Figurative Language Questions and Answers Study Set

Figurative language A form of language use in which writers and speakers convey something other than the literal meaning of their words. Examples: similes, metaphors, personification. Alliteration The repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the beginning of words. Example: "Parting is such sweet sorrow." Allusion A reference to something or someone in history or literature. Example: "Lauren and Robert were forbidden lovers, just like Romeo and Juliet." Assonance The repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sentence or a line of poetry. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds WITHIN a word such as hot dog, the cat ran after the alligator, take the gum and have fun. Diction The selection of words in a literary work. A work's diction forms one of its centrally important literary elements, as writers use words to convey action, reveal character, imply attitudes, identify themes, and suggest values.