1. Literary Devices
    Literary Devices
    Literary Devices
    Grade Level
    EALR/Component/GLE
    Literary Device
    Definition
    Example
    Grade: 2
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Alliteration
    The repetition of the same sound,
    usually of a consonant, at the beginning
    of two or more words of a sentence or
    line of poetry.
    “Andrew Alligator always eats
    alphabet soup.”
    Grade: 3
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Alliterative
    Sentence
    Repeating the same initial sound in two
    or more words of a sentence or line of
    poetry.
    “The special spicy salami
    sandwich was scrumptious.”
    Grade 7
    EALR: 2
    Component 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Analogy
    A comparison of two pairs which have
    the same relationship. The key is to
    discover the relationship between the
    first so you can choose the correct
    second pair. Part to whole, opposites,
    and results of are types of relationships
    you should find.
    Hot is to cold as fire is to ice.
    Finger it to hand as toe is to foot.
    Caring for a young puppy is like
    caring for a baby. Both need to
    have plenty of good food, sleep
    and love.
    Grade: 5, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Exaggeration
    An overstatement or a stretching of the
    truth to emphasize a point.
    I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
    Grade: 4, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Humor
    Generally broken into four categories:
    physical humor; humor of situation;
    humor involving play of language;
    humor of character.
    Physical humor
    can be anything
    from slapstick for younger readers
    (a clumsy duck or nearsighted
    dog), to a character who dresses
    outrageously in middle grade
    novels.
    Humor of situation
    can be
    blatantly obvious about an elephant
    from outer space that crashes his
    spaceship into a suburban boy’s
    backyard or a teenager that
    accidentally pops a rubber band off
    their braces and it flies across the
    room.
    Play of language
    starts out as
    rhyming words in children’s poetry
    (often with nonsense words thrown
    in), and evolves into puns for 7-10
    year olds. As young adults, humor
    often revolves around jokes often
    involving references to popular
    television shows or songs
    Funny characters
    in literature act
    in ways people or animals aren’t
    allowed to in real life. The main
    thing that changes with the age of
    the audience is the situation in
    which the character finds himself.
    Grade: 4, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Idiom
    Words used in a special way that may
    be different from their literal meaning.
    The days before my birthday party
    seem to move “at a snail’s pace”
    (very slowly).
    Grade: 5, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Imagery
    Words or phrases that appeal to one or
    more of the five senses. Imagery is
    used to describe how their subjects
    look, sound, feel, taste, and smell.
    The phrase “dust of snow” helps
    the reader
    see and feel snow that is
    light and powdery.
    Literary Devices
    Grade: 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Irony
    The use of words to convey the
    opposite of their literal meaning; the
    words say one thing, but mean another.
    On an extremely hot day someone
    remarks, “Kind of chilly today
    isn’t it?”
    Grade: 3, 4, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Metaphor
    A figure of speech that compares two
    things without using the word
    like
    or
    as
    .
    My grandmother always told us
    that laughter is the best medicine.
    Grade: 2, 3
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Onomatopoeia
    A term used to describe words whose
    pronunciations suggest their meaning.
    Crunching snow, buzzing
    conversation, groaning wagon,
    zinging violin strings, jingling
    sleigh bells, hiss of whispers.
    Grade: 4, 6
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Personification
    A figure of speech in which an idea,
    object or animal, is given human
    characteristics.
    During the storm, fingers of
    lightning flashed across the sky
    and the wind howled outside the
    doors and windows.
    Grade: 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Sarcasm
    The use of praise to make fun of or
    “put down” someone or something.
    The praise is not sincere and is actually
    intended to hurt someone’s feelings.
    Even though my jacket was
    patched in several places and worn
    thin at the elbows a classmate
    stopped me in the hallway and
    said, “What a nice jacket you’ve
    got on. Is that the latest style?”
    Grade: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
    EALR: 2
    Component: 2.3
    GLE: 2.3.3
    Similes
    A figure of speech comparing two
    unlike things usually using
    like
    or
    as.
    In the deserted cove, the water was
    as smooth as glass.

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