# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
An allusion is a reference to... (click picture)

# data[].attributes.headline
This photo is misleading - It's the same SOUND at the beginning of the word, not only letter. So "Carson carries" IS alliteration, but "Carson charges" would NOT be.

# data[].attributes.subject
This photo is misleading - It's the same SOUND at the beginning of the word, not only letter. So "Carson carries" IS alliteration, but "Carson charges" would NOT be.

# data[].attributes.headline
Purpose of Allusions - to give background/context without having to explain.

# data[].attributes.subject
Purpose of Allusions - to give background/context without having to explain.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using an allusion to compare a smart kid in class to Einstein. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Using an allusion to compare a smart kid in class to Einstein. 

# data[].attributes.headline
Words that represent a sound (examples below).

# data[].attributes.subject
Words that represent a sound (examples below).

# data[].attributes.headline
Alliteration - why poets use it, definition, examples 

# data[].attributes.subject
Alliteration - why poets use it, definition, examples 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Poetic Devices: Alliteration - Examples & Meaning

# data[].attributes.headline
Top sounds to use in your writing, besides just "pow!" (start at 1:40)

# data[].attributes.subject
Top sounds to use in your writing, besides just "pow!" (start at 1:40)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Onomatopoeia - Top 5 Ways to Include in your Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Red Room Poetry Object Poetic Device #4: Onomatopoeia | ClickView

# data[].attributes.headline
Advanced metaphors - how to develop/improve them in your writing

# data[].attributes.subject
Advanced metaphors - how to develop/improve them in your writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you want your writing to grab your readers, to call them to the emotions you want them to feel, you might try utilizing the literary device I just used twice in his sentence: personification.

What is Personification

Personification is a literary device where a nonhuman object or idea is assigned human characteristics.

An example of personification is saying a hyena laughed. Hyenas don't laugh-laughing is a human characteristic-but that description paints a clear picture of the sound a hyena makes.

Personification pretties up a sentence. It adds layers of vividness and human perspective. Bringing an object to life by comparing it to human behavior makes it easier for human readers to connect with the object and immerse deeper into your story. You could say personification helps your words to jump from the page. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Let's look at some examples of personification, then talk about how you can use it in your own writing.

Personification Examples

One of my favorite books, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, utilizes personification more often than any other book I've read.

Most of the book is seen through the eyes of Anne, an imaginative orphan who loves to pretend everything is her friend-from trees, to rocks, to ghosts she believes live in the woods, to rivers, to the wind: everything is Anne's friend, so everything is personified.

Here's a paragraph that personifies a brook:
Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.
Montgomery describes the brook quietly sneaking past Mrs. Lynde's house like it's a person with thoughts and manners.
Here are some shorter examples of personification:

The wind whispered

The sky wept

The shadow of trees swallows me

The grass danced in the sun

The storm lashed out

The computer monitor blinked awake

Personification is pretty cool! You can see how it brings life to description by bringing life to the object being described. So how do we use personification in our own writing?

How to Write with Personification

Writing with personification can make your writing that much stronger and that much more vivid.

You should definitely be using it in your writing.

#1 - Read personification

When you're reading, pay attention to personification and how other writers are using it. What do you like? What don't you like?

Do some methods seem more effective than others? Just like with any literary device or type of writing, the more examples you consume, the more you can pull from to develop your own style and voice.

#2 - Pay attention to connotation and mood

Your personification should help your reader to better understand what you're trying to convey. For example, if you're describing the sun and you want your reader to feel positively toward it, you might write something like:

"The sun weaved its fingers through her auburn curls."

If you describe the sun and want your reader to feel negatively, you might write something like:

"The sun scraped its claws against her scalp."

Both examples are how the sun feels on a character's head, but the second is significantly more hostile.

We might assume the character hates being outside, or maybe it's just a particularly hot day. Don't personify for the sake of personification-utilize it to help your reader connect to the story in the way you want them to.

#3 - Use it appropriately

As with any writing device, use it appropriately.

Don't slather personification onto every object you describe-use it where it is most effective, or it might become overbearing.

Personification is one of my all-time favorite forms of figurative language. It allows your reader to empathize with the setting of your story, which gives them a closer tie with your characters. Try it out!
Disclosure: Some of the links above may contain affiliate partnerships, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Self-Publishing School may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Use Personification in Your Writing - Self Publishing School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you want your writing to grab your readers, to call them to the emotions you want them to feel, you might try utilizing the literary device I just used twice in his sentence: personification. What is Personification Personification is a literary device where a nonhuman object or idea is assigned human characteristics.

# data[].attributes.headline
Advanced: What Alliteration is, what it is not 

# data[].attributes.subject
Advanced: What Alliteration is, what it is not 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Use Alliteration to Improve Your Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound or similar sounds at the beginning of a word. Learn how to use alliteration to improve your writing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Alliteration is a literary device using the repetition of sounds. Usually, the sound is the first consonant repeated in two or more neighboring words or syllables.

# data[].attributes.subject
Alliteration is a literary device using the repetition of sounds. Usually, the sound is the first consonant repeated in two or more neighboring words or syllables.

# data[].attributes.body
Here’s an example of alliteration with “w” and “th”:Wild and woolly, threatening throngs.

# data[].attributes.headline
Two opposite ideas near each other, creating a powerful effect.

# data[].attributes.subject
Two opposite ideas near each other, creating a powerful effect.

# data[].attributes.body
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

# data[].attributes.body
Two opposite ideas, put in parallel structure.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Antithesis: Explanation, Effects, Example | AP Lang Rhetorical Strategies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Use HYPERBOLE in Your Writing (With Examples!)

# data[].attributes.headline
2 words that are opposites, put together to make a point or highlight irony.

# data[].attributes.subject
2 words that are opposites, put together to make a point or highlight irony.

# data[].attributes.body
100 examples of oxymorons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An oxymoron is a figure of speech, usually one or two words, in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. This contradiction is also known as a paradox. Writers and poets have used it for centuries as a literary device to describe life's inherent conflicts and incongruities. In speech, oxymorons can lend a sense of humor, irony, or sarcasm.

Using Oxymorons

The word "oxymoron" is itself oxymoronic, which is to say contradictory. The word is derived from two ancient Greek words: oxys, which means "sharp," and moronos, which means "dull" or "stupid." Take this sentence, for example:

"This was a minor crisis and the only choice was to drop the product line," (Todd 2007).

There are two oxymorons in this sentence: "minor crisis" and "only choice." If you're learning English as a second language, you might be confused by these figures of speech. Read literally, they contradict themselves. A crisis is defined as a time of serious difficulty or importance. By that measure, no crisis is unimportant or minor. Similarly, "choice" implies more than one option, which is contradicted by "only," which implies the opposite.

But once you become fluent in English, it's easy to recognize such oxymorons for the figures of speech that they are. As the example's author, Richard Watson Todd, said, "The true beauty of oxymorons is that, unless we sit back and really think, we happily accept them as normal English."

Oxymorons have been used since the days of the ancient Greek poets. William Shakespeare was known to sprinkle them throughout his plays, poems, and sonnets. Oxymorons also feature in modern comedy and politics. The conservative political writer William Buckley, for instance, became famous for quotes like, "An intelligent liberal is an oxymoron."

100 Examples of Oxymorons

Like other kinds of figurative language, oxymorons (or oxymora) are often found in literature. As shown by this list of 100 awfully good examples, oxymorons are also part of our everyday speech. You'll find common figures of speech, plus references to works of classic and pop culture.

absent presence (Sidney 1591)

alone together

awful good

beggarly riches (Donne 1624)

bittersweet

brisk vacancy (Ashbery 1975)

cheerful pessimist

civil war

clearly misunderstood

comfortable misery (Koontz 2001)

conspicuous absence

cool passion

crash landing

cruel kindness

darkness visible (Milton 1667)

deafening silence

deceptively honest

definite maybe

deliberate speed

devout atheist

dull roar

eloquent silence

even odds

exact estimate

extinct life

falsely true (Tennyson 1862)

festive tranquility

found missing

freezer burn

friendly takeover

genuine imitation

good grief

growing smaller

guest host

historical present

humane slaughter

icy hot

idiot savant

ill health

impossible solution

intense apathy

joyful sadness

jumbo shrimp

larger half

lascivious grace (Shakespeare 1609)

lead balloon

liquid marble (Jonson 1601)

living dead

living end

living sacrifices

loosely sealed

loud whisper

loyal opposition

magic realism

melancholy merriment (Byron 1819)

militant pacifist

minor miracle

negative growth

negative income

old news

one-man band

only choice

openly deceptive

open secret

original copy

overbearingly modest

paper tablecloth

paper towel

peaceful conquest

plastic glasses

plastic silverware

poor health

pretty ugly

properly ridiculous

random order

recorded live

resident alien

sad smile

same difference

scalding coolness (Hemingway 1940)

seriously funny

shrewd dumbness

silent scream

small crowd

soft rock

"The Sound of Silence" (Simon 1965)

static flow

steel wool

student teacher

"sweet sorrow" (Shakespeare 1595)

terribly good

theoretical experience

transparent night (Whitman 1865)

true fiction

unbiased opinion

unconscious awareness

upward fall

wise fool

working vacation

Ashbery, John. Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror. Viking Press, 1975.

Byron, Lord. "Don Juan." 1819.

Donne, John. Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. 1624.

Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1940.

Jonson, Ben. "Poetaster." 1601.

Koontz, Dean. One Door Away From Heaven. Bantam Books, 2001.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Samuel Simmons, 1667.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. 1595.

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 40." 1609.

Sidney, Philip. Astrophel and Stella. 1591.

Simon, Paul. "The Sound of Silence." Tom Wilson, 1965.

Tennyson, Alfred. "Lancelot and Elaine." Idylls of the King. 1862.

Todd, Richard Watson. Much Ado About English: Up and Down the Bizarre Byways of a Fascinating Language. Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2007.

Whitman, Walt. "When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom'd." Sequel to Drum-Taps. 1865.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An oxymoron is a figure of speech, usually one or two words, in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. This contradiction is also known as a paradox. Writers and poets have used it for centuries as a literary device to describe life's inherent conflicts and incongruities.

