The use of figures of speech in the language reveals the plasticity and adds beauty and meaning to the language. Given here is a figures of speech list, which are easy to learn.
Adjunction: Adjunction refers to a clause or a phrase, usually a verb, that is added at the beginning of a sentence. Here are a few examples of adjunction;
Allegory: This figure of speech is an extended metaphor where the characters or actions in a literary work have a more imaginative meaning. The examples of allegory are;
Allusion: An allusion is an indirect or brief reference to a person, place or thing in a literary work. Examples of illusion -
he dropped the sun-reins of his father's chariot
and burned the streak of sky we see today -
or if poor Icarus did - feeling his sides
unfeathering as the wax began to melt,
his father shouting: "Wrong, your course is wrong - Inferno, Dante
Alliteration: A repetition of particular consonant sound in the beginning of each word in close succession. Though alliteration is mainly consonant sounds, sometimes vowel sounds are also repeated. This figure of speech is mainly used in poetry. A few examples of alliteration:
Antithesis: An antithesis is a figure of speech where there is a juxtaposition of two contrasting ideas in a balanced clause or sentence. Some illustrations of antithesis:
There could be spirits of a middle sort,
Too black for heav'n, and yet too white for hell,
Who just dropp'd halfway down, nor lower fell. - The Hind and the Panther, John Dryden
Apostrophe: In this figure of speech, a non existent or absent person is addressed. In literary pieces, this figure of speech usually starts with an exclamation 'O'. Examples of apostrophe are:
Climax: In climax, the words or clauses are arranged in ascending order of importance. These phrases have a similar theme and arranged in increasing order according to the impact they create on the reader. A few illustrations;
Euphemism: A figure of speech where an offensive or rude word is substituted by a polite and gentle word. The technique is to use a neutral language so as not to sound offensive to the receiver. Like for instance:
Hyperbole: It is used while exaggerating something. This figure of speech is mainly used in several jokes or as a way of insult. It is to dramatize a normal situation or to make it look worse. Somehyperbole examples:
Irony: Irony is used to convey the opposite meaning of a word. It is usually used in sarcasm or in humor. It is also used to convey an ugly truth in a subtle manner. Some examples of irony are:
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink." (Situational Irony) - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, S. T. Coleridge
Metaphor: Metaphor is used for the purpose of comparison with a thing which is not applicable to it literally. It is an indirect comparison of two unrelated things. Some examples of metaphors include:
Metonymy: In metonymy, the name of one thing is replaced with something that is closely related to it. In common terms, it is also known as misnomer or transmutation. Here are some metonymy examples:
Onomatopoeia: This figure of speech imitates the sounds produced by the objects or actions. Examples of onomatopoeia:
Oxymoron: Using a contradictory term to define a situation, object or event is oxymoron. Some oxymoron examples are:
Personification: Associating an inanimate object to human quality. A few personification examples are:
Simile: Simile is a figure of speech where two essentially unlike things are compared with each other, using 'as', 'than' or 'like'. Simile examples are:
Synecdoche: It is a part of speech similar to metonymy, where a part of a particular object is used to refer to the whole thing. Synechdoche examples are: