FIGURES OF SPEECH

FIGURES OF SPEECH :

A Figure of Speech is an extra-ordinary form of expression

of language used by authors, especially poets, in order to
create a greater effect.

There are four categories of figures of speech.

RESEMBLENCE

CONTRAST

ASSOCIATION

CONSTRUCTION
 Simile
• A comparison is made between two objects of different
kinds which have however at least one point in
common.

• Words like ‘as, like’ are seen in this figure of speech.

• Examples :
(a) O my love’s like a red, red rose
(b) The righteous shall flourish as the palm tree.
Some more Examples

• You were as brave as a lion.

• They fought like cats and dogs.
• He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
• This house is as clean as a whistle.
• He is as strong as an ox.
• Your explanation is as clear as mud.
• Watching the show was like watching grass grow.
 Metaphor
• A metaphor is an implied Simile. It says
that the two things are the same.

• Ex:
(a) The camel is the ship of the desert.
(b) Life is a dream.
Some more Examples
• The snow is a white blanket.
• He is a shining star.
• Her long hair was a flowing golden river.
• Tom's eyes were ice as he stared at her.
• The children were flowers grown in concrete gardens.
• Kisses are the flowers of affection.
• The falling snowflakes are dancers.
• The calm lake was a mirror.
• The sun is a golden ball.
• The clouds are balls of cotton.
 Personification
• Inanimate objects and abstract notions are
spoken of as having life and intelligence.

• Ex:
(a) Death lays his icy hand on kings.
(b) Pride goeth forth on horseback, grand and gay,
But cometh back on foot, and begs its way.
Some more Examples
• Lightning danced across the sky.
• The wind howled in the night.
• The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition.
• Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.
• My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.
• The avalanche devoured anything standing in its way.
• The door protested as it opened slowly.
• My house is a friend who protects me.
• The moon played hide and seek with the clouds.
• The approaching car's headlights winked at me.
 Apostrophe
• It is a direct address to the dead, to the absent or to a
personified object or idea. It is a special form of
personification.

• Ex:
(a) O Friend! I know not which way I must look for
comfort.
(b) O Solitude! Where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face?
Some more Examples

• Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. (Jane Taylor)
• O holy night! The stars are brightly shining!
• Then come, sweet death, and rid me of this grief
• O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth.
• Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll!
• “Please, please clouds. Don’t rain today.”
• “Let Hades come to me and swallow me whole.”
• “Why do you have to be such a pain, math?”
• “Shoes, my beautiful new shoes. You’ll look great with my black
plaid skirt.”
 Hyperbole
• When a statement is made emphatic by over statement, it
is called Hyperbole.

• Ex:
(a) Here’s the smell of blood still;
All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten the little hand
(b)Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with
tears.
Some more Examples
• I've told you to clean your room a million times!
• It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing hats and jackets.
• She's so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company.
• I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
• I have a million things to do today.
• When I was young, I had to walk 15 miles to school, uphill, in the snow.
• I had a ton of homework.
• If I can't buy that perfect prom dress, I'll die!
• He's as skinny as a toothpick.
• The car went faster than the speed of light.
 Euphemism
• When an expression or description of a
disagreeable thing by an agreeable name or
way, it is known as Euphemism.

• Ex:
(a) You are telling me a fairy tale.(i.e. a lie)
(b) He has fallen asleep. (i.e. he is dead)
Some more Examples
• Passed away instead of died
• Dearly departed instead of died
• Letting someone go instead of firing someone
• On the streets instead of homeless
• Economical instead of cheap
• Taking an early retirement instead of got fired
• Big-boned instead of fat or overweight
• Not the sharpest pencil in the box instead of not smart
• His elevator doesn't reach the top floor instead of not smart
• Chronologically-challenged instead of late
 Antithesis
⮚ In Antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of
words or sentiments is made in the same sentence
or line. It is employed to secure emphasis.