# data[].attributes.body
Definitions, examples, PURPOSE!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is an Oxymoron? Definition and Examples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings, like “old news,” “deafening silence,” or “organized chaos.” Oxymorons…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AP English Literature Term Presentation: Oxymoron and Paradox

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Become a better writer: How to use personification

# data[].attributes.headline
a "half rhyme" or almost rhyming set of words 

# data[].attributes.subject
a "half rhyme" or almost rhyming set of words 

# data[].attributes.body
either the consonant sound is the same or the vowel sound is the same letter, but different sound.

# data[].attributes.headline
Senses mix - something smells like a color, or looks like a taste, etc.

# data[].attributes.subject
Senses mix - something smells like a color, or looks like a taste, etc.

# data[].attributes.headline
Combine 2 below - something sounds like a smell, feels like a taste, etc. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Combine 2 below - something sounds like a smell, feels like a taste, etc. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I. What is Synesthesia?

In literature, synesthesia (sin-uh s-thee-zhee-uh), (also spelled synaesthesia) is a rhetorical device that describes or associates one sense in terms of another, most often in the form of a simile. Sensations of touch, taste, see, hear, and smell are expressed as being intertwined or having a connection between them. The term is derived from the neurological condition of the same name, where some people experience an actual link between their senses, where one sense stimulates another-for instance, they may feel like they hear a color, smell a shape, or taste a texture. A person that experiences synesthesia is referred to as a synesthete. As a literary technique, synesthesia reflects this condition.

Synesthesia's presence in literature is usually through a person or narrator that is characterized as being synesthete, which allows authors to uniquely express that character's sensations and experiences. But, the feeling of synesthesia isn't something that all authors are familiar with-on the contrary, it is more rare than common. So, it is actually a unique literary device that we don't see in everyday writing.

II. Example of Synesthesia

The following sentences provide several examples of synesthesia:

The bright field of wildflowers smelled like purple, magenta, yellow, white and green.

The stars sounded like piles of diamonds.

Her voice was as smooth as pudding.

The scent of smoke burned my skin.

The blueberry tasted round in my mouth, the same flavor as a circle.

III. Importance of Synesthesia

Synesthesia allows authors to deliver another level of description in literature. It challenges readers to think out of the box and reinterpret their senses as they know them. Most importantly, though, synesthesia is a unique device that very few authors employ, making it quite notable and distinctive when an author does use it.

IV. Examples of Synesthesia in Literature

The beloved children's fantasy novel The Phantom Tollbooth is rich with descriptions that use synesthesia. The author Norton Juster is a synesthete, and he used his own sensory perceptions to inspire parts of the book, as you can see in the following passage from Chapter 10: A Colorful Symphony:

"I don't hear any music," said Milo.
"That's right," said Alec; "you don't listen to this concert-you watch it. Now, pay attention."
As the conductor waved his arms, he molded the air like handfuls of soft clay, and the musicians carefully followed his every direction.
"What are they playing?" asked Tock, looking up inquisitively at Alec.
"The sunset, of course. They play it every evening about this time."
"They do?" said Milo quizzically.
"Naturally," answered Alec; "and they also play morning, noon and night, when, of course, it's morning, noon and night. Why, there wouldn't be any color in the world unless they played it."

Here, Juster uses synesthesia in the book's fantasy world to express the idea of a connection between music and colors. Alec explains that the sunset they see every day is actually created by instruments that play colors instead of musical notes. He also tells Milo to "watch" the concert, rather than listen to it, because the instruments will create the colors of the sunset; and all of the colors in the world.

In Inferno of the epic poem The Divine Comedy, Dante uses synesthesia to emphasize a place's harshness:

E'en such made me that beast withouten peace,
Which, coming on against me by degrees
Thrust me back thither where the sun is silent.

Here, Dante refers to a place "where the sun is silent." Our perception of the sun is usually associated with our sense of sight (its brightness) and touch (its heat), but not with any sort of sound. By asserting that the sun is silent, Dante is highlighting the fact that it is absent from the place he is describing. His description has a greater impact than "the sun can't be seen" or "there is no heat"-"silent" suggests a dark, lifeless, cold and colorless place that never sees the sun.

V. Examples of Synesthesia in Pop Culture

Synesthesia is a popular device in modern advertising, particularly in the food industry. Brands often relate the experience of eating or drinking their product to some other sensory experience-for instance, a brand of chewing gum may suggest that chewing their gum will make you feel a blast of icy cold air. The classic candy Skittles does this in the commercial below:

Skittles uses synesthesia as inspiration for their slogan "Taste the Rainbow." As we know, a rainbow is an illusion in nature that we only experience through our sight. Skittles plays with the audience's senses by tempting them to "taste the rainbow" rather than merely see it.

In the Pixar film Ratatouille, Remy is a rat with a very special talent for food. In the scene below, when Remy tastes food, he has an extraordinary sensory experience:

Here, Remy doesn't just taste the flavors of the strawberries and the cheese. In fact, he doesn't comment on the flavor at all-instead, each time he takes a bite he hears music and visualizes shapes and designs. When it comes to eating, Remy experiences synesthesia, which could be the secret to his skills.

