alliteration
repetition of initial consonant sounds
foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration
irony
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true.
metaphor
where one thing "is" another
mood
feeling or attitude of a section of a story
onomatopoeia
the use of words that imitate sounds
oxymoron
conjoining contradictory terms (as in 'deafening silence')
personification
the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.
sarcasm
harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule
simile
comparison using like or as
symbolism
something that stands for/represents something else in a story
theme
message in a story
understatement
saying less than one means, for effect
plot
details of a story
conflict
problem in story that needs to be solved
climax
point in a story where action builds to its highest point
flashback
going back to an earlier time
setting
time and place of a story
tone
attitude of the text
characters
the people in the story
narrator
the person telling the story
viewpoint
the point of view of the narrator
rising action
the intensity of the plot builds; suspense occurs
resolution
the end or outcome of a story
chronological order
when a story is told in time order
autobiography
a true story written by the person the story is about
biography
a true story about someone written by someone other than the subject of the story
fiction
a story that is made up
non fiction
a true story
prose
ordinary language
poetry
literature written in verse with rhythm
narrative poem
a poem that tells a story