how to write a essay on figurative language

11. Imagery

Imagery creates pictures (images) with words. But the imagery is not limited to the visual. Imagery can refer to all five senses and internal emotions.

Examples of touch, taste, and smell imagery:

The rabbit’s fur felt like velvet .

Her lips tasted as sweet as sugar .

The kids rushed inside because the house smelled like chocolate .

Imagery elicits an immediate sensory response in your reader by providing familiar references to help them connect to what you’re saying. Varying the senses you appeal to in your writing makes for a more engaging reader experience.

Use ProWritingAid’s Sensory Report to highlight all of the sensory words in your writing. It will also tell you how many of each type of word you have used so you can make sure you’ve got a good balance.

12. Symbolism

A symbol is something that stands for or suggests something else to evoke additional emotional meaning. A symbol can be a word, object, action, character, or concept. Literary novels often use symbolism to express a theme, like a river representing life.

Examples of symbolism:

Green traffic light: symbolizes “go”

Dollar sign: symbolizes money, wealth, earnings

Shopping cart icon: symbolizes online purchase

You can use anything to symbolize a concept in writing. Just make sure the symbol is one your audience understands.

13. Consonance

Consonance uses consonants in quick repetition. They can appear anywhere in the word—beginning, middle, or end. Consonance not only brings attention to the phrase but makes it easy to remember.

Examples of consonance:

Fuddy duddy

Jay-Z uses consonance in “Brooklyn’s Finest,” combining the similar sounds of S and Z.

Peep the style and the way the cops sweat us The number one question is, can the Feds get us?

Consonance intensifies the language, building an emotional connection with the reader.

14. Alliteration

Alliteration is the use of consonant sounds at the beginning of words close together in a sentence to evoke sensory feelings related to the sound. For example, P and hard C represent excitement, while S represents softness. It isn’t based on the letter but on the sound of the consonant.

Examples of alliteration:

Tonka Trucks

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers…

As a subset of consonance, use alliteration to call attention to an important point and/or make your point memorable.

15. Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in words close to each other. Unlike alliteration, where the word starts with a consonant at the beginning, the vowel sound can be inside the word.

Examples of assonance:

Stranger danger

Cock of the walk

Eyes on the prize

Once again, it’s the sound that’s important—not the letter used. And assonance works in the same way as alliteration to make your statement memorable or call attention to it.

Irony is a contradictory statement that expresses a reality different from what appears as truth. It points at a different perspective. In literature, it can be an unforeseen event that changes a character’s expectation or some unanticipated behavior different from what was expected.

Verbal irony is an unanticipated response; situational irony is an unexpected outcome.

Irony examples:

Telling a silent group, “don’t everyone speak at once.” (Verbal irony.)

Marriage counsellor divorcing her third husband. (Situational irony.)

Burglarized police station. (Situational irony.)

Irony also works as a plot device.

Hansel and Gretel (oral tradition): the witch burns in her own oven

Oedipus Rex, Sophocles: Oedipus searches for the murderer, who is himself

17. Sarcasm

Sarcasm is an ironic statement intended to mock. You say something different from what you literally mean. Sarcasm can portray the speaker’s true feelings even though it is veiled in humor. In order for sarcasm to work in writing, you must make sure the context is clear, otherwise the reader will misunderstand.

Examples of sarcasm:

I’d agree with you, but then I’d be wrong.

Ask me if I care.

Aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

18. Litotes

Litotes is a literary device that states an affirmative without using an affirmative word, usually with negative terms. Often used as understatement or negation to express a contrary meaning.

Examples of litotes:

You’re not wrong.

His decision was not the worst.

Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

A pun is a literary device that plays on the sound of words. The words have identical sounds but the meaning is different. Puns are generally intended to be humorous.

Examples of common puns:

The librarian is a bookkeeper.

I need to spend more thyme in the garden.

“The road to success is always under construction.” (Lily Tomlin)

20. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. It is figurative language that's especially effective in speeches. It functions to emphasize words and ideas. Use it to evoke emotion, highlight an idea, and create urgency.

Examples of anaphora:

“ Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.” (Martin Luther King Jr.)

“There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done / Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung / Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game” ( All You Need is Love , Paul McCartney and John Lennon)

You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

21. Tautology

In figurative language, tautology is the use of two words or phrases that say the same thing. Used well, it emphasizes a point.

But, be careful because tautology can also feel wordy. For example, ProWritingAid will signal tautologies as unnecessary words to keep your writing succinct.

Examples of tautology:

The morning sunrise is beautiful.

“With malice toward none , with charity for all , with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right.” (Abraham Lincoln)

She was a dark-haired brunette .

22. Understatement

Understatement intentionally makes a statement less important than it seems or is. It functions as the opposite of hyperbole.

Examples of understatement:

“I have to have this operation. It isn’t very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain.” ( Catcher in the Rye , J. D. Salinger)

It’s not too bad. (When your borrowed jacket is returned with an indelible stain.)

It’s O.K. I guess. (Describing an incredible result.)

Figurative language colors your writing to call attention to a passage. Images, word use, sounds, and wordplay are all ways to spice up your writing whether it’s an article, speech, fiction, or poetry.

Here you have 22 examples as ideas to use when your writing is feeling flat. Match the figurative language to the mood, tone, audience, and intended outcome. You’ll transform the seemingly ordinary into significant writing.

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How To Use Figurative Language To Enhance Your Writing

• What Is Figurative Language?
• Figurative Language Vs. Literary Devices
• Using Figurative Language
• Take The Quiz

In writing, we use a lot of different figures of speech. In your own writing, you have likely used a simile in a sentence such as It was as hot as the sun. Or perhaps you like creating clever puns such as She brought the planks of wood to the board meeting. Both of these popular types of wordplay are examples of figurative language . Not only is figurative language fun, but it can also really spice up your writing if used effectively. 

In this article, we will:

• explain what figurative language is
• give examples of different types of figurative language
• offer tips for using figurative language creatively

You probably use figurative language already, but learning a bit more about it will ensure that your metaphors, similes, puns, idioms, and hyperbole shine like diamonds . Without any further ado, let’s cut to the chase and learn all we can about figurative language.   

What is figurative language ?

Figurative language is language that uses creative wordplay, expressions, and figures of speech to mean something beyond the literal definition of words. 

Figurative language can be described as the opposite of literal language. When we use words literally, their meaning is usually the same as the meaning that appears in the dictionary. For example, the sentence I went to the grocery store literally means that you traveled to a place that sells food. 

When we use words figuratively, on the other hand, they mean something beyond the definitions of the words themselves. Often, we use figurative language to inspire colorful mental images or make our writing and speech more exciting. 

Let’s look at the sentence It was raining cats and dogs . If we read this sentence literally, it says that cats and dogs fell from the sky. If we recognize it as figurative language, we know that the sentence is actually saying that it was raining a lot. As you can see, figurative language requires us to go beyond the literal meanings of words to understand the intent behind them. 

Examples of figurative language

Figurative language includes many different figures of speech and types of wordplay. The following list gives some popular examples of figurative language but is not exhaustive.

A simile is “a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared.” Typically, similes make comparisons using the word like or as .

Example: She ran as fast as lightning. 

2. metaphor

A metaphor is another form of comparison in which something is said to figuratively be something else.

Example: I am a sloth in the morning until I drink my coffee. 

Learning the difference between a metaphor and a simile can be a walk in the park and as easy as pie!

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its elements.

Example: You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

4. hyperbole

A hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration.

Example: The dish exploded into a million pieces.

Irony is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

Example: I failed my exams and lost my wallet, so it has been a fantastic day so far. 

6. onomatopoeia

An onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it refers to.

Example: The cymbals crashed, and the drums boomed.

A person is making a pun when they humorously use words with multiple meanings or words with similar sounds to create wordplay.

Example: The article on fishing lures made by secret societies looked interesting, but it turned out to be clique bait.

When they’re not formal and serious, words are perfect for playful linguistic shenanigans, antics, and amusement!

8. personification

Personification is the act of giving human elements to non-human things.

Example: The leaves danced gracefully in the wind.  

9. metonymy

Metonymy is when the name of something is replaced with something related to it.

Example: He loved music from the cradle (birth) to the grave (death).

10. synecdoche

Synecdoche is when a part of something is used to refer to a whole.

Example: She saw a lot of familiar faces at the party.

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Figurative language vs. literary devices

A literary device is an element, like a metaphor, that draws us into a story . Some consider literary devices to be the building blocks of literature. When used correctly and effectively, literary devices give writers a way to infuse their work with detail and hint at larger themes, ideas, and meaning.

Some forms of figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, are considered to be types of literary devices. However, common literary devices may make use of figurative language, literal language, or both to accomplish whatever goal an author has in mind. 

Elevate your writing by getting to know some of the most common types of literary devices.

For example, foreshadowing is a commonly used literary device. When establishing foreshadowing , an author may use actual events to hint at something that will happen later in a story. For example, a heroine may repeatedly see a black cat wandering around before she discovers that the evil sorcerer disguises himself as a black cat.  

Alternatively, a literary device such as symbolism may use figurative language to express meaning to a reader. For example, a group of knights in a story may wear clothing with lions on them, and the author may refer to them as lions in the narrative. In this case, the author is using symbolism; the knights are not literal lions. The author compares them to lions using figurative language in order to emphasize their courage, pride, and ferociousness. 

Often, figurative language and literary devices are used together by writers in order to draw readers in with clever and imaginative use of words, themes, and plots. 

How to use figurative language

Using figurative language in your writing is a great way to catch a reader’s attention and make your text more creative and exciting. However, there are some important tips to keep in mind when using figurative language. 

Arguably the most important part of figurative language is ensuring that your reader understands what you are saying. If you use an expression your reader doesn’t know or make a comparison that your reader doesn’t understand, you have unnecessarily made your writing worse. As a writer, you must always keep your audience in mind. So if you’re unsure who your audience is, it is best to stick to common expressions and make your wordplay easy to understand. 

For example:

❌ Confusing: The pickpocket was a hyena among oryx; it was like shooting fish in a bucket. 

✅ Better: The pickpocket was a wolf among sheep; it was like taking candy from a baby. 

The second example shows how to use figurative language effectively. It relies on common, well-known animals in a simple metaphor and also uses a common expression. Even if a reader hasn’t heard the expression like taking candy from a baby , it is pretty clear from the context that it is referring to easily committing a crime. 

Another thing to keep in mind before using figurative language is the type of writing you are doing. Specifically, are you engaging in formal writing or informal writing? Figurative language is more likely to be used in informal writing. While formal writing does usually allow for figurative language, it is often a lot more difficult to use figurative writing effectively in formal writing. 

In formal writing, lighthearted figurative language such as puns, hyperbole, and whimsical similes will often come across as distracting, unprofessional, and inappropriate. In formal settings, it is best to stick to serious uses of figurative language that don’t detract from the tone or professionalism of the writing. 

❌ Informal language: The senator had to get out while the getting was good because he knew his argument wasn’t going to cut the mustard. 

✅ More formal: The senator had to cut his losses because he knew his argument didn’t hold water. 

Think you’re one smart cookie? Take the quiz!

If you’re confident you’ve got a good grasp on figurative language, try blowing us out of the water, knocking our socks off, and showing us you’re quick as a whip by acing our figurative language quiz .

Give your writing even more of a leg up by learning some rhetorical devices.

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Using Figurative Language in your Writing

Published: 23 jul 2021 tagged: allusion figurative language high schoolers hyperbole idiom implied metaphor language literacy metaphor onomatopoeia personification primary schoolers pun simile tips vocabulary writing.

When we are reading a book with a story or poetry, it’s pretty likely that we will find some passages with figurative language, adding an extra layer of meaning to what we are reading. But what is figurative language? How to use appropriately?

Figurative language is a phrasing technique that goes beyond the literal meaning of the used words towards a better demonstration of emotions, mood and relevance of an action, character or event. In order to make it work, we can use a wide array of techniques from figurative language, such as:

• Simile: this happens when someone or something is compared to a seemingly unrelated thing. For example, when you write “they walked as elegant as a cat.”
• Metaphor: you can write a metaphor when not comparing such as a Simile does, but connects the seemingly unrelated thing as a predicative, such as when writing “those kids are such busy bees.”
• Implied metaphor: similar to the metaphor, the implied metaphor uses elements that connect to a metaphor, but without being so explicit. A use of implied metaphor could be “I can’t stand this guy! He’s quacking his opinions nonstop!”
• Personification: instead of putting qualities or comparisons onto people, we use personification to input human traits to animals, natural forces or inanimate objects. A good example is “the Sun is smiling to me on this warm day.”
• Hyperbole: this one is very common, because everyone likes to make exaggerated statements, such as “I’m so busy today, I have a million tasks to finish until the end of the day!”
• Allusion: that happens when you refer to another person, place, text, event or artwork in order to compare one element to the other. A use of allusion could be “I’m very proud of this, that’s my Monalisa of science projects!”
• Idiom: some expressions are figurative because they represent an action or event, such as when saying “hey, my friend, hold your horses, soon we’ll get there.”
• Pun: a play of words with a humorous meaning is a pun. A good example, many times explored, is “Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”
• Onomatopoeia: though with such a complicated name, an onomatopoeia is very common and very explored when we are learning how to speak, trying to simulate the sounds we hear. Words like “buzz”, “whoof”, “tick-tock”, “ding-dong” and others are great examples.

Now that you know about these nine techniques for figurative language, it’s important for you to know that you shouldn’t use them all the time, for any reason. Our tips for the appropriate use of figurative language are:

• Know why you're utilising figurative language at all times. Why don't you just say "our love is dead" instead of "I don't love you anymore?" Is the expression in your character's mouth accurate? Is it appropriate for your tone and style? If it isn't, then don't use it.
• Carefully select your figures of speech. Yes, you can write, "her beauty hit me in the eye like a squirt of grapefruit juice," but how would such a simile add to your story or expand on its meaning? If you have a character with major communication challenges, it's a good idea to include it; otherwise, avoid it.
• Use figurative language only when necessary. A text densely packed with similes and metaphors can be difficult to decipher. Choose figures of speech that will help you achieve your goal (boosting mood, meaning, or subject), but don't use them just because you can.
• Make sure that any figurative language you use in speech is appropriate for that character. Characters that speak plainly should not have flowery language in their mouths.

Watch this fun video which also explains about some of these figurative language techniques:

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How To Use Figurative Language: Metaphors, Idioms, Similes, and More!

Curious about how to use figurative language? It’s easy as pie – and our guide will help you get started. 

Using figurative language in your writing is a piece of cake (see what I did there?). The concept of figurative language can be tough to grasp, but once you understand these unique, non-literal literary devices, your writing will move to a new level. In our guide, you’ll learn how to use hyperbole, personification, metaphors, similes, idioms, and other turns of phrases that will help your reader understand what you’re trying to say—without actually saying it.

What To Do Before You Start

Personification, step 2: identify different types of figurative language, step 3: practice figurative language in creative writing.

If it’s your first time delving into the world of different types of figurative language, you’ll want to start looking for examples in your day-to-day life. Listening to one of your favorite songs or reading a few pages of your favorite book can help you open your eyes to just how common figurative writing is in music and literature. If the writer uses words to describe something other than a literal meaning, they’re using figurative language.

For example, a song about a broken heart is speaking figuratively—the person experiencing a difficult time doesn’t have a physically broken heart. Cranking up the radio or pulling out your favorite book will likely have you noticing that figurative language is already a part of your life. Take a little time to notice figurative language in forms of media you’re already familiar with to help get you in the right headspace for learning how to use figurative language in your work.

Step 1: Learn the Common Types of Figurative Language

To use figurative language in your writing, it’s key to understand each of the different forms of non-literal language. As we mentioned, you’re most likely already using figurative language in your daily speech and writing. Still, it can be tough to identify if you’re unsure how to categorize it. We’ll cover a few different types of figurative language here, including similes, metaphors, idioms , and personification.

