Top 22 Figures of Speech in English - Part 1

May 9, 2024

Top 22 Figures of Speech in English - Part 1

Introduction

  • The video covers the essential Figures of Speech in English, crucial for learners, writers, and those preparing for exams like SAT, GRE, CAT, etc.
  • Figures of Speech enhance writing and conversation by making language more vivid, persuasive, and relatable.

The Importance of Figures of Speech

  • They transform plain language into more expressive and impactful communication.
  • Examples like 'to rack one's brains' illustrate how phrases can have both literal and figurative meanings, enriching the language.

Figures of Speech Covered in Part-1

1. Simile

  • A direct comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.
  • Examples: "The kid's backpack was as heavy as a bag full of rocks.", "The moon shone bright like a diamond in the night sky."

2. Metaphor

  • An implied comparison without using 'like' or 'as', stating one thing is another.
  • Examples: "Life is one big roller-coaster ride.", "He was a lion in battle."

3. Personification

  • Attributing human characteristics to inanimate objects or abstract concepts.
  • Examples: "The sun stretched his golden arms.", "The Daffodils by Wordsworth shows trees dancing."

4. Apostrophe

  • Addressing an absent or non-living object as if it could respond.
  • Example: The nursery rhyme 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.'

5. Metonymy

  • Replacing the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated.
  • Examples: "The pen is mightier than the sword.", "The White House decided..."

6. Synecdoche

  • A part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.
  • Examples: "A new set of wheels" for a car.

7. Onomatopoeia

  • Using words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
  • Examples: "Buzz", "Hiss", "Boom"

8. Alliteration

  • The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely connected words.
  • Examples: "Don't drink and drive.", "Peter Piper picked..."

9. Assonance

  • The repetition of vowel sounds in closely connected words.
  • Examples: "The fat cat had a snack.", "It rises high into the bright blue sky."

10. Pun

  • A play on words that have the same or similar sound but different meanings.
  • Examples: A cobbler being a mender of bad "soles/souls", "The Republican Party has played its 'Trump Card' this elections."

Conclusion

  • Part-1 elaborately discusses the first 10 of the top 22 Figures of Speech, illustrating each with examples and explaining their impact on enhancing the English language.