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Basic Literary Terms
The 20 most important Literary devices/figurative language terms to know.
20
English
7th Grade
02/07/2011

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Alliteration
Definition

Repeated sounds at the beginning or inside of words that are close together

 

Betty bought a bit of bitter butter.

Term
Hyperbole
Definition

Exaggerating a description (making it seem bigger than it really is)

 

Mr. Capers is 500 years old!

Term
Imagery
Definition

words and phrases that use sight, smell, touch, feel and taste to describe

 

The moist steam from the sweet, warm cinnamon apple pie traveled into my nose.

Term
Metaphor
Definition

Comparing two things not using “like” or “as”

 

My mom is a bear in the morning.

Term
Onomatopoeia
Definition

word whose sound is similar to what it describes

 

[image]

Term
Personification
Definition

gives the qualities of a person to an animal, an object, or an idea

 

[image]

Term
Simile
Definition

Comparing unlike things using “like” or “as”

 

[image]

 

Her eyes shone like the sun.

Term
Repetition
Definition

Repeating a word or phrase to create a rhythm or make it look important

 

Hey batter, batter! Hey, batter, batter! Swing, batter, batter! Swing!

Term
Plot
Definition

the sequence of events or actions in a written piece

 

[image]

Term
Point-of-View
Definition

The way a story is told. 1st person-The narrator is one of the characters in the story. 2nd person- Told to a person about them. 3rd person- The narrator is not a character in the story.

 

1st- I, me, we, us

2nd- You, your, yours

3rd- They, he, she, his, her

 

Term
Setting
Definition

Where and when the story takes place.

 

[image] [image] 

Term
Theme
Definition

The main idea or meaning of a piece. A big statement about life.

 

 The theme of the story was: it is important to put others before yourself

 

Term
Tone
Definition

The author’s attitude towards what is being written. (Think tone of voice)

 

Optimistic, happy, serious, concerned, desperate, angry

Term
Mood
Definition

The feeling of the piece created by describing the setting, objects or characters.

 

[image]

Term
Author’s Purpose
Definition

The reason the author wrote the piece.

 

To give the reader information, to entertain, to teach a lesson.

Term
Conflict
Definition

A problem.

 

4 Types:

 

Person vs. Nature

[image]

 

Person vs. Person

[image]

 

 

Person vs. Self

[image]

 

 

Person vs. Society

[image]

Term
Dialogue
Definition

Words spoken by characters. In quotation marks or a word bubble.

 

[image]“Hello!”

Term
Characterization
Definition

The way an author describes the personality of a character. Dialogue, actions, thoughts, or description.

 

The old woman was a cranky lady who constantly spoke under her breath and hit anyone who came near her with a broom.

Term
Protagonist
Definition

The main character of a story. The character who all the action happens around.

 

[image]

Term
Antagonist
Definition

The force working against the protagonist/main character. There can be more than one in a story.

 

Tornado, the “bad guy,” a rumor, what people think

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