What’s a figure of speech? Words taken out of their literal meaning to create a vivid or dramatic picture. Play with them in your writing!
Alliteration
Matching or repetition of consonants or repeating of the same letter (or sound) at the beginning of words. Examples:
- Papa’s potatoes and poultry were a big hit at the potluck.
- Dewdrops danced on the Day Lilies’ tongue.
Chiasmus
A sentence that reads forward and backward like a mirror, often used in speeches in an artistic, persuasive way. Examples:
- Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. (John F. Kennedy)
- People in cars cause accidents and accidents in cars cause people. (Garrison Keillor)
- Gossip is the art of saying nothing in a way that leaves practically nothing unsaid. (Walter Winchell)
Colloquialism
Colloquialisms are informal expressions (slang) that play a role in how we communicate but shouldn’t be used in formal speech or writing (unless it’s dialogue). Examples:
- Gonna and wanna
- There ain’t nothin’ to it.
- He done good.
Heteronyms
These are words that are spelled the same but differ in pronunciation. Examples:
- Close – (CLOZE) to shut; (CLOHSS) nearby
- Lead – (LEED) to guide; (LED) a metallic element
- Tear – (TARE) to rip; (TEER) a drop of the clear liquid emitted by the eye
Homonyms and Homophones
Homonyms are spelled the same but differ in meaning while homophones are pronounced the same but differ in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling.
Examples of homonyms:
- Bank (a place to deposit money) and bank (a river’s edge)
- Fair (county fair), fair (reasonable), fair (in appearance as fair-skinned)
Examples of homophones:
- Cite (to quote as an authority or example), sight (to see), site (location or place)
- Sea (body of water) and see (vision)
Hyperbole
This figure of speech adds exaggeration to your writing. Hyperbole (hy-PER-buh-lee) statements are not literally true but are used for emphasis. Examples:
- Her feet were as big as skis.
- I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
- I’ve heard that joke a thousand times.
Malapropism
Named after Richard Sheridan’s character Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals, malapropisms are a comic misuse of language. Examples:
- He had to use a fire distinguisher.
- Dad says the monster is just a pigment of my imagination.
- My sister has extra-century perception.
Metaphor
A metaphor lets us use one image to conjure up another. Overused metaphors are considered clichés. Examples:
- You are my sunshine.
- All the world’s a stage.
- The thick blanket of snow covered the frozen field.
These three metaphors about life were featured in one of my all-time favorite ezines, Dr. Mardy’s Quotes of the Week.
- “Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.” (Truman Capote)
- “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” (Danny Kaye)
- “Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” (John W. Gardner)
Oxymoron
An oxymoron takes two incongruous or contradictory terms and puts them together to express two contrasting qualities in one concept. Examples:
- Old news
- Dull roar
- Open secret
- Random order
Palindrome
A word, phrase, verse, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward. Examples:
- Straw – warts
- Do geese see God?
- Never odd or even
Pangram
A pangram uses all 26 letters of the alphabet. Examples:
- The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
- Watch Jeopardy! Alex Trebek’s fun TV quiz game.
Personification
A figure of speech that gives “human” characteristics (emotion, honesty, volition, etc.) to an animal, object, or idea. Examples:
- The haughty peacock strutted around his mate.
- Fate frowned on her success.
- My car was happy to be washed.
Pleonasm
Pleonasm consists of two concepts (usually two words) that are redundant. Examples:
- boiling hot
- cash money
- dark night
- empty hole
- little baby
- pair of twins
Simile
Makes a comparison using “as” or “like” to show how two things that are not alike in most ways are similar in another way. Examples:
- Busy as a beaver.
- Mad as a wet hen.
- The snow was as thick as a down blanket.
Spoonerism
Words or phrases in which letters or syllables get swapped. Examples:
- I’m driving in the right lane, for I’m driving in a light rain.
- Tease my ears, for Ease my tears.
- Wave the sails, for Save the whales.
Barbara McNichol is a nonfiction editor, who works with authors, speakers, and business professionals to add power to their pen through the written word. Barbara wrote Word Trippers: The Ultimate Source for Choosing the Perfect Word When It Really Matters. She offers helpful writing tips weekly and a course to take your writing and editing to the next level: “WordShops: Strengthen Everything You Write.”
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