Figures of Speech

1. Learning objectives
At the end of discussion, students are expected to:
a. identify the figure of speech used in
each sentence;
b. appreciate the importance of figure of
speech in literature; and
c. compose a poem or song using the
different figures of speech .

5. What have you noticed in this picture ?
How about it’s caption “Well, it did not say “Good Quality”

6. Figures of Speech
 A word or phrase that possesses a
separate meaning from its literal meaning.
 Using figurative language- language that
has other meaning than it’s normal
definition.

7. Irony- use of terms to convey a meaning
opposite of terms literal meaning.
How nice! She said , when I told her I had to
work all weekend .(verbal irony)
 A Traffic cop gets suspended for not paying
his parking tickets . (situational irony)
When the audience knows the killer is hiding
in closet in a scary movie, but the actors do
not. (Dramatic Irony)

8. Oxymoron- Placing two opposing terms side
by side.
 Jumbo shrimp, Sweet sorrow, Beautiful, Nightmare,
Sweet , Revenge , Free Market.
Paradox- Contradictory phrase that contains some
measure of truth
Examples: “What a pity that youth must be wasted on
the young”- George Bernard Shaw
Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.

9. Balance
Parallelism: Similarity in structure
between words and phrases
Like father, like son
Easy come, easy go.
Whether in class, at work , or at home,
Shasta was always busy.

10. Antithesis- Juxtaposing two
contradictory ideas
Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
-Love is an ideal thing , marriage is a real thing.
Climax- Ordering words and phrases in order of
increasing importance.
Example: Let a man acknowledge his obligation
to himself, his family, his country, and his God.

11. Anastrophe- Invasion of natural
speaking word order.
Tomorrow will come the decision.
How amazing this is.
An excellent decision she made
there.

12. Parenthesis- Insertion of terms or phrases that
interrupt the natural syntactical flow
 But what might you think , When I had seen this hot love
on the wing- As perceive’d it (I must tell that) Before my
daughter told me – what might you, Or my dear Majesty
your queen here, think…,? Hamlet Shakespeare
 Apposition- Addition of words to clarify or elaborate what
came before
 Example: The phrase “My dog Woofers”, in which “My dog”
is in apposition to the name “Woofers”.

13. Omission/ Inclusion
Ellipsis- Omission of words implied by context.
 Rest at pale evening…
A tall , slim tree…
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.
 In this poem Dream Variations” Langston Hughes uses
ellipsis to indicate a dreamy trailing –off, a kind of
pause in rhythm that lets the reader take moment to
picture the dream he describes.

14. Asyndeton – Omission of
conjunctions between clauses
“… we shall pay any price , bear any
burden, meet any hardship support
any friend, oppose any foe to assure
the survival and success of liberty”.-
John F. Kennedy.

15. Brachylogia: Omission of conjunction
between a series of words.
Grates me; the sum,’ meaning,’ This is
annoying me; get to the point of what
you have to say.’- Antony in
Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
tells a messenger

16. Repetition
Aliteration- Repetition of consonants in
two or more words.
She sells seashores in the
seashore
Walter wondered where Winnie
was.
Blue baby bonnets bobbled
through the bayou.

17. Polysndeton : An over abundance of
conjunctions.
“The the dinner was so good; I
ate chicken, and the salad , and
the turkey, and the wild rice, and
the bread, and the mashed
potatoes, and the cranberry
sauce.”

18. Metaphor
 Metaphor- reference of one thing to imply another.
 It suggests the two comparison between two unlike
objects or particular without using as, like , or as if. The
two things are being compared in each metaphor is .
highlighted .
Examples: Annie’s memory is cloudy since she can never
remember anything.
The ship was a tiger roaring through the water.
Wacky was a bullet during the race.

19. Simile
 Comparison between two unlike objects or particulars with the
use of as, like , or as if.
 Reference of one thing to imply another.
Examples: He is hungry as a bear.
Andrea swam like a fish in the sea.
She was as quiet as a mouse.

20. Synecdoche
A part is used for a whole or a whole is used for a part.
Here are some of the examples : the word hand in “ offer your
hand in marriage’’; mouths in “ hungry mouths to feed ’’; and
wheels referring to a car.
Another examples: The country supported the president
Sixty hands voted.
His parents brought him a new set of wheels (new
car)

21. Metonymy
- A form of figurative language in which word is replaced by
something very close to the original meaning.
 Examples:
 * Crown* – in a place of royal person
Sentence- We will swear royalty to the crown .
 Lend me your ear -which means listen to me.
 “The pen is more mighty than the sword .’’

22. Personification
 Referencing inanimate objects with human
like qualities or abilities.
 Examples: The soft voice of the waterfall
serenaded me to sleep.
The flowers nodded.
The snowflakes danced

23. Word play & Puns
Antnaclasis
 Repitition of word with two different definitions.
 A word that comes from the greek word (antanaklasis) in which it
means “reflection’’
 Examples: To England I will steal , and there I’ll steal.
“If you dont look good, we don’t look good”- Vidal
Sassoon hairdresser
Even though were apart you’re still part of me.

24. Paronomasia
 Use words similar in sound but different in
meaning.
 “I love a good triangle , especially when it’s acute
one with a good figure”. Examples: Champagne for
my real friends and real pain for my sham friends.

25. Syllepsis
 Use of same word differently to modify two or more objects .
 Example:” She closed the door and her eyes’’ the word
“closed” is used as a past tense verb in relation to the door,
but as an adjective in relation to the eyes.
 “You held your breath and the door for me”- Alanis Morissette
, Head Over Feet
-The word “held” applies to breath” and the “door”, the held
for breath is figurative language and the other (door) is literal

26. Onomatopoeia
 It describes a natural sound or sound made by an object or a
certain action.
 Forming a word to imitate a sound.
 Examples: are buzz, crunch , tinkle, gurgle, hiss, splash, and
crash to mention a few. Forming a word to imitate a sounds.
 The clock wen tick tock.
The wind whispeared to my ears.
 The waves crashed against the side of the boat.