Literary Devices

Grade 7 · English · Flashcards

Master the key literary devices used in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction writing.

Flashcards

Simile: A comparison using 'like' or 'as' — 'The classroom was as loud as a beehive.'
Metaphor: A direct comparison stating one thing is another — 'The mind is a parachute.'
Personification: Giving human qualities to nonhuman things — 'The stars danced in the sky.'
Alliteration: Repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words — 'wild winds whipped.'
Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for emphasis or humor — 'I've told you a million times.'
Irony: A contrast between what is said/expected and what actually happens (verbal, situational, or dramatic).
Foreshadowing: Hints or clues in a story that suggest what will happen later.
Flashback: A scene that interrupts the present narrative to show events from the past.
Symbolism: When an object, person, or place represents a larger idea beyond its literal meaning.
Imagery: Vivid, sensory language that creates pictures or feelings in the reader's mind.
Onomatopoeia: Words that phonetically imitate the sounds they describe — hiss, boom, crackle.
Oxymoron: Two contradictory words placed together for effect — 'bittersweet,' 'deafening silence.'
Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses for rhythm and emphasis.