1. The document discusses various figures of speech including simile, metaphor, personification, apostrophe, oxymoron, antithesis, pun, irony, climax, anticlimax, hyperbole, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. 2. Examples are provided for each figure of speech to illustrate how they are used. 3. The purpose of learning figures of speech is to make writers aware of the power and choice they have in using language more imaginatively and to convey complex ideas.

1. Name:PranavGitaramLandge
Year:2021
Course Name:B.ed101
Topic:FiguresOf Speech
TeacherName:Mr.MaheshMali
FiguresOf Speech
We use figuresof speechin"figurative language"toaddcolourand interest,andto awakenthe
imagination.
Figurative language iseverywhere,fromclassical workslike Shakespeare orthe Bible,toeveryday
speech,popmusicandtelevisioncommercials.
It makesthe readeror listeneruse theirimaginationandunderstandmuchmore thanthe plainwords.
Figurative language isthe opposite of literal language.
Literal language meansexactlywhatitsays.

2. Figurative language meanssomethingdifferentto(andusuallymore than) whatitsays onthe surface:
EXAMPLE-
· He ran fast.(literal)
· He ran like the wind.(figurative)
Here "like the wind"isa figure of speech(inthiscase,asimile).
In some respects,theyare the foundationof communication.
Figuresof Speechare a setof toolsessential forall writers.
Conveyingacomplex ideacanbe virtuallyimpossible withoutanIMAGE or analogy.
FIGURES of SPEECH serve tworoles:
(A) DECORATION:
We all love todecorate our home.
What wouldyourhome be like withoutthem?
Theygive beautyandvarietytowhat we wishtoshow
Same way- ‘Figuresof Speech’are decorationswe use forourwriting.Withoutthemourwritingwould
be boring.
(B) CLARITY:
A complex subjectcanbestbe conveyedimaginativelyandcaptivatingly
The purpose of learningFiguresof Speechistomake youaware, as writers,of the poweranddegreesof
choice youhave whenusingitin English.
CommonlyusedFIGURESOF SPEECH:
1. SIMILE-
A Simile showsalikenessorcomparisonbetweentwoobjectsorevents.A simile isusuallyintroduced
withthe words- like,as,as……..so.

3. Examples:
I. She is as prettyas a picture.
II. The storywas as dull as ditchwater.
III. He isas soberas a judge.
2. METAPHOR-
A Metaphoris like asimile.Twoobjectsare compared,withoutthe words‘asor like’.Itisan implied
simile.
Examples:
I. He was a lioninthe battlefield
II. Varietyishe spice of life
III. She was a towerof strengthintheirtrouble.
Difference betweenMetaphorandSimile:
Both similesandmetaphorslinkone thingtoanother.A simile usuallyuses"as"or"like".A metaphoris
a condensedsimile,ashortcuttomeaning,whichomits"as"or "like."A metaphorcreatesarelationship
directlyandleavesmore tothe imagination.
Withsimile A islike B.
WithmetaphorA isB.
Simile
Metaphor
Your eyesare like the sun.
You are mysunshine.

4. He eatslike apig.
He isa pig.
CAUTION:THE METAPHOR needstobe usedcarefully.
THEREFORE, do not gettoo far-fetched;otherwise,the imagesyouconjure upmaybe confusingor
foolish.
Do not OVERUSE or sustainbeyondthe pointof interest.
AvoidMIXED METAPHORS"He put hisfootdownwitha firmhand".
3. PERSONIFICATION-
In Personificationnon-livingobjects,abstractideasorqualitiesare spokenof aspersonsorhuman-
beings.
Examples:
I. Necessityknowsnolaw.
II. Hope springseternal
III. Let the floodsclaptheirhands.
IV. I kissedthe handof death.
NOTE-
We frequentlyuse personification - whetherwe know itor not - whenwe describe
- a promisingmorning
- a treacheroussea
- a thanklesstask
4. APOSTROPHE-
An Apostrophe isadevelopmentof personificationinwhichthe writeraddressesabsentorinanimate
objects,conceptorideasas if theywere alive andcouldreply.

5. Examples:
I. “Fair daffodils,we weeptosee youhaste awaysosoon”.
II. “O wind, where have youbeen?”
III. Lead,Kindlylight,amidthe encirclinggloom.
5. OXYMORON-
An Oxymoroniswhentwotermsorwordsare usedtogetherina sentence buttheyseemtocontradict
each-other.Oxymoronisastatementwhich,onthe surface,seemstocontradictitself - akindof crisp
contradiction.Anoxymoronisafigure of speechthatdeliberatelyusestwodifferingideas.This
contradictioncreatesaparadoxical image inthe readeror listener'smindthatgeneratesanew concept
or meaningforthe whole.
Examples:
I. Life is bittersweet.
II. He isthe wisestfool of themall.
III. He wascondemnedtoa livingdeath
6. ANTITHESIS-
In Antithesis,one wordorideaissetindirectcontrast againstanother,foremphasis.Itisa combination
of twowords,phrases,clauses,orsentencescontrastedinmeaningtoofferahighlighttocontrasting
ideas.Antithesisoccurswhenyouplace twodifferentoroppositeideasneareachother.
Examples:
I. Unitedwe stand,dividedwe fall.
II. To err is human,to forgive isdivine.
III. We lookforlight,butall is darkness.

