Figures Of Speech

Irony:

This refers to the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning (A statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea).

Ex1: Having a fight with your best friend just before your birthday, and commenting -"Great, this is just what I needed". - Verbal Irony (It is probably the worst thing that could happen before your birthday.)

Ex2: How early did you come! (Arrive late).

Personification:

This refers to the art of bringing to life an inanimate object, trait, or action, by associating it with a human quality.

Ex1: The camera cry: Buy me!

Ex2: The picture in that magazine screamed for attention.

Metaphor:

Used for the purpose of comparison, a metaphor is a figure of speech that implies the meaning of an object with its reference to another completely unrelated object. For instance:

Ex1: Life is a journey, purposes are destinations, means are routes, difficulties are obstacles, counselors are guides, achievements are landmarks, and choices are crossroads.

Ex2: Her home was a prison.

Contrast / Antithesis:

Antithesis is defined as an opposition or contradiction between two concepts in a statement.

Ex1: You're easy on the eyes, hard on the heart

Ex2: The sun so hot, I froze to death

Idioms:

An idiom is a figure of speech that is used to help express a situation with ease, but by using expressions that are usually completely unrelated to the situation in question. These examples will help you understand idioms.

Ex1: It takes two to tango. - This idiom simply means that it takes more than one person to mess up a situation, i.e. it is not only always one person's fault.

Ex2: Sick as a dog (means you are very ill).

Imagery:

This refers to the vivid descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste).

Ex1: It tastes sweet yet spicy at once, with a tinge of orange taste.

Ex2: It sounds like the chirping of several birds, with their high voices.

Repetition:

This refers to an instance of using a word, phrase, or clause more than once in a short passage-dwelling on a point.

Ex1: Remember that God is looking at you. Look that He is watching you.

Ex2: This heat is so much that I want to go away and walk, walk, walk.

Hyperbole / Exaggeration:

A hyperbole is a figure of speech used for the purpose of exaggeration. It mainly forms the basis of several jokes, is used as a way of insults, or could simply be used to dramatize a situation, where in reality; the situation may not be that bad.

Ex1: I'm so busy trying to accomplish ten million things at once.

Ex2: I could die for this heat.

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