⮚ Ex:
(a) Man proposes; God disposes.
(b) Speech is silver; but silence is golden.
Some more Examples
• "Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.“
• "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
• "To err is human; to forgive divine."
• "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice."
• "Many are called, but few are chosen."
• "Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit."
• "Folks who have no vices have very few virtues."
• "All the joy the world contains
Has come through wishing happiness for others.
All the misery the world contains
Has come through wanting pleasure for oneself."
 Oxymoron
• Oxymoron is a special type of Antithesis, whereby
two contradictory qualities are predicted at once of
the same thing.

• Ex:
(a) So innocent rich, so cunningly simple.
(b) She accepted it as the kind cruelty of the surgeon’s
knife.
Some more Examples

• "I like a smuggler. He is the only honest thief." - Charles Lamb

• "I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible." - Oscar Wilde
• "And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true." - Alfred Tennyson
• "Modern dancing is so old fashioned." - Samuel Goldwyn
• "A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business." - Henry Ford
• "I am a deeply superficial person." - Andy Warhol
• "We're busy doing nothing." - Bing Crosby
• "No one goes to that restaurant anymore. It's always too crowded." - Yogi
Berra
• "A joke is an extremely serious issue." - Winston Churchill
• "I like humanity, but I loathe persons." - Edna St. Vincent Millay
• "I generally advise persons never ever to present assistance."
An oxymoron is a phrase that uses two contradictory or opposing terms, while an antithesis is
a device that presents two contrasting ideas in a sentence (but not in the same phrase).

Explanation:
An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory or opposing ideas appear in the
same phrase. It is used to present a point more subtly - for humour or for reflection - than by
using a direct reference.
For example:
The rising moon over the city dump presented a beautifully ugly scene.
To accept death rather than dishonour was the only choice available.

An antithesis is a literary device that uses two contrasting or opposing ideas in a sentence to
create a contrasting effect. The presence of the two opposing ideas is to bring out a deeper
meaning by drawing the attention of the listener/reader and through emphasis.
For example:
That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
United we stand, divided we fall.
 Epigram
• An Epigram is a brief pointed saying frequently
introducing antithetical ideas which excite surprise
and arrest attention.

• Ex:
(a) The child is the father of the man.
(b) A man can’t be too careful in the choice of his
enemies.
Some more Examples

• Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

• The art lies in concealing art.
• Silence is sometimes more eloquent than
words.
• Conspicuous by its absence.
 Irony/Sarcasm
• Irony is a mode of speech in which the real meaning
is exactly opposite of that which is literally
conveyed.

• Ex:
(a) His argument was as clear as mud.
(b) A free ride, when you've already paid.
Some more Examples

• A fire station burns down.

• A marriage counselor files for divorce.

• The police station gets robbed.

• A post on Facebook complaining how useless Facebook is.

• A traffic cop gets his license suspended because of unpaid parking tickets.
 Pun
• A Pun consists in the use of a word in such a
way that it is capable of more than one
application, the object being to produce a
ludicrous effect.
• Ex:
(a) Is life worth living? – It depends on the liver.
(b) Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh fool.
Some more Examples

• Santa Claus' helpers are known as subordinate Clauses.

• She had a photographic memory but never developed it.
• The two pianists had a good marriage. They always were in a chord.
• I was struggling to figure out how lightning works, but then it struck me.
• The grammarian was very logical. He had a lot of comma sense.
• A chicken farmer's favorite car is a coupe.
• What do you call a person rabid with wordplay? An energizer punny.
• I've been to the dentist many times so I know the drill.
• What did one plant say to another? What's stomata?
• The other day I held the door open for a clown. I thought it was a nice jester.
 Metonymy
• In Metonymy, an object is designated by the name
of something which is generally associated with it.
• Ex:
(a) When shall I have the crown! (crown stands for
the king)
(b) The cup that cheers but not inebriates.(Cup stands
for liquid)
(c) I am reading Milton.
Some more Examples

• Crown. (For the power of a king.)

