Language Features

Imagery	Imagery means to use figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses. Usually it is thought that imagery makes use of particular words that create visual representation of ideas in our minds. The word imagery is associated with mental pictures.
Term:	Definition:	Examples:	A published example:	Found this in a lyrics/book/ poem/story:	My own written example:
Simile	A figure of speech that compares two things that are alike in some way. To help you identify a simile versus a metaphor, know that the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ are typically used in a simile.	As fast as a leopard.	“I can read you like a magazine”	Taylor Swift Blank Space	As red as a rose
Metaphor	An implied comparison between different things that does not use “like” or “as”	The road was a ribbon of moonlight	“Baby you’re a firework”	Katy Perry Firework	You’re a star!
Personification	A form of metaphor in which a lifeless object, an animal or an idea is made to act like a person.	The sun smiled down on us.	“The high yellow moon won’t come out to play”	Bob Marley Concrete Jungle	The trees danced in the wind.
Hyperbole	An exaggeration; not meant to be taken literally.	My feet were on fire.	“When my world gets loud”	Meghan Trainor Kindly Calm Me Down	My mum will kill me if I don’t.
Onomatopoeia	The word sounds like it “is”	Buzzing WHAM! Hoot! Hoot!	“Boom boom boom”	Katy Perry Firework	The owl hooted in the distance.
Idioms	Figure of speech, usually specific to a certain language. When picked apart, may not make sense.	I’m tongue-tied.	“Heaven can’’t help me now”	Taylor Swift Wildest Dreams	You’ve been barking up the wrong tree!
Cliché	Something that is a tired phrase; used because it is generally is true; has been repeated so many times, however, it’s become stale.	Money doesn’t grow on trees!	“Blah blah blah”	Meghan Trainor NO	Time will tell.
Alliteration	The repetition of same or similar consonant sounds	Pretty, Polly parrot with a long pink tail, lived on potatoes! “Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater…”	“The haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate”	Taylor Swift Shake It Off	Lily licked lemon lollipops.
Assonance	The similarity of two or more vowel sounds or the repetition of two or more consonant sounds, especially in words that are close together a poem.	Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.' From “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe	“The drought was the very worst When the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst”	Taylor Swift Clean	Go and mow the lawn.
Oxymoron	A literary device which combines two contradictory terms	Jumbo shrimp Military intelligence Happily married http://www.oxymoronlist.com/	“Perfect storms”	Taylor Swift Blank Space	Cruel Kindness
Analogy	A comparison between two things that are similar in some way, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand; a form of reasoning, similarities in some aspects	Formal analogies are in this general form: a:b::c:d This is read as follows: "a is to b as c is to d". What that means in plainer English is that the relationship between "a" and "b" is similar somehow to the relationship between "c" and "d." Here are more specific examples: 1. shoe is to foot as tire is to wheel 2. followers are to a leader as planets are to a sun 3. shells were to ancient cultures as dollar bills are to modern culture	“Boys and boys and girls and girls”	Taylor Swift Welcome To New York	Dresses are to girls as suits are to boys.