Writing SchoolStylistic DevicesExercises – Stylistic Devices Exercises – Stylistic Devices display incorrect answers Exercises Choose the right stylistic device for each example. Her smile is like the sun.comapring two things; A is like B → similieallusionmetaphorsimilie The stone made a plopping sound as it entered the water. the pronunciation of the word imitates a sound (plopping) → onomatopoeiaambiguityalliterationonomatopoeia The joke was seriously funny. using two words with opposing meanings to describe something (seriously funny) → oxymoroninversionoxymoronparallelism The waves raced to shore.representing animals, inanimate objects or abstract concepts with human characteristics (racing waves) → personificationmetaphorpersonificationsimilie A silver snake slithered across the sand.repetition of the initial sound of two words in a sentence (here the letter s) → alliterationalliterationassonancepersonification At 5 o’clock the suits streamed out of their offices.the subject is replaced with a figurative expression that is closely associated with it (suits = office workers) → metonymyinversionlitotesmetonymy The rain fell hard on the tin roofs. The rain was cold and wet. The rain kept on for days.words or phrases are repeated → repetitionallusionrepetitionsynecdoche When she started crying, I handed her a Kleenex.using a specific term for something general (here: a brand name for a general product) → synecdocheallusionmetaphorsynecdoche I’m going to powder my nose.a polite or indirect way of expressing unpleasant information (powder one’s nose = go to the toilet) → euphemismallusioneuphemismparenthesis They have a million things to do today.deliberate exaggeration → hyperboleellipsishyperboleunderstatement Exercises Exercises – Stylistic Devices Exercises – Stylistic Devices Additional Exercises – Stylistic Devices To Helen – Edgar Allen Poe C1 Because I could not stop for Death – Emily Dickinson C1 A Poison Tree – William Blake C1 The Eagle – Alfred, Lord Tennyson C1