• The White House. (Referring to the American administration.)
• Dish. (To refer an entire plate of food.)
• The Pentagon. (For the Department of Defence and the offices of the
U.S. Armed Forces.)
• Pen. (For the written word.)
• Sword - (For military force.)
• Hollywood. (For US Cinema.)
• Hand. (For help.)
 Synecdoche
• In Synecdoche, a part is used to designate
the whole or the whole is used to
designate a part.
• Ex:
(a) He has many mouths to feed.
(b) India won the world cup.
Some more Examples
• Boots on the ground—refers to soldiers
• New wheels—refers to a new car
• Ask for her hand—refers to asking a woman to marry
• Suits—can refer to businesspeople
• Plastic—can refer to credit cards
• The White House—can refer to statements made by
individuals within the United States government
 Transferred Epithet
• In this figure of speech, an epithet is
transferred from its proper word to another
that is closely associated with it in the
sentence.
• Ex:
(a) Under his thoughtful toes
(b) He passed a sleepless night.
• tired feet
• stupid smile
• foolish ideas
• lonely nights
• dizzy heights
• drunk driving
• guilty secrets
• disabled toilet
• restless nights
• silly questions
• happy thoughts
• a thankless task
• a knowing smile
• careless thoughts
• female changing-rooms
 Litotes
• In Litotes, an affirmative is conveyed by negation
of the opposite, the effect being to suggest a
strong expression by means of a weaker.
• Ex:
(a) The man is no fool.(very clever)
(b) She is never late. (Always on time)
Some more Examples

• He's not the friendliest person.

• It wasn't a terrible trip.
• She's not unkind.
• They aren't unhappy with the presentation.
• Not too shabby!
• The two concepts are not unlike each other.
• She's no spring chicken.
• It's not exactly a walk in the park.
 Interrogation
• Interrogation is the asking of a question not
for the sake of getting an answer, but to put
a point more effectively.
• Ex:
(a) Can a leopard change its spots?
(b) To be or not to be ? That is the question.
(c) If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
 Exclamation
• In this figure of speech the exclamatory
form is used to draw greater attention.
• Ex:
(a) What a piece of work is man!
(b) How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon
this bank!
Some more Examples

• What a lovely bouquet of flowers!

• What a cute puppy!
• What an ugly bug!
• What a happy ending!
• How bright they've grown in the sunlight!
• How well he listens!
• How slow they crawl!
• How fast you ran!
 Climax
• Climax is the arrangement of a series of
ideas in the order of increasing
importance.
• Ex:
(a) Simple ,erect, severe, austere, sublime
(b) I came, I saw, I conquered.
Some more Examples

