1. The document discusses three literary devices: alliteration, assonance, and lexical chunks. Alliteration involves repeating consonant sounds within words. Assonance involves repeating vowel sounds within words. Lexical chunks are groups of words that commonly occur together. 2. It provides examples of alliteration, assonance, and common lexical chunks or phrases. It notes research suggesting chunks with alliteration and assonance have a mnemonic effect and are easier to remember. 3. The document then shifts to discussing ten common figures of speech - alliteration, assonance, euphemism, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, paradox, pun, simile, and understatement - and provides a definition and example for each.

1. Alliteration, Assonance & Lexical
Chunks
1. Alliteration: The repetition of consonants within
words in close proximity.
Don’t delay dawns disarming display
Dusk demands daylight
Dewdrops dwell delicately
Drawing dazzling delight
(Paul McCann, “Dewdrops Dancing Down Daisies”)

2. 2. Assonance: The repetition of vowel-sounds
within non-rhyming words.
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride
(Edgar Allan Poe, “Annabel Lee”)

3. 3. Lexical chunk: A group of words commonly
found together.
The sheer number of lexical chunks in natural language, and
there is research that points out some interesting evidence
that chunks containing alliteration and assonance are
everywhere and have a significant mnemonic effect. In other
words, they’re very common and easier to remember. For
example:
First and foremost, commit a crime, tell a tale, do
damage vs. make a mess (something tells me these
last two examples are purely accidental),
fundamentally flawed (“badly flawed” has far fewer
Google occurrences), peer pressure, hit and miss, say
a prayer, high time…

4. A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a
special effect by using words in distinctive ways. Though
there are hundreds of figures of speech here we'll focus on
just 10 of the most common figures.
You will probably remember many of these terms from your
English classes. Figurative Language is often associated
with literature – and with poetry in particular. But the fact is,
whether we're conscious of it or not, we use figures of
speech every day in our own writing and conversations.

5. For example, common expressions such as "falling in
love," "racking our brains," "hitting a sales target," and
"climbing the ladder of success" are all metaphors – the
most pervasive figure of all. Likewise, we rely on similes
when making explicit comparisons ("light as a feather")
and hyperbole to emphasize a point ("I'm starving!").
Using original figures of speech in our writing is a way to
convey meanings in fresh, unexpected ways. Figures can
help our readers understand and stay interested in what
we have to say.
1. Alliteration
The repetition of an initial consonant sound.

6. 2. Assonance
Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in
neighboring words.
"I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and
restless." (Thin Lizzy, With Love)
3. Euphemism
The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered
offensively explicit.
"Wardrobe malfunction." (Justin Timberlake's description of his
tearing of Janet Jackson's costume during a half-time performance at
Super Bowl XXXVIII)

7. 4. Hyperbole
An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms
for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect.
"I was helpless. I did not know what in the world to do. I
was quaking from head to foot, and could have hung my
hat on my eyes, they stuck out so far." (Mark Twain, Old Times
on the Mississippi)
5. Irony
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.
“I've found that when you want to know the truth about
someone that someone is probably the last person you
should ask." (Dr. House)

8. 6. Metaphor
An implied comparison between two unlike things that
actually have something important in common.
“Time rushes toward us with its hospital tray of infinitely
varied narcotics, even while it is preparing us for its inevitably
fatal operation”. (Tennessee Williams, The Rose Tattoo)
7. Paradox
A statement that appears to contradict itself.
"War is peace." "Freedom is slavery." "Ignorance is strength."
(George Orwell, 1984)
8. Pun
A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same
word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different
words.
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." (Groucho
Marx)

9. 9. Simile
A stated comparison (usually formed with "like" or "as")
between two fundamentally dissimilar things that have
certain qualities in common.
"My face looks like a wedding-cake left out in the rain."
(W.H. Auden)
10. Understatement
A figure of speech in which a writer or a speaker
deliberately makes a situation seem less important or
serious than it is.
"The grave's a fine and private place, but none, I think, do
there embrace." (Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress)