Posts

Showing posts from March 6, 2025

Apostrophe: a Figure of speech

Apostrophe is a Figure of speech. It directly addresses an absent person, a dead person, or a non-living thing. Example: O Death, where is your sting? Literary Example: "O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done." – Walt Whitman

Euphemism

Euphemism is a Figure of speech. It replaces harsh words with polite ones. Example: He passed away instead of saying he died. Literary Example: "For the time being," he explains, "it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations." – George Orwell, Animal Farm

Litotes

Litotes is a Figure of speech. It uses understatement by negating the opposite meaning. Example: She is not a bad singer. Literary Example: "I am not unaware how the productions of the Grub Street brotherhood have of late years fallen under many prejudices." – Jonathan Swift

Paradox

Paradox is a Figure of speech. It seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth. Example: The only constant in life is change. Literary Example: "I must be cruel, only to be kind." – William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Metonymy

Metonymy is a Figure of speech. It substitutes a word with another closely related word. Example: The White House issued a statement on national security. Literary Example: "The pen is mightier than the sword." – Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a Figure of speech. It uses a part to represent the whole. Example: All hands on deck! Literary Example: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." – William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Climax

Climax is a Figure of speech. It presents ideas in an increasing order of importance. Example: He came, he saw, he conquered. Literary Example: "There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love." – The Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:13

Anti-Climax

Anti-climax is a Figure of speech. It presents ideas in decreasing order of importance. Example: He lost his family, his wealth, and his pen. Literary Example: "He has seen the ravages of war, he has known natural catastrophes, he has been to singles bars." – Woody Allen

Tautology

Tautology is a Figure of speech. It repeats the same idea using different words. Example: It was a free gift that cost nothing. Literary Example: "With malice toward none, with charity for all." – Abraham Lincoln

Pleonasm

Pleonasm is a Figure of speech. It uses unnecessary words to emphasize meaning. Example: I saw it with my own eyes. Literary Example: "I have heard it with my own ears." – William Shakespeare, Othello

Rhetorical Question

A rhetorical question is a Figure of speech. It is asked for effect and does not require an answer. Example: Who does not want to be happy? Literary Example: "If you prick us, do we not bleed?" – William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a Figure of speech. It reverses the order of words in parallel phrases. Example : You should eat to live, not live to eat. Literary Example: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." – John F. Kennedy

Parallelism

Meaning of Parallelism Parallelism is a writing technique that makes sentences clear and balanced. It means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas are equally important. Writers use parallelism to make their writing smooth and easy to understand. This technique helps in making sentences sound pleasant and rhythmic. Parallelism improves the flow of writing and makes it more effective. It creates a sense of order and clarity in sentences. Readers find it easier to follow ideas when they are presented in a parallel structure. This technique is common in poetry, speeches, and everyday writing. Examples of Parallelism "I came, I saw, I conquered." – Julius Caesar This sentence uses the same structure for all three actions. It makes the sentence strong and memorable. "Like father, like son." This expression repeats the same structure to show similarity between two people. It makes the idea clear and easy to remember. "She li...

Antithesis

Meaning of Antithesis Antithesis is a literary device. Antithesis refers to the placement of two opposite ideas in the same sentence. These ideas are expressed in a grammatically parallel structure to create a strong contrast. This literary device enhances the beauty and effectiveness of language. It appeals to the reader’s intellect and emotions by presenting sharp contrasts. Writers use antithesis to emphasize differences between two ideas. This technique makes abstract concepts easier to understand. It strengthens arguments and adds a rhythmic quality to writing. The use of opposing ideas in close proximity creates a thought-provoking effect. Examples of Antithesis "To err is human; to forgive, divine." – Alexander Pope This sentence contrasts human nature with divine qualities. It emphasizes the moral superiority of forgiveness over human mistakes. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." – Charles Dickens This line from A Tale of ...