Name:_____________________________
Homeroom:_____
KEEP TO STUDY**Literary Devices Notes**KEEP TO STUDY
Literary = having to do with literature
Term
Alliteration
Imagery
Simile
Metaphor
Onomatopoeia
Hyperbole
Personification
Definition
Device = a tool used for a specific purpose
Example
Name:________________________________
Homeroom:_____
The Alliteration
Station
1. Read these lines from the famous poem, “The Raven,” out loud. Underline
examples of alliteration in each line. The first line has been completed for
you.
Excerpt from “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and
weary,...
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a
tapping,...
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream
before,...
Open here I fling the shutter, when with many a flirt and
flutter,...
Nothing further then he uttered, not a feather then he
fluttered-...
Started at the stillness broken by reply so aptly
spoken,...
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore…
2. Is the phrase “city slicker” an example of alliteration? Why or
why not?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3. Is the phrase “cake city” an example of alliteration? Why or why
not?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
A to Z Alliteration
Angela Abigail Applewhite ate anchovies and artichokes.
Bertha Bartholomew blew big, blue bubbles.
Clever Clifford Cutter clumsily closed the closet clasps.
Dwayne Dwiddle drew a drawing of dreaded Dracula.
Elmer Elwood eluded eleven elderly elephants.
Floyd Flingle flipped flat flapjacks.
Greta Gruber grabbed a group of green grapes.
Hattie Henderson hated happy healthy hippos.
Read these
tongue twister
Julie Jackson juggled the juicy, jiggly jello.
three times
Karl Kessler kept the ketchup in the kitchen. each and
Lila Ledbetter lugged a lot of little lemons. underline the
examples of
Milton Mallard mailed a mangled mango.
alliteration.
Norris Newton never needed new noodles.
Ida Ivy identified the ivory iris.
Patsy planter plucked plump, purple, plastic plums.
Quinella Quist quite quickly quelled the quarreling quartet.
Randy Rathbone wrapped a rather rare red rabbit.
Shelly Sherman shivered in a sheer, short, shirt.
Trina Tweety tripped two twittering twins under a twiggy tree.
Uri Udall usually used his unique, unusual unicycle.
Vicky Vinc viewed a very valuable vase.
Walter Whipple warily warned the weary warrior.
Xerxes Xenon expected to xerox extra x-rays.
Yolana Yvonne Yarger yodeled up yonder yesterday.
Zigmund Zane zig-zagged through the zany zoo zone.
Name: _________________________________
Homeroom: _____
The Simile & Metaphor
Station
Directions: Read each comparison, identify what is being
compared, and decide if it’s a simile or a metaphor.
1. Those girls are like two peas in a pod.
_______________________is being compared
to_______________________
Is this a simile or a metaphor? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is this comparison saying about the girls?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. Her feet felt like ice.
_______________________is being compared
to_______________________
Is this a simile or a metaphor? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is this comparison saying about her feet?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
3. The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves.
_______________________is being compared
to_______________________
Is this a simile or a metaphor? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is this comparison saying about the baby?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
4. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it.
_______________________is being compared
to_______________________
Is this a simile or a metaphor? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is this comparison saying about the pillow?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
5. Joe was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs.
_______________________is being compared
to_______________________
Is this a simile or a metaphor? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is this comparison saying about Joe?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Name: _________________________________
Homeroom: _____
The Personification
Station
Directions: Read each example of personification. Identify the object being
personified and the human characteristic being given to the object. The first
one has been completed for you.
Example of Personification
Object being
personified
The dishes danced on the shelf during
the dishes
the earthquake.
The car engine coughed and sputtered
when it started during the blizzard.
The rain kissed my cheeks as it fell.
The flowers nodded their yellow heads
to the walkers.
The snow whispered as it fell softly to
the
ground.
The feather tickled my face.
A sad and lonely house wept chipped
paint onto the sidewalk.
Human
characteristic
danced
Name: _________________________________
Homeroom: _____
The Onomatopoeia
Station
Read the poem below and circle the examples of
onomatopoeia.
The “Congo” by Vachel Lindsay
Rattle-rattle, rattle-rattle,
Bing!
Boomlay, boomlay, boomlay, Boom,
A roaring, epic, rag-time tune
From the mouth of the Congo.
Match each sound to its onomatopoetic word(s).
