Sound devices
- Alliteration — repetition of initial consonant sounds ("the wild wind whispered")
- Onomatopoeia — a word that imitates a sound ("buzz," "crackle")
- Assonance — repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words
Imagery and comparison
- Simile — comparison using "like" or "as"
- Metaphor — a direct comparison without "like" or "as"
- Personification — giving human qualities to non-human things
- Hyperbole — deliberate exaggeration for effect
Structure and meaning
- Irony — a contrast between expectation and reality
- Symbolism — an object or image standing in for a larger idea
- Foreshadowing — a hint of events to come
- Tone — the writer's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice
Using this in an exam answer
Naming a device is rarely worth marks on its own. Examiners look for the effect of the device on the reader — so structure your answer as: identify the device, quote briefly, then explain what it makes the reader feel or notice.