VI. Conclusion

In conclusion, synesthesia is a unique rhetorical device not found in everyday writing and literature. It uses words to express a completely different form of sensory perception that forces audiences to step outside their normal understanding of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound and imagine a relationship between them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In literature, synesthesia (sin-uh s-thee-zhee-uh), (also spelled synaesthesia) is a rhetorical device that describes or associates one sense in terms of another, most often in the form of a simile. Sensations of touch, taste, see, hear, and smell are expressed as being intertwined or having a connection between them.

# data[].attributes.headline
Caesura - a pause, usually indicated by a dash - and/or a colon: to break up the line of verse in a poem.

# data[].attributes.subject
Caesura - a pause, usually indicated by a dash - and/or a colon: to break up the line of verse in a poem.

# data[].attributes.headline
Examples from literature, purposes, functions

# data[].attributes.subject
Examples from literature, purposes, functions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Eye Rhyme Definition

Eye rhyme is a poetic device in which two words are spelled similarly but pronounced differently. It also called a visual rhyme or a sight rhyme. For example, the pair "rough and bough look similar and should rhyme keeping in mind the visual aspect, but when they are spoken, they are not similar. So, the eye rhyme is a visual phenomenon on the page, and they are appealing to the sense of sight and not to the sense of hearing. Eye Rhyme plays a significant role in enhancing the poem 's musical quality.

Examples of Eye Rhyme from Literature

Example #1
Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date."

The writer is comparing his beloved with lovely summer days. To him, summer is the season of disappointments. This extract highlights the use of eye rhyme in the second line as the last word of the starting line links directly to the ending word of line four. By using Eye Rhyme, the writer has created a rhythm using "date" and "temperate" which give soothing effects to the poem.

Example #2
Tis The Last Rose of Summer by Thomas Moore

"...Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
...Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
...No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
...Or give sigh for sigh!"

This poem is about summer that is fading away with a single rose blooming, while other roses are gone. The poet talks about the departure of summer in a very sad tone. However, the final words of the second and fourth contain Eye Rhymes. The words, "alone", "gone" do not rhyme and are spelled almost the same except the first letters.

Example #3
Sonnet 19 by William Shakespeare

"Devouring time, blunt thou the lion's paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,
And burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood."

The poem talks about the time and its normal effects on nature. In this extract, the writer talks about the destructive nature of time that allows it to perform destructive acts. However, the ending words of this extract fall in the category of Eye Rhyme. The words such as, "blood" and "brood" are not similar in pronunciation but they look identical to the eyes. Thus, their usage allows the writers to create a flow in the poem that makes it more vibrant and musical.

Example #4
The Tyger by William Blake

"Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

The poet describes the fearsome features of the tiger and wonders why a beautiful creature can also be a deadly creature. The words 'eye' and 'symmetry' are eye rhymes as they look similar to the sight but are pronounced differently.

Example #5
Ode to the West Wind By Percy Bysshe Shelley

Scatter, as from an unextinguish'd hearth
Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be through my lips to unawaken'd earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

This lyric poem is a beautiful description of the wind, and it's effect on the earth, atmosphere, and ocean. The final stanza of the poem is an example of Eye Rhyme, as 'Wind' and 'behind' look same but are pronounced differently.

Eye Rhyme Meaning and Function

Eye rhyme is a treat for the audience. It provides them an opportunity to enjoy their reading by seeing it. The presence of repetitive patterns enables them to memorize the text at a fast pace. It also gives writers a chance to fill their texts with pleasant words that look good to the eyes. It acts as a mnemonic device which not only provides musical quality for the text but also soothes the process of memorization. However, in literature, it is a convenient device that provides poets a tool to insert delightful words in the texts and make their expressions enjoyable in reading and seeing.

report this ad

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Eye Rhyme - Examples and Definition of Eye Rhyme - Literary Devices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eye rhyme is a poetic device in which two words are spelled similarly but pronounced differently. It also called a visual rhyme or a sight rhyme. For example, the pair "rough and bough look similar and should rhyme keeping in mind the visual aspect, but when they are spoken, they are not similar.

# data[].attributes.headline
We think of end rhymes as "full rhymes" or just regular rhyming words. 

# data[].attributes.subject
We think of end rhymes as "full rhymes" or just regular rhyming words. 

# data[].attributes.headline
One line of poetry flows right into the next without punctuation.

# data[].attributes.subject
One line of poetry flows right into the next without punctuation.

# data[].attributes.headline
Enjambment is the OPPOSITE of an end-stopped line.

# data[].attributes.subject
Enjambment is the OPPOSITE of an end-stopped line.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
So, is assonance the same as rhyming, you wonder? Actually, no. While rhymes use the same vowel sound, they also end in the same consonant sound. Assonance, on the other hand, uses the same vowel sounds, but not necessarily the same consonant sounds. Let's dive deeper to make more sense.

What is assonance?

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words used noticeably close together. More common in poetry, this literary device comes from the Latin phrase assonare which means "to answer with the same sound." It is the sound that counts here rather than the spelling, although it will often be the same letter or pair of letters that are repeated.

