What are the Figures of Speech in English Grammar?

Figures of Speech in English are a type of literary device (words or phrases) used in a non-literal, rhetoric sense. There are two ways of using any language — Literally and Figuratively. Figures of Speech are a figurative expression of the English language.

There are more than 20 types of figures of speech in English, however, only a few are used in common everyday language. We’ll be discussing the 5 most commonly used figures of speech in English.

Types of Figures of Speech

The most commonly used figures of speech in English are –

Irony

Irony used to explain the difference between expectations and reality. There are three different types of irony –

1. Verbal irony
2. Dramatic irony
3. Situational irony

Learn more about irony here.

Examples –

1. The Titanic was said to be unsinkable but sank on its first voyage. (Situational irony)
2. Raven’s sister cooked for the first time and the food tasted horrible. And so, her sister exclaims — “This is the best meal I’ve ever had!” (Verbal Irony)
3. When the audience knows the killer is hiding in a closet in a scary movie, but the actors do not. (Dramatic Irony)

Metaphor

Metaphors draw a comparison between two, unlike things. Metaphors are widely used in poems.

Examples –

1. The teacher entered a noisy classroom and asked, “Is this a fish market?” — since a fish market is chaotic and people are always screaming and shouting, the teacher drew a comparison between the two, unlike things.
2. He is a night owl. — this sentence implies that the subject ‘he’ usually stays up all night and sleeps during the day, just like an owl.

Oxymoron

When two contradicting or opposing terms are paired together, an oxymoron is formed.

Examples –

1. Her ‘only choice’ was to leave the party.
2. She described him as a ‘wise fool.’
3. He seems a little ‘passive-aggressive.’
4. Raghav looked ‘awfully charming’ in his new suit.

You can find more examples here.

Simile

Similes are used to explicitly compare two unlike things with the use of the words ‘like’ and ‘as’.

Examples –

1. She is as sly as a fox.
2. He was as brave as a lion.
3. The concepts of physics were as clear as a crystal to her.
4. He looks like a fish out of water.

Personification

Personification gives human-like abilities/qualities to non-living things to emphasize a point. Writers often used it in their prose or poetry to create a connection and stir an emotional response from their audience.

Examples –

1. The sun smiled down on her.
2. The flowers grieved with her.
3. The tree quaked with fear as the woodcutter approached him.
4. The wind howled at night.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is the figure of speech that uses a word to describe a sound. It focuses on the sense of hearing of the reader.

Examples –

1. The dog barked at her.
2. The wolves howled at the moon.
3. The car whooshed past her.
4. The cat snarled at her.

Figures of Speech in English can help the writer make their piece of writing interesting and grab the attention of their audience for long! Use them in your everyday conversations to make them more fun.