6. 7. PUN-
Punis a wordor phrase usedintwodifferentsenses.Itisusuallyusedinplays where one wordhastwo
differentmeaningsandisusedtocreate humor.Punisa playof words – eithertheirdifferentmeanings
or upontwo differentwordssoundingthe same.
Humoroususe of a wordto suggestdifferentmeaningsorof wordsof the same soundand different
meaningscreate humorandinterestwhilereadingalso.
Examples:
I. A bicycle can't standon itsown because itistwotired.
II. A boyswallowedsome coinsandwastakentoa hospital.Hisgrandmotherphonedtoaskhow
he was, a nurse said,'Nochange yet.'
III. Truly,Sir,all that I live byiswiththe awl;I meddle withnotradesman's matters,nor
women'smatters,butwithawl.
IV. Is life worthliving?Thatdependsonthe liver
V. A trade,sir, that,I hope,I mayuse witha safe conscience;whichis,indeed, sir,a menderof
bad soles.
8. IRONY
Ironyis whenone thingissaidwhichmeansthe exactopposite.Withironythe wordsusedsuggest the
OPPOSITEof theirliteral meaning.
The effectof irony,however,candependuponthe tone of voice andthe context.Itishumorousor
lightlysarcasticmode of speech.Wordsare usedhere toconveya meaningcontraryto theirliteral
meaning.
NOTE: AN IRONICremarkimpliesadouble /dual view of things:
a. a literal meaning,and
b. a differentintention

7. Ironycan be usedto create amusement - unlikeSarcasm.Whenusedtotauntor ridicule,Ironyiscalled
Sarcasm.
Examples:
I. Here underleave of Brutusand the rest,for Brutusis an honourable man,soare theyall,all
honourable men.
II. The fire stationburneddownlastnight.
III. As softas concrete
IV. As clearas mud
V. He was suspended forhislittlemishap.
VI. The homelesssurvivedintheircardboardpalaces.
9. CLIMAX-
Climax isa figure of speechwhichrisesinstepslikealadderfromsimple tomore important.
Examples:
I. He came,he saw,he conquered.
II. He ran fast;He came firstin the race; He wasawardeda prize.
III. Lost, broken,wreckedanddeadwithinanhour.
10. ANTICLIMAX-
It isan arrangementof wordsin orderof decreasingimportance.Often,itisusedtoridicule.
Examples:
I. The soldierfightsforglory,anda shillingaday.

8. II. She lostherhusband,herchildrenandherpurse.
III. He is a greatphilosopher,amemberof parliamentandplaysgolf well.
11. HYPERBOLE-
Hyperbole isanexaggerationand thingsare made toappeargreateror lesserthantheyusuallyare.
Hyperbole isaliterarydevice oftenusedinpoetry,andisfrequentlyencounteredincasual speech.
Occasionally,newspapersandothermediause hyperbole whenspeakingof anaccident,to increase the
impactof the story.
No one imaginesthatahyperbolicstatementistobe takenliterally.Itcan alsobe termedas
OVERSTATEMENT.It may be usedto evoke strongfeelingsortocreate a strongimpression,butisnot
meantto be takenliterally.
Examples:
I. The burglar ran as fastas lightning.
II. The professor'sideasare asold as the hills.
III. The troopswere swifterthaneaglesandstrongerthanlions.
IV. Her brainis the size of a pea.
V. I have toldyoua milliontimesnottolie!
12. ALLITERATION-
Alliterationisaseriesof wordsthatbeginwiththe same letter.Alliterationconsistsof the repetitionof a
soundor of a letteratthe beginningof twoor more words.
Examples:
I. Dirty dogsdig inthe dirt.
II. Cute cats cookingcarrots.

9. III. Some slimysnakeswere slowlyslithering.
IV. Purple pandaspaintedpictures
V. White whaleswaitinginthe water.
12. ONOMATOPOEIA-
Onomatopoeiaisafigure of speechwhere awordisusedto representasound.Whenyouname an
actionby imitatingthe soundassociatedwithit,thisisknownasonomatopoeia.Examplesof
onomatopoeiaare alsocommonlyfoundinpoemsandnurseryrhymeswrittenforchildren.
Onomatopoeicwordsproduce strongimagesthatcanbothdelightandamuse kidswhenlisteningto
theirparentsreadpoetry.Some examplesof onomatopoeiapoemsforchildrenare BaaBaa Black Sheep
and OldMacdonaldhad a farm-eeaeeaoo
Examples:
Zipgoesthe jacket
" Zip"is an onomatopoeiawordbecause itsoundslike ajacketiszippingup.
"Zip"isan example of onomatopoeiabecause itsoundslike whatitis.Whenyouzipupa zipperthe
soundthe zippermakessoundslike azipper. Here are otheronomatopoeiawords:
Boom,bang,slash,slurp,
gurgle,meow,andwoof
Reference Book:
1.NavneetPublicationStandard10th Grammar
2Manali publicationAll aboutGrammar
Reference website:www.wikipegia.org.in
Reference Videoes:www.youtube.com/grammar