The companion technique is consonance, which is repetition of consonant sounds.

Examples of assonance

The following are common sayings or proverbs in the English language. The writer used assonance to make them more memorable without resorting to rhymes.

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease." This common saying uses the long e sound (phonetic symbol /i/) to focus readers' attention. Notice the words don't rhyme because the consonants at the end are different.

"The early bird catches the worm." This often-used proverb repeats the vowel sound /ɜ/ to capture readers' awareness.

Assonance is most common in Old English

Old English prose or poetry didn't rely on rhymes; rather authors used rhythm and meter, consonance, and assonance to give weight to their words. Rhymes in poetry and prose showed up after English was influenced by the Romantic languages like French, Italian, and Spanish.

Rhymes were favored for centuries, but have more recently fallen out of favor. Contemporary poets use assonance, consonance, and alliteration to enhance and flavor their work.

Examples of assonance from Old English

Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney: "I never heard before of a ship so well furbished with battle tackle...; No wise man in hall or weathered veteran...; Asleep from their feasting...; They wept to heaven..." Consider how battle tackle, weathered veteran, asleep...feasting and wept...heaven repeat vowel sounds, drawing your ear and your attention to word choice. Beowulf is famous for its cadence and sounds, and this translation uses assonance to mimic the original sounds of Old English.

More recent example of assonance

The hip-hop group Doomtree's song "Bangarang" uses a lot of assonance. Here's a portion of that song that's heavy with the literary device.

"But some punks want to jump up; With a sharp tongue and their fronts up; Like we got here by dumb luck; But they just want to become us."

In fact, in this short example, over a third of the words use a short u sound (phonetic symbol /ʌ/). This example also relies on the consonance of m and n sounds.

Other examples of assonance in literature

As usual, Shakespeare provides the best example of assonance in his "Sonnet 1":

"His tender heir might bear his memory." Notice the short e sounds (phonetic symbol /e/) throughout.

An interesting example is Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows:

"The Willow-Wren was twittering his thin little song, hidden himself in the dark selvedge of the river bank." Did you catch the short i sound (phonetic symbol /ɪ/) throughout?

Poetry is rife with assonance, as you can see in this sample from Robert Frost's "After Apple-Picking":

"Stem end and blossom end; And every fleck of russet showing clear." Full of short e sounds.

Final thoughts

Poets use assonance freely, but music in particular is full of assonance because it lends a rhythm and sound to lyrics. It creates both beauty and mood in all kinds of genres, from hip-hop and rap to jazz and post-rock.

Use assonance to create an aggressive mood or a romantic, soft one. However you wield assonance, use it to infuse your work with rhythm and musicality.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
So, is assonance the same as rhyming, you wonder? Actually, no. While rhymes use the same vowel sound, they also end in the same consonant sound. Assonance, on the other hand, uses the same vowel sounds, but not necessarily the same consonant sounds. Let's dive deeper to make more sense.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What's the Difference: Assonance vs. Consonance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A caesura is a pause in the middle of a line of poetry. It usually comes in the form of punctuation, and the most common ones are full stops and commas. A full stop creates a harsher contrast between the first and second part of the line. Look out for the use of colons, dashes, and semi-colons too. The effect of a caesura often depends on the tone and content of the individual poem, but it often has the effect of creating contrast, or providing a pause to allow the reader to take in the information presented in the first part of the line. It is often used after the description of something shocking or violent, to make the reader (or listener) pause and reflect on its shocking nature. Caesura can alter the rhythm of a line too, so it's worth reading it out loud to observe its effect on how the line sounds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a caesura in poetry and what effect can it have?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A caesura is a pause in the middle of a line of poetry. It usually comes in the form of punctuation, and the most common ones are full stops and commas. A full stop creates a harsher contrast between the first and second part of the line.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Consonance, assonance, alliteration. Lions, tigers, and bears-oh, my. What do you need to know about consonance as a writer before you consider using this literary device?

Definition of consonance

Consonance is a stylistic literary device that uses the sounds of similar consonants in words, a sentence or phrase. These consonants don't have to be the same, just the sounds. For example, words with an "f" or "ph" or even "gh" sound the same but use different consonants.

The companion technique to consonance is assonance, where a writer repeats vowel sounds.

Examples of consonance

"Shelley sells seashells by the seashore." This tongue-twister relies on both the s and the sh sounds to create consonance.

"She created a streak of good luck." This example uses c, k and ck to form consonance.

"Her big swing is gone." Here, the g sound comes at both the end and the beginning of words.

"The variety of animals at the zoo was amazing, from chimpanzees to lizards." Consider how the z sound is even repeated in the word "was."

Examples of consonance in literature

Shakespeare's Hamlet: "A little more than kin, and less than kind." Notice the repeating k, l and n sounds.

Herman Melville's Moby Dick: "Nearly all joined in singing this hymn, which swelled high about the howling of the storm..." Lots of n, h and s sounds here.

Examples of consonance in music

Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues": "Maggie comes fleet foot; Face full-a black soot; Talkin' that the heat put; Plants in the bed but..." Dylan repeats f, t, p and b sounds in this strain.