A simile compares two objects, people, or other subjects using the words “like” or “as.” It’s likely that you already use similes in your everyday speech. The key here is that a simile compares two usually unrelated things. For example, saying, “The baby looks like his mother,” would not be a simile because people regularly compare a child’s looks to their parents.

Examples of similes include:

• Life is like a box of chocolates.
• He’s running like he’s on fire.
• She’s good as gold.
• He’s tough as nails.

A metaphor is different from a simile. It doesn’t use the words “like” or “as.” While a simile says something is like something else, a metaphor says something  is  something else. Many people use similes and metaphors interchangeably, but this isn’t technically correct. Both types of figurative language compare two things, but a metaphor can be far more complex than a simile. You might also be interested in our life of thought-provoking metaphors about life .

Examples of metaphors include:

• The snow was a white blanket over the landscape.
• Raising teenagers is a rollercoaster ride.
• House-training my puppy made my living room a disaster area.

Metaphors are often used to help a reader understand the intensity of what a writer is working on describing. Some metaphors take up just a sentence or a paragraph, while others are used throughout a work. In writing, returning to a metaphor repeatedly can be helpful to nail home a point to your reader. The example below creates a vivid image, far different from if Koontz said, “I have a creative imagination.”

“Bobby Holloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowcartwheelinging and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” Dean Koontz,  Seize the Night

Idioms are words or phrases used in everyday speech with non-literal meanings. Native speakers of a language rarely realize that they’re using an idiom. Using idioms in your writing can help your language feel familiar to your readers and can help make your characters seem more real. Idioms can be one of the most confusing parts of speech for people learning English, as the words and meanings do not correlate.

Examples of idioms include:

• Off the hook
• Call it a day
• Actions speak louder than words
• Kill two birds with one stone
• Spill the beans
• Barking up the wrong tree
• Best of both worlds

Personification can be fun to use in your writing. This figurative language can be used to attribute human characteristics to something nonhuman or to attribute nonhuman qualities to a person. Check out our explainer on how to write a thank you letter .

Examples of personification include:

• He was the human equivalent of an old beer bottle you’d find by the railroad tracks.
• She was like a daisy—fresh, bright, and ready for the summer sun.
• The sun danced on the peaks of the waves as the clouds began to dissipate.
• Linda said she was done with sweets, but her secret stash of chocolate was calling her name.

Now that you understand the different types of figurative language, it’s time to start recognizing it in daily life. When you notice that figurative language is used in normal speech, it will become easier to work it into your writing to boost the quality of your words.

While you’ll want to pay attention to your use of figurative language, you’ll also want to continue to focus on the activity we mentioned earlier—keeping an eye out for  figurative language in songs  and stories. When you notice figurative language, it can be fun to work to determine what type of figurative language is being used.

Throwback time—try to determine what type of figurative language is being used in this lyric from  Love Shack  by the B-52s:

“I got me a car, it’s as big as a whale And we’re headin’ on down to the Love Shack I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20 So hurry up and bring your jukebox money”

Check out that first line—the car is not as big as a whale. This is an excellent example of a simile.

Frank Sinatra’s  New York, New York  is also rife with figurative language:

“I want to wake up in a city That doesn’t sleep And find I’m king of the hill Top of the heap”

The first two lines are a perfect example of personification. New York isn’t human and doesn’t sleep, but Sinatra uses figurative language to make it clear to the listener that he wants to be somewhere that gives him a high-energy feeling 24 hours a day. You might also be interested in our explainers on how to apply deliberate practice and how to use ellipses .

Ready to begin working figurative language into your writing? Whether you’re a budding Emily Dickinson or you prefer to write in a more informal style, using figurative language can help your readers get to know your characters and can help you to paint vivid scenes that allow your readers to picture the setting you’re describing. Look at some of your writing, and find places where you describe things literally. Challenge yourself to switch it up and use descriptive figurative language.

For example, this passage is literal:  The sun was hot, and everyone was sweating. Janine was uncomfortable and wanted to go back inside to the air conditioning. 

Adding figurative language helps the reader imagine the scene more accurately:  The August sun beat down on the group, and beads of sweat glistened like diamonds on Janine’s forehead. She was tired as a dog and wanted to head indoors, where she’d feel the blast of the sweet air conditioning the moment she opened the door. 

