What are figures of speech? Here are some of the most commonly used ones
Grammar concepts can be quite tricky for some kids to remember. Especially when it comes to figures of speech, the vast variety of them itself can seem overwhelming for kids. However, it does not have to be so when explained in simple and straightforward manner with examples. Here is a guide to understanding what figures of speech are, along with the most commonly used ones.
What exactly are figures of speech?
A figure of speech is a grammatical concept which essentially functions as a rhetorical device. Its fundamental purpose is to create a special effect using words in a distinctive way. Figures of speech are also referred to as figures of rhetoric, figures of style and figurative language. In the English language, there are more than hundreds of them. They are used in common speech, but more particularly in poetry and literature to add a pleasant poetic effect to sentences.
Most commonly used figures of speech
- Simile
It is a direct stated comparison between two fundamentally dissimilar things which possess certain common qualities. The words “like” and “as” are used to identify a simile.
Example: Sam was as red as a tomato after spending time outdoors in the afternoon.
In this example, Sam was directly compared to a tomato with the employment of the word “as”, thus making this a simile.
- Metaphor
Quite similar to a simile, a metaphor is also a comparison between two fundamentally dissimilar things with common qualities. However, in this case, it is an indirect and implied comparison. It does not use the words like” and “as”.
Example: Life is a rollercoaster.
Quite literally, life is not a rollercoaster. However, this metaphor is used to imply that the experience of life is similar to a ride on a rollercoaster- thus creating a comparison between the two.
- Hyperbole
The fundamental function of a hyperbole is exaggeration. It is an extravagant, more often than not, untrue statement whose purpose is to create emphasis or heighten the effect.
For example: She cried buckets of tears after she found out that her puppy was lost.
It is impossible for a human to cry buckets of tears. It is used as an exaggeration in this sentence to show how said the girl was.
- Personification
This figure of speech is used to endow an inanimate object or an abstract concept with human qualities and abilities.
Example: Death lay its icy hands on the king.
Here, death is attributed the human ability of possessing a hand and using it. The literal meaning of this sentence is that the king died.
- Paradox
A paradox is a statement which seems to contradict itself. Its underlying meaning is revealed through scrutiny. Its purpose is to capture the reader’s attention and provoke thought.
Example: The beginning of the end.
The ideas of the beginning and end are two ends of the spectrum. This example of a paradox shows how these two ideas are contradicted.