Fugees' "Zealots": "Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile; Whether Jew or gentile, I rank top percentile; Many styles, more powerful than gamma rays; My grammar pays, like Carlos Santana plays." Both c and ck sounds, j and g, m, p, etc.

Why use consonance?

Consonance intensifies or enhances your word choice. It can:

Make your words more memorable. Genius marketers use consonance in their branding. Think about Coca Cola, Best Buy, or Walt Disney's Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Mickey Mouse, etc. So many brands stand out thanks to consonance.

Add a musical or lyrical quality to your prose. Sounds stand out in a reader's mind, making them spend more time thinking about your words and meaning.

Slow down a moment. Since readers pay more attention to your words and language choices, it can slow them down. Consider how you could extend or draw out a scene by using consonance.

Urge readers to slow down and pay more attention to your wordplay, especially in poetry. It also encourages readers to read your lines again to get a better grasp of your meaning and how you use language.

Final thoughts

Consonance can make your prose or poetry resonate with readers. Think of how you might use it to underscore or reiterate your theme or idea. Finally, sprinkle in a little consonance in your work to add music to your readers' ears.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Consonance is a stylistic literary device that uses the sounds of similar consonants in words, a sentence or phrase. These consonants don't have to be the same, just the sounds. For example, words with an "f" or "ph" or even "gh" sound the same but use different consonants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Definition of End Rhyme

If you have ever sung a song or read a poem aloud, you must have encountered end rhymes, because these are a common type of rhyming pattern used in a poetic structure. End rhyme occurs when the last syllables or words in two or more lines rhyme with each other. It is also known as "tail rhyme," and occurs at the ends of the lines. The lines ending in similar sounds are pleasant to hear, and give musical effect to the poem or song. This is called the end rhyme.

Types of Rhyme

There are several types of rhyme besides end rhyme, of which end rhyme is one of the most commonly used types of poetic rhymes. Other types of rhyme include:

End rhyme - It comes at the end of two successive lines.

Internal Rhyme - It occurs within a single line or a verse.

Slant rhyme - The rhyming words sound similar; however, they are often not very close to make a complete rhyme.

Eye Rhyme - It comprises of similar spellings, though not pronunciation, such as in "rough" and "through."

Identical rhyme - It uses the same word having identical sense and sound.

Masculine rhyme - It ends on stressed syllables like in "bells" and "hells."

Feminine Rhyme - It rhymes on one or two unstressed syllables, like "enticing," and "endicing."

Monorhyme - It uses just a single rhyme in a stanza such as in Black's poem "silent, silent night."

Pararhyme - It uses vowels in identical consonant pairs, such as in the words "groined, and groaned."

End Rhyme and Internal Rhyme

Internal Rhyme uses two rhyming words within a single line of poetry, such as:

Example #1: The Raven (By Edgar Allen Poe)

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary."

However, end rhyme comprises of the final words or syllables of the lines such as:

Example #2: The Tyger (By William Blake)

Examples of End Rhyme in Literature

Mostly, Aesop's fables are considered to have strong moral conclusions. However, almost all literary writings have some morals to be conveyed to readers. Literary works aimed at children are replete with moral lessons. They provide children with positive lessons and guidelines for the future. Maxims like "Be friends with whom you don't like," "Don't judge people by the way they look," and "Slow and steady wins the race" are normally the lessons found behind many stories.

Example #1: A Word is Dead (By Emily Dickinson)

As can be seen, the first and the second lines use end rhyme with the words "dead" and "said." The other example of this rhyming pattern is in the third line with the sixth line on the words "say" and "day." Thus, it is the choice of the poet whether to use end rhyme throughout the entire poem for creating strong rhythm, or use some other rhyming pattern.

Example #2: In Flanders Fields (By Colonel John McCrae)

" In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below."

In these lines, the words "blow" and "row" rhyme in the first and second lines, and word "below" in final line also rhyme with them. Similarly, words "sky" and "fly" rhyme in the third and fourth lines. The poet uses end rhyme to create rhythmic flow, as he describes his sorrow for fallen soldiers died in the World War I.

Example #3: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (By Robert Frost)

"Whose woods these are I think I ,
His house is in the village, ;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with ."

In this example, Frost has used end rhyme at the end of the first, second, and fourth lines with the words "know" "though," and " snow." These rhyming lines add flow to the piece, and a pleasant effect to the poem.

Example #4: Midstairs (By Virginia Hamilton Adair)

"And here on this turning of the stair
Between passion and doubt,
I pause and say a double prayer,
One for you, and one for you;
And so they cancel out."

See end rhyme occurring on the final syllables "stair" and "prayer" of the first and third lines; and "doubt" and "out" in the second and fifth lines.

Function of End Rhyme

The poets often use end rhyme to create rhythm in their works. If they use it throughout the entire poem, then it creates a beautiful rhyming pattern, giving musical quality to the poem, because it adds flow in a perfect rhythmic way. It serves as a strong mnemonic device that facilitates memorization. In addition, its regular use marks off the ending of the lines, thus elucidating metrical structure for the audience. Songwriters also make use of it frequently to make their lyrics sound appealing, and often it becomes easier for the audience to remember.

report this ad

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
End Rhyme - Examples and Definition of End Rhyme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you have ever sung a song or read a poem aloud, you must have encountered end rhymes, because these are a common type of rhyming pattern used in a poetic structure. End rhyme occurs when the last syllables or words in two or more lines rhyme with each other.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you sitting down? These examples of hyperbole are the bomb!

Hyperbole, the exaggerated statements that aren't meant to be taken literally, have spiced up the English language for eons. Shakespeare used them to poetically bring his words to life. (In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo utters of Juliet, "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars...") Advertisers and marketers have been leaning on the power of hyperbole since the dawn of time (think your local diner touting "the world's best coffee!") In our daily lives, hyperbole adds a conversational urgency that's a mainstay of the way we communicate. Here are 50 of the most common hyperbolic phrases uttered from sea to shining sea!

1. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

2. She's as old as the hills.

3. I walked a million miles to get here.

4. She can hear a pin drop a mile away.

5. I died of embarrassment.

6. He's as skinny as a toothpick.

7. She's as tall as a beanpole.

8. It's raining cats and dogs.

Take note of these grammar myths your English teacher lied to you about.

9. His brain's the size of a pea.

10. New York is the city that never sleeps.

11. I have a ton of papers to grade.

12. That runner's faster than the speed of lightning.

13. My parents are going to kill me when they find out.

14. That was the easiest quiz in the world.

15. I'm dying of starvation, when's dinner?

16. That documentary went on forever.

17. Our car cost us an arm and a leg.

18. It's so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

19. She was so mad she was spitting bullets.

20. She's so sweet you could get a cavity from talking to her.

21. I was so ashamed, the earth swallowed me up.

22. I'm so excited, I could die!

23. I've told you a million times, pick up your dirty socks.

24. She knocked it out of the park with that speech.

25. He has the memory of an elephant.

26. He's high as a kite.

27. That book is a real doorstopper.

28. It took forever to find you.

Find these hyperbole examples entertaining? Check out these things you might have been saying wrong your whole life.

29. I had to walk to the ends of the Earth to find it!

30. I can't live without you.

31. I'm thirsty as a camel.

32. I got my math test back and it was dipped in blood.

33. I love you to the moon and back.

34. She walks as slow as a turtle.

35. It's a jungle out there.

36. I haven't seen them in ages.

37. I thought that lecture would never end.

38. It's been raining for 40 days and 40 nights.

39. She eats like a bird.

40. That turkey could feed an army!

41. He runs like the wind!

42. It's the worst day of my entire life!

43. I've seen that movie a thousand times.

44. This booze-free town is dry as a desert.

45. We're never gonna get there!

46. I'm drowning in work.

47. He talks a mile a minute.

48. I'm so tired I could sleep for a million years.

49. It's all fake news!

50. The whole world is going to hell in a handbasket.

If you love hyperbole, check out 18 of the funniest hyperbole examples that'll make you laugh out loud!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you sitting down? These examples of hyperbole are the bomb! Hyperbole, the exaggerated statements that aren't meant to be taken literally, have spiced up the English language for eons. Shakespeare used them to poetically bring his words to life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Enjambment Example & Purpose | What is the Effect of Enjambment in Poetry? - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is enjambment and what does enjambment mean? Learn the enjambment definition and see examples of the effect of enjambment in poetry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
📙 Middle School Level

This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

📙 Middle School Level

This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

QUIZ YOURSELF ON HAS VS. HAVE!

Do you have the grammar chops to know when to use "have" or "has"? Let's find out with this quiz!

My grandmother ________ a wall full of antique cuckoo clocks.

Origin of eye rhyme

First recorded in 1870-75

Words nearby eye rhyme

eye pillow, eyepit, eye point, eye-popper, eye-popping, eye rhyme, eyes, eyeservice, eyes front, eyeshade, eye shadow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

An eye rhyme involves the use of words that look like they should rhyme-based on their endings being spelled the same-but that don't actually rhyme, as in move and love or pour and sour.

An eye rhyme is also called a sight rhyme.

The typical sense of the word rhyme refers to an instance in which the endings of two or more words rhyme-meaning they sound exactly the same, as in right and sight. However, the endings of such words don't need to be spelled the same in order to rhyme: right also rhymes with site.

An eye rhyme, though, always involves the ending of the word being spelled in the same way and not sounding the same.

Just like regular rhymes, eye rhymes are used in poetry and other forms of literature. Using an eye rhyme is another artistic way to make connections between words. For example, it can be used in verse to create an unexpected effect at the end of a line that looks like it's going to rhyme but actually doesn't:

Expecting a rhyme, you start to read,
But the next line just hurts your head.

Example: Her use of eye rhymes throughout her poetry has a particularly effective disorienting effect.

The first records of eye rhyme come from around 1800. Its synonym, sight rhyme, is first recorded later, around the 1930s.

In both his poetry and his plays, Shakespeare rhymed words like move and love and moving and loving. We read these as eye rhymes, since the o creates different vowel sounds in both pairs of words. Due to the variability of vowel sounds in English, there are many examples of eye rhymes, such as cough and bough, alone and gone, and hearth and earth.

