Literary Devices

Grade 8 literary devices — Section 1 from class worksheets, plus a short bonus set.

22 terms (20 core · 2 bonus) · Grade 8

Flashcards

Term list

Metaphor — Says one thing IS another (no like/as).
Simile — Compares using like or as.
Personification — Gives human traits to a non-human thing (not just describing it).
Anthropomorphism — Gives an animal human traits/behavior (talking, thinking like people).
Symbolism — Something that stands for a bigger idea.
Oxymoron — Two opposite words side by side.
Paradox — A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth.
Pun — A joke that plays on words that sound alike or have double meanings.
Ambiguity — More than one possible meaning.
Rhetorical Question — A question asked for effect, not a real answer.
Onomatopoeia — A word that sounds like the noise it names.
Alliteration — Same starting sound repeated nearby.
Assonance — Repeated vowel sounds in nearby words.
Dissonance — Harsh, clashing sounds (or jarring word combinations) for effect.
Situational Irony — What happens is the opposite of what you'd expect.
Dramatic Irony — The audience knows something a character doesn't.
Verbal Irony — Saying the opposite of what you mean (often sarcasm).
Satire — Humor/exaggeration/irony used to criticize society or power.
Hyperbole — Extreme exaggeration (not meant literally).
Euphemism — A softer/polite phrase instead of a harsh one.