English Composition

English Composition Study Guide

• To make reading more pleasurable. • To make an idea more important within the scope of the piece of writing. While there are hundreds of literary devices, some of the most common are included in the chart below. Literary Device Definition Allusion Reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object Diction An author’s choice of words Euphemism A less offensive or less harsh synonym for a word or phrase Foreshadowing Providing hints or clue as what is to come later in the story Hyperbole A word or phrase used to exaggerate size, number, or another aspect Imagery Descriptive words and phrases that appeal to the senses Irony Use of words that carry the opposite meaning of what is intended Metaphor Comparison between two objects that appear different Onomatopoeia A word or phrase that sounds like the thing it names Oxymoron A self-contradictory combination of words Paradox A statement that appears absurd or contradictory but actually reveals a truth Personification The use of human characteristics to describe an object or idea Simile A comparison between two objects that uses the words “like” or “as” Symbol An idea that stands for itself and for an abstract concept or general idea Understatement Word or phrase used to deflate size, number, or another aspect 4.3 Tone and Mood Tone coveys the writer’s attitude toward the topic. Mood is the atmosphere created in the writing to make the audience feel a certain way about a topic. Tone and mood are developing within in writing by the author’s choices in words, sentences, and other rhetorical devices. These choices affect the reader’s impression of the writer’s work. Adjectives and descriptive phrases are used by writers to create mood and tone. Because a high number of descriptive words and phrases exists, there is no limit to the number of tones and mood a writer could create.

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