What are some synonyms for eye rhyme? What are some words that share a root or word element with eye rhyme? What are some words that often get used in discussing eye rhyme?

The term eye rhyme is typically used in the context of poetry analysis.

"coot foot" is an "eye rhyme" and a fine one https://t.co/OWOITBk4SA

- Freeman Crouch (@freemancrouch) July 1, 2018

Doubt that the stars are fire,
Doubt that the Sun doth move.
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.#ShakespeareSunday #EyeRhyme

- William Shakespeare (@Shakespeare) June 30, 2019

Deeply pleased with the phrase "clunkier dossier." So close to an eye rhyme, so far from a pure rhyme.

- jane zwart (@_janezwart_) July 3, 2018

True or False?
The words laughter and daughter produce an eye rhyme.

How to use eye rhyme in a sentence

SEE MORE EXAMPLES SEE FEWER EXAMPLES

British Dictionary definitions for eye rhyme

a rhyme involving words that are similar in spelling but not in sound, such as stone and none

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Definition of eye rhyme | Dictionary.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
📙 Middle School Level This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. 📙 Middle School Level This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. QUIZ YOURSELF ON HAS VS. HAVE! Do you have the grammar chops to know when to use "have" or "has"? Let's find out with this quiz!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Metaphors and similes are both what's called figurative language, or figures of speech. Metaphors and similes are literary devices used to compare one thing to another. They add understanding, dimension, and vividness to writing.

Metaphors say straight up that one thing is another ("love is a flame"), deeply connecting one to the other. Similes compare one thing to another using the word "like" or "as" ("slower than molasses in January), and often are colorful sayings that are indigenous to certain regions of the country. The South is known for its abundance of memorable similes.

Metaphors and similes also cut to the chase and say a lot in a few words. For example, rather than saying "Bob is Jane's old boyfriend; they were very tight for a while, and I'm not quite sure whether there's still an attraction there," you can use the metaphor "Bob is Jane's old flame." An old flame, of course, is an old love that may or may not still burn hot.

Metaphors and similes are used extensively in poetry. They are also a basic tool used in most forms of fiction writing. By comparing one thing to another, the writer can evoke a mood or memory, help the reader to make connections, establish a theme, and add interest and color to the writing. These descriptions of a sunset evoke completely different responses:

No metaphor or simile: The sun was setting. The sky turned red. Then darkness fell.

Both metaphor and simile: The sunset was like a glorious conflagration, blazing with fabulous colors but producing no warmth.

Metaphor: The sun dipped below the horizon, the last gasp of beauty before the death of the day.

Metaphors and Similes in Everyday Speech

While many writers use figurative language in descriptions, it can be equally effective to put metaphorical language into characters' dialogue. Metaphors and similes are regularly used in the language people use to talk to each other, so characters need not be poets to believably use figurative language. Some metaphors and similes are used so frequently they are sometimes categorized as cliches. Some examples:

Fit as a fiddle

Happy as a clam

She is an old flame

Dull as dishwater

Sharp as a tack

Silent as the grave

Time is money

He is a pig

You are my sunshine

Using Common Metaphors and Similes in Your Fiction

It is certainly easy to add metaphors and similes to fiction, and it's very often a good idea. But when and how you should use this language to the best effect is a question well worth asking. A cliched or mixed metaphor can sink a perfectly good story.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Common Metaphors and Similes Add Color to Your Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Metaphors and similes are both what's called figurative language, or figures of speech. Metaphors and similes are literary devices used to compare one thing to another. They add understanding, dimension, and vividness to writing. Metaphors say straight up that one thing is another ("love is a flame"), deeply connecting one to the other.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Personification

What is it?

Personification is a figure of speech that gives human qualities to objects, animals, or ideas.

Why is it important?

Personification connects readers with the object that is personified. Personification can make descriptions of non-human entities more vivid, or can help readers understand, sympathize with, or react emotionally to non-human characters.

How do I do it?

Give human-like qualities or emotions to inanimate entities or non-human beings.

Example 1:

"And the meeting-house windows, blank and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon."

Note: Longfellow gives the windows the human qualities of sight and thought in order to convey the ominous mood of the moment.

Example 2:

"When it comes, the landscape listens,
Shadows hold their breath,"

Note: Dickinson gives the landscape and shadows human qualities (listening and holding their breath), in order to bring to life the effects of the sunlight on her surroundings.

More about personification

http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/RhetPerson.html

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/figures/personification.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Personification is a figure of speech that gives human qualities to objects, animals, or ideas. Personification connects readers with the object that is personified. Personification can make descriptions of non-human entities more vivid, or can help readers understand, sympathize with, or react emotionally to non-human characters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is Slant Rhyme? Understanding the Definitions of Slant Rhyme and Why Slant Rhymes Are Useful in Writing, With Examples - 2022 - MasterClass

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Poetry allows writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas with flowing rhythm and style. But not every verse needs to follow a perfect rhyme structure; it can be just as effective when words rhyme imperfectly, sharing consonants or vowel sounds.