Literary Devices (Foundation)
Writers use little TRICKS — called literary devices — to make their words more fun and powerful. Rhyme makes words sing. Repetition makes them stick in your memory. A SIMILE compares one thing to another so you can picture it.
Worked examples
Which sentence uses a simile? — (A) 'The cat sat down.' (B) 'The cat was as fluffy as a cloud.'
B uses 'as ... as' to compare the cat to a cloud. Comparing one thing to another with 'like' or 'as' is a SIMILE.
Answer: B
Which words rhyme? — 'star' and ...? — moon, jar, sun, tree
'Star' and 'jar' both end in the same /ar/ sound — that makes them a rhyme.
Answer: jar
Tips
- •If two words END the same, they probably RHYME.
- •If a writer says one thing is 'like' or 'as' something else, that's a SIMILE.
- •Repeating a word on purpose is REPETITION — it makes the idea stronger.
- •Listen for the music in the words — that's where the literary devices live.
Key words
rhymerepetitionsimilecompare