____1. A tree branch breaking
a. bang,
boom, crash
____2. Firecrackers exploding
b. plop,
plop
____3. A water faucet leaking
c. ring,
ring
____4. A telephone ringing
____5. A glass breaking
d. snap
e. crash
Use onomatopoetic words to describe the sounds of the
following occurrences.
A mirror breaks
___________________________________
A door bell rings
__________________________________
A cymbal is struck
_________________________________
A woman screams __________________________________
The wind blows gently
______________________________
Onomatopoeia Cartoon
Directions: Think of a situation that involves sounds. You can use some of the
examples from the other side of this paper OR make up your own. Use drawing and
writing to create a cartoon that shows the situation and the sounds involved.
Make sure to use onomatopoetic words in your cartoon.
Name: ___________________________________
_____
Homeroom:
The Imagery Station
Directions: Read the descriptive paragraph carefully. Then, complete the
graphic organizer with
examples of imagery that the writer uses to describe the experience of
winning the Superbowl.
Victory
As the last seconds ticked down, the fans gripped their
chilled drinks in anticipation. After the clock hit zero, the
yellow and black suits stormed the green beaten field. They
cried in excitement and exhaustion while they hugged
teammates. From the sky red, blue, and white streamers danced
down through the gentle smoke from the fireworks. The head
coach was showered with freezing cold Gatorade that soaked
every inch of his body and ran into his mouth and greeted him
with sweetness. The look on his face was proud as he was
clearly in disbelief that this happened to him-yes, he won the
Superbowl.
Touch: What
can you
feel?
Tastes:
What can
you taste?
Sights: What
can you
see?
Imagery
Smells:
What can
you smell?
Sounds:
What can
you hear?
More Fun With Imagery
Directions: Read the descriptive paragraph carefully. Then, complete the
graphic organizer with
examples of imagery that the writer uses to describe her raincoat.
My Raincoat
Have you ever had a favorite coat? My raincoat is my
favorite coat! It’s light purple with dark purple threat
outlining on the button areas, sleeves, seams and the huge,
round pockets on each side. It has oversized, dark purple
buttons that makes it look really original. The outside of my
coat is made of shiny waterproof vinyl, but the inside is
warm, fuzzy flannel. I even have a matching purple rain hat;
I can hear the pitter-patter of rain drops bouncing off my
hat when I play outside. I wear my coat and hat so much that
they are beginning to show signs of wear and tear. I have to
admit my coat has worn elbows, the end of the sleeves look
quite dingy, and the collar is frayed. What’s worse, it has a
big hot chocolate stain near the hem. It’s also getting a
little small for me and has a slight odor, like a dandelion.
I need a new raincoat, but I don’t think I’ll be able to find
another raincoat like it!
Example of imagery from paragraph Sense(s) that this image
appeals to
Name: _________________________________
Homeroom: _____
The Hyperbole Station
Directions: Read each example of hyperbole and think about what it means. Then,
answer each of the questions to explain what the hyperboles are really trying
to say.
1. My sister uses so much make-up, she loses 30 pounds when she takes it off.
What is this hyperbole really trying to say?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. I had so much homework I needed a pick-up truck to carry all my books home.
What is this hyperbole really trying to say?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
What is this hyperbole really trying to say?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Her brain is the size of a pea.
What is this hyperbole really trying to say?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. I had to wait forever for my bus to show up.
What is this hyperbole really trying to say?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Hyperbole Cartoon
Directions: Choose one hyperbole from the other side of this paper OR make up
your own hyperbole. Use drawing and writing to create a cartoon that shows the
exaggeration in the hyperbole.
Name: __________________________________
_____
Homeroom:
REVIEW: Match the literary devices with their
definitions.
alliteration
the five senses
descriptive language that appeals to
onomatopoeia
objects
giving human characteristics to non-living
imagery
prove a point
exaggeration or overstatement used to
personification
a direct comparison between two unlike
things
simile
meaning
a word whose sound suggests its
hyperbole
consonant sounds
the repetition of initial
metaphor
using “like” or
a comparison between two unlike things
“as”
Name: __________________________________
_____
Homeroom :
REVIEW: Match the literary devices with their
definitions.
alliteration
the five senses
descriptive language that appeals to
onomatopoeia
objects
giving human characteristics to non-living
imagery
prove a point
exaggeration or overstatement used to
personification
a direct comparison between two unlike
things
simile
meaning
a word whose sound suggests its
hyperbole
consonant sounds
the repetition of initial
metaphor
using “like” or
a comparison between two unlike things
“as”