The 7 Most Commonly Used Figures of Speech

What is a figure of speech?

A figure of speech is a form of English expression where speakers use phrases that go beyond their literal meanings. Contrary to popular belief, figures of speech are frequently used not only in literature but also in our daily lives.

Why and when do we use Figures of Speech?

We use figures of speech to add color, rhythm, and emphasis on what we say or write. Figures of speech are also used to awaken the interest and catch the attention of our audience. As such, they are used in advertisements, songs, education, and even social situations.

What are the most commonly used figures of speech?

There are hundreds of these, but I narrowed them down to the seven most commonly used phrases in our daily lives.

1. Metaphor (met-uh-fawr)

According to the photo from our friends at Grammarly, a metaphor is used to directly describe a characteristic of a person or a thing as represented by something else. It is not a comparison; rather, it is a poetic way of describing your subject. Moreover, its impact is stronger than that of a simile.

In the example “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog,” the subject “you” is directly called a “hound dog” because the person cries all the time, and hound dogs are known for their bays, howls, and cries.

Exercise: Check the song Perfect Two on YouTube and list at least 5 metaphors used throughout the song. Click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lLvtydTM78

2. Simile (sim-uh-lee)

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things that are often introduced by the words “like,” “as,” and “resemble.” It has less impact than a metaphor as it implies that the subject is partially similar to something but not exactly.

When we can’t explain things accurately, we use similes even in the most mundane conversations. My friend once tried to describe her girlfriend this way: “She’s like the spring season—alive, vibrant, and my favorite.” We could also say that a “baby’s cheeks are as soft as mochi” or “Anne Hathaway resembles an angel.”

Exercise: Make 5 similes using the animal Tiger as the reference point. Ex. She is as fierce as a tiger.

3. Personification (person-uh-fi-kay-shun)

This figure of speech uses people’s attributes to clearly and vividly describe things that don’t possess human abilities or characteristics to emphasize the point being made.

In our first example, the cat was said to have “smiled.” Smiling is a human action, and most cats don’t do this (my cat usually just scowls at me the whole time), although some cat breeds may appear to do so. Moreover, humans can register emotions on their faces, while animals can’t. However, you can still tell what they’re feeling by looking at their ears and tails. Perhaps the writer meant that the cat appeared to be satisfied (for whatever reason). In the second example, the cloud appears to be “angry,” and it also “moves closer.” I’m pretty sure that clouds don’t usually know what they’re doing, but the writer seems to be saying that the clouds look grey and that it’s going to rain soon.

Exercise: click this link to download a worksheet on personification:https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language-worksheets/personification-worksheet-2.pdf

Answers are found here:https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language-worksheets/personification-worksheet-02/preview/answers.php

4. Hyperbole (hay-pur-buh-lee)

This is one of my favorite figures of speech. A hyperbole is a statement or phrase that expresses exaggeration. It should not be taken literally, as it is only used to prove a point and emphasize a situation.

In our example, the speaker states that he is so hungry that he could eat a whole horse. In reality, of course, nobody gets hungry enough to eat a whole horse. Rather, the sentence implies that the speaker is probably starving and could eat a lot.

Exercise: Look at the photo. Could you explain what he means?

5. Irony (ay-ruh-nee)

Irony is the use of words to express something  other than or the opposite of the literal meaning. DO NOT CONFUSE IRONY WITH SARCASM. While it is difficult to distinguish between their structures, remember that irony is used to make a point about something humorous, quirky, or oddly interesting, whereas sarcasm is a "taunting, sneering, and damaging remark made to hurt people's feelings." However, some would say that irony is a subtle sarcasm, and I say they're not wrong.

In our example here, the word “perfection” isn’t perfect at all; it’s broken. Now, that’s what we call irony because we expect the word to portray what it means, but the situation shows the opposite.

Exercise: Listen and watch Alanis Morissette's Ironic on YouTube and write at least 3 ironies used in the song. What do you think those ironies mean? Click the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sThaCXe1eJU

6. Pun (puhn)

A pun is a form of wordplay that usually involves a witty or humorous remark using different possible meanings of a word or words that sound alike but have different meanings. I find puns both clever and quirky but cringeworthy most of the time.

In our example, the word “fantasy” is replaced by “Fanta Sea,” as creatively shown in the photo. This is a pun that used the lyrics of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” by the rock band Queen.

Click here to listen to their song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axAtWjn3MfI

Exercise: Can you explain this pun?

7. Oxymoron (ok-si-mawr-on)

This is another peculiar feature of the English language, as words with opposite meanings are combined yet make perfect sense. An oxymoron is used to create some drama for the audience or readers. Sometimes, they’re also used to make people pause and think of whether they should laugh or wonder.

We have many examples of oxymorons simply because we use them in our everyday lives. Look at nos. 5 and 10, for instance. How could a “crowd” be “small” when it refers to “a big group of people?” Moreover, how could something “original” also become a “copy?” Taken individually, those words make no sense. However, they convey a clear meaning when combined. A “small crowd” refers to a small group of people gathered together, while “original copy” is a document’s first physical output.

Exercise: In our examples, what would the rest of the oxymoron mean?

There you go! Comment your answers below if you want me to check it. I'll be sure to get back to you. I hope you learned a lot today!