• "There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the
greatest of these is love."
• "I think we've reached a point of great decision, not just for our
nation, not only for all humanity, but for life upon the earth."
• "...Lost, vaded, broken, dead within an hour."
• "If you think that's bad, it gets worse."
• "To infinity, and beyond!"
• "Out of the frying pan and into the fire!“
• "There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the
greatest of these is love."
 Anticlimax
• Anticlimax is the opposite of Climax – a sudden
descent from higher to lower. It is mainly used
for the purpose of satire or ridicule.
• Ex:
(a) I saw pale kings, princes, worriers
(b)She lost her husband, her children and her
purse.
Some more Examples
• She is a great writer, a mother and a good humorist.
• He lost his family, his car and his cell phone.
• He lost his wife, his child, his household goods, and his dog at one fell
swoop.
 Paradox
• It is a self-contradictory or absurd
statement which has some hidden truth in
it.
• Ex:
(a) They must go to war to make peace.
(b) This is the beginning of the end.
Some more Examples
• Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.
• I am nobody.
• What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.
• Wise fool
• Truth is honey, which is bitter.
• I can resist anything but temptation.
 Repetition
• Repetition is a literary device that repeats
the same words or phrases a few times to
make an idea clearer.
• Ex
(a) “A horse is a horse, of course, of course”
(b) “My luve’s like a red, red rose”
Some more Examples
• “Nory was a Catholic because her mother was a Catholic, and Nory’s
mother was a Catholic because her father was a Catholic, and her
father was a Catholic because his mother was a Catholic, or had been.”
• “I felt happy because I saw the others were happy and because I knew I
should feel happy, but I wasn’t really happy.”
• “Hatred was spreading everywhere, blood was being spilled
everywhere, wars were breaking out everywhere.”
• “Almost nothing was more annoying than having our wasted time
wasted on something not worth wasting it on.”
 ANAPHORA
• In writing or speech, the deliberate repetition of the first part of
the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect is known as Anaphora.
• Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has its roots in Biblical Psalms
used to emphasize certain words or phrases. Gradually, Elizabethan and
Romantic writers brought this device into practice.
• For example
“O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot
displeasure.
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my
bones are vexed.
My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?”
Some more Examples
• “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
• “My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration.”
• “Buying diapers for the baby, feeding the baby, playing with the baby: This is what your life is
when you have a baby.”
• “I want my money right now, right here, all right?”
• “The wrong person was selected for the wrong job, at the wrong time, for the wrong
purpose.”
• “Their property was sold, their homestead was sold, and their everything was sold for want.”
• “Who is to blame, who is to look to, who is to turn to, in a tough situation like this.”
• “In adversity, his close friends left him, his close colleagues left him, and his best close
relatives left him.”
• “Everything looked dark and bleak, everything looked gloomy, and everything was under a
blanket of mist.”
• “All the people were moving in the same direction; all the people were thinking about the
same thing; and all the people were discussing the same topic.”
 Alliteration
• It is a stylistic device in which a number of
words, having the same first consonant
sound, occur close together in a series.
• Examples
(a) But a better butter makes a batter better.
(b) A big bully beats a baby boy.
Some more Examples
• Come and clean the chaos in your closet.
• The big, bad bear scared all the baby bunnies by the bushes.
• Shut the shutters before the banging sound makes you shudder.
• Go and gather the green leaves on the grass.
• Please put away your paints and practice the piano.
• Round and round she ran until she realized she was running round and round.
• I had to hurry home where grandma was waiting for her waffles.
• The boy buzzed around as busy as a bee.
• Garry grumpily gathered the garbage.
• Those lazy lizards are lying like lumps in the leaves.
• Paula planted the pretty pink poppies in the pot.
 Onomatopoeia
• Onomatopoeia is defined as a word, which imitates
the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound
effect that mimics the thing described, making the
description more expressive and interesting.
• Examples
(a) The buzzing bee flew away.
(b) The sack fell into the river with a splash.
❑ Water sounds
Bloop, splash, spray, sprinkle, squirt, dribble, drip, drizzle

❑ Vocal sounds
Giggle, growl, grunt, gurgle, mumble, murmur, bawl, belch, chatter, blurt,

❑ Collision Sounds
bam, bang, clang, clank, clap, clatter, click, clink, ding, jingle, screech, slap,
thud, thump,

❑ Air Sounds
Flutter, Fist, Fwoosh, Gasp, Swish, Swoosh, Waft, Whiff, Whoosh, Whizz, Whip,
Whisper
 Refrain
• Refrain is a poetic device that repeats at
regular intervals in different stanzas.
• Example
“For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.” (The Brook)
Some more Examples
• It is magical, yes, this life that I live
Each day it gives something
Something it gives each day.
It is magical, absolutely magical the life that I live.
• Once I heard an Angel singing,
When the morning was springing
Peace Mercy Pity,
Is the way world releases,
Once I heard an Angel singing.
• Writing
Starting, end
Lyrical sounds
Effervescent vowels go up
Writing starting, end.
 Anastrophe
• Anastrophe is a figure of speech in which the
syntactically correct order of subject, verb and
object is changed.
• Examples
(a) Twelve years have elapsed since I first took a
view.
(b) In spite of myself, insidious mastery of song
betrays me back.
Some more Examples
• Excited the children were when Santa entered
the room.
• Patience I lack.
• A roast is what we will have for dinner.
• In the night sky shimmered the moon.
• Into the water dove the boy.
 Tautology
• Tautology is a repetitive use of phrases or
words which have similar meanings
• Examples
(a) ” Your acting is completely devoid of
emotion.”
(b) “Repeat that again”
Some more Examples
• "To be or not to be, that is the question."
• "But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came
rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my
chamber door"
• "If I perish, I perish."
• "And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am
bereaved."
• "I'm willing to tell you. I'm wanting to tell you. I'm waiting to
tell you."
THANK YOU !