Published on
November 22, 2024
by
Ryan Cove.
Revised on
January 5, 2025.
Chiasmus is where the ideas or grammatical structures in the first part of a sentence are repeated in reverse order in the second part of the sentence using different words. The meaning of the first part is almost a mirror image of the meaning of the second part and creates an ABBA structure.
Chiasmus exampleShe has all my love; my heart belongs to her.
“She” (A) and “her” (A) have the same meaning, as does “my love” (B) and “my heart” (B).
Published on
November 8, 2024
by
Ryan Cove.
Revised on
January 31, 2025.
Metonymy (pronounced meh-tah-nuh-mee) is a figure of speech in which a word or term is used to replace or represent another closely related word or term. For example, “the crown” is often used to describe the British monarchy, and “Hollywood” is often used to describe the American film industry.
Metonymy is used in all sorts of writing, from everyday speech to headlines and song lyrics. Writers use it to add layers of meaning to their words and be concise.
Metonymy examplesCelebrities sometimes try to hide from the press. [the media]
The heart knows what it wants. [emotions or love]
She was the brains of the operation. [intelligence]
Published on
October 30, 2024
by
Ryan Cove.
Revised on
January 31, 2025.
Consonance is a literary device that repeats consonant sounds within nearby words (e.g., “He struck the clock with a quick flick”). Using consonance can add rhythm, a specific mood, or a catchy feel to your writing.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words in close proximity to each other (e.g., “whispering winds,” “busy bee”). Alliteration gives a rhythmic and almost musical quality to words that makes them more engaging, memorable, and impactful.
Alliteration examplesSally sells seashells by the seashore.
An extended metaphor is a literary device that serves the same purpose as a metaphor—to create a comparison—but uses several sentences, paragraphs, or even longer to do so.
A regular metaphor creates a simple, concise comparison in one line or sentence, while an extended metaphor does the same thing but uses more language to elaborate on the comparison with more complex ideas.
Extended metaphor exampleHope is like a lighthouse. It shines a guiding light, helping us navigate life’s challenges. And that lighthouse shines brightest during the darkest of nights, especially when surrounded by rough seas.
In this example, the extended metaphor compares hope to a lighthouse, where hope is strongest during our darkest times, and “rough seas” to the uncertainty of life.
Rhyme is the repetition of identical or similar sounds at the end of words (e.g., “the cat in the hat”). Rhymes are often found at the end of a line in song lyrics or poems but can occur anywhere in a line or sentence.
Using rhyme adds a musical element to your writing and tends to make it more memorable and “catchy.”
Rhyme examplesThe stars above shine bright and clear,
As the moon reflects the sea so near.
The rain came down on a steady beat.
And puddles formed around my feet.
Published on
October 22, 2024
by
Ryan Cove.
Revised on
January 31, 2025.
Assonance is a literary device that uses the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words (e.g., “the need for speed”). Assonance enhances the emotional and aesthetic quality of writing, often making it more rhythmic or “catchier.”
Assonance examplesOne of the best and most famous examples of assonance is “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain” from the Broadway play My Fair Lady.
The “ay” sound repeated so closely together throughout the sentence makes it an example of assonance.
Published on
October 17, 2024
by
Ryan Cove.
Revised on
January 31, 2025.
Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which a word is pronounced the same way as the sound associated with it. Onomatopoeia occurs most commonly with animal sounds (e.g., the buzz from a bee), mechanical sounds (e.g., the clang of metal on metal), and action/impact sounds (e.g., the boom from an explosion).
Onomatopoeia examplesThe thunder boomed in the distance as the storm approached.
A palindrome is a word, phrase, name, or number that reads the same forward or backward (e.g., noon, 1001). They occur more commonly than you might think and appear in names, dates, places, and other everyday language uses.
Palindrome examples
Kayak
1221
Madam, in Eden, I’m Adam
Ana
NotePalindromes do not account for spaces, punctuation, or capitalization.
Anachronism is when film, literature, or other types of storytelling use something from one time period in a different time period. It can be something from the past used in a futuristic setting or something from the future used in the past. Anachronisms can be accidental, such as historical inaccuracies, or intentional to make a point or add humor.
Anachronism exampleIn the 1993 film Robin Hood: Men in Tights, set in medieval England, Dave Chappelle’s character, Achoo, wears all medieval clothing except for his footwear—Reebok Pumps, a sneaker popular in the United States in the 1990s.
This is an example of an intentional anachronism done for comedic effect.