Literary Terms

Grade 5 · English · Flashcards

Practice key literary terms used to analyze stories, poems, and other works of literature.

Flashcards

Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'Her smile was like sunshine.'
Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as.' Example: 'Life is a journey.'
Personification: Giving human qualities or actions to non-human things. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'
Alliteration: The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words. Example: 'Peter Piper picked a peck.'
Hyperbole: An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect. Example: 'I've told you a million times!'
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the sound it describes. Examples: buzz, crash, sizzle, hiss.
Theme: The central message or lesson the author wants the reader to take from a story.
Setting: The time and place in which a story takes place.
Plot: The sequence of events that make up the story, usually including a conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution.
Protagonist: The main character in a story, often the hero or the person the story centers on.
Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist and creates conflict.
Foreshadowing: Hints or clues early in a story that hint at what will happen later.
Imagery: Vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the five senses to create a mental picture.