Tag Archives: Figures of Speech in English Language

Funny Metaphors: A normal speaker of English language can get scared hearing the word ‘metaphor’. But remember – they are not magic words that appear only in poems and novels. Metaphors are created by all of us, perhaps unknowingly, even as when we sit relaxed. When we say that our …

False Analogy Examples: Which colour suits me best-blue or Purple? We often compare things because that makes it easier to find out the best option available. It also helps to communicate things easily and effectively. For example, if you want to buy the best cell phone available in the market, …

Euphemism Examples: To make an unpleasant word or expression sound politically and morally right and look less offensive, euphemism was invented. This figure of speech can be best defined as coded words or phrases, which we use to express ourselves when caught in an awkward situation, without sounding uncivil or …

Epithet Examples: Epithet is a figure of speech that is quite commonly used, but is considered to be poor writing choice, as most often it doesn’t relate to the action at hand. They were more prevalent in epic poems and writings, where proper names and nouns were bolstered with an …

Epistrophe Examples: It is annoying when someone tends to repeat a thing constantly, be it a truth, habits, scolding, advice or lectures. If you give it a thought, you will know that it is not meant to make you feel annoyed, but to emphasize a point or an important view, …

Enthymeme Examples: Enthymeme is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices in English language that have been in vogue ever since the time of Aristotle. Also called as rhetorical syllogism, this technique employs subtle art of persuasion to engage one’s emotions, reasoning, and morals by virtue of rhetoric. It …

Double Negative Examples: Double negative is an important figure of speech wherein two negatives unite to make one affirmative sentence. In English, two negatives are understood to resolve into a positive, which is exactly why double negation is widely used when making backhanded compliments. Bishop Robert Lowth was the first …

Consonance Examples: English language employs several stylistic devices, better recognized as figures of speech to make any dialogue or discourse seem more impressive and appealing and add certain amount of intensity and beauty to them. Consonance is one such rhetoric gimmick that is employed to add aural appeal to any …

Prepositional Phrases List: Known as the father of phrases, prepositional phrases are words which are extensively used, but rarely explored, in English vocabulary. Starting with a preposition and ending with a noun, pronoun, gerund or clause – the object of the preposition, they create a relationship between subject and verb …

Linking Verbs: Everyone knows what a verb is, but not everyone knows what a linking verb is. To stress a little on a verb, a verb is that word which stands to signify action or the doing of any particular thing. So, then what is a linking verb? To keep …