in common (e.g. as white as snow) |
| Alliteration |
Repetition of a consonant in a phrase (e.g. Harry had a hole in his hard hat) |
| Assonance |
Repetition of vowel sound (e.g. cold, told, bold) |
| Parataxis |
Use of very short, sharp sentences |
| Metaphor |
Comparisons which don't use "like" or "as", but say that something "is" something else because it is similar |
| Imagery |
Using language to convey an atmosphere |
| Onomatopoeia |
When spoken, a word which sounds the same as its meaning (e.g. "hiss" - a snake) |
| Hyperbole |
Exaggerating something so much that it cannot be taken literally |
GCSE English > English Language Terminology