The sun beating down, the glistening sweat, the idiom of being tired as a dog, and feeling a blast of cool air all help a reader imagine how Janine feels, even though the words used are not literal.

Let’s take a look at another example:  Connie smelled like smoke and wasn’t very nice to the other workers in the office. 

Adding figurative language:  Connie was the personification of a cigarette—unhealthy, tired, reeking of stale smoke, and a carcinogen to those around her. She spits venom like a snake to anyone who entered her office, and many wondered how long it would take her to get canned. 

The original sentence clarifies that no one in the office is a fan of Connie, but the second passage makes her demeanor much clearer to the reader. Personification, simile, and an idiom (canned) all help the reader understand that Connie is difficult.

Looking for more? Check out our guide with extended metaphor examples!

Ways to Use Figurative Language in Writing

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Figurative language , also called a figure of speech, is a word or phrase that departs from literal language to express comparison, add emphasis or clarity, or make the writing more interesting with the addition of color or freshness.

Metaphors and similes are the two most commonly used figures of speech, but hyperbole, synecdoche, and personification are also figures of speech that are in a good writer's toolbox.

• A metaphor compares two things by suggesting that one thing is another: "The United States is a melting pot."
• A simile compares two things by saying that one thing is like another: "My love is like a red, red rose."
• Hyperbole is a form of exaggeration: "I would die without you."
• Synecdoche is a literary device that uses the part to refer to the whole: "The crown has declared war" rather than "The king (or the government) has declared war."
• Personification involves giving non-living things the attributes of a living thing: "The car is feeling cranky today."

Figurative language enhances your fiction if it's used competently and can be an economical way of getting an image or a point across. But if it's used incorrectly, figurative language can be confusing or downright silly -- a true mark of an amateur writer. Figurative language can also be described as rhetorical figures or  metaphorical language ; whichever term you use, these are called literary devices.

Why Figurative Language Is Important to Good Writing

Figurative language can transform ordinary descriptions into evocative events, enhance the emotional significance of passages, and turn prose into a form of poetry. It can also help the reader to understand the underlying symbolism of a scene or more fully recognize a literary theme. Figurative language in the hands of a talented writer is one of the tools that turn ordinary writing into literature.

How to Use Figurative Language Effectively

There is no one right way to use figurative language. That said, there are many ways to use figurative language poorly. Bear a few rules in mind when use metaphors, similes, and other literary devices:

• Always know why you are using figurative language . Why say "our love is dead" rather than "I don't love you anymore?" Does the expression sound right in your character's mouth? Does it fit your tone and style? If not, don't use it.
• Choose your figures of speech carefully. Yes, you can write, "her beauty hit me in the eye like a squirt of juice from a grapefruit," but how would such a simile enhance your fiction or expand upon the meaning of your work? Perhaps you have a character with serious communication issues for whom it would be appropriate; otherwise, skip it.
• Use figurative language sparingly. A paragraph that is loaded with similes and metaphors can be dense and difficult to understand. Select the figures of speech that serve your purpose (enhancing mood, meaning, or theme), but don't use figurative language simply because you can.
• If you are using figurative language as dialogue, be sure it is appropriate for that character. Avoid putting flowery phrases into the mouths of characters who speak plainly.

One very good way to explore figurative language is to read it as written by some of the great literary figures. As you pick up a book by Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, or Thomas Wolfe, for instance, use a highlighter to mark how these writers used different forms of figurative language and note how it ​fits with their writing style as a whole. This technique will help you to understand how and why it is used and learn how to better integrate it into your writing.

• How to Use Everyday Metaphors and Similes
• Types of Figurative Language That Enhance Your Writing
• Metaphor Examples for Writers
• What Is Style?
• Better Ways to Describe Action in Writing
• How to Write in the Third Person
• Tips for an Effective Creative Writing Critique
• How Flat Characters Are Used in Fiction
• Learn How to Write Fiction
• How to Use Metaphors Correctly and Avoid Cliches
• What Is a Protagonist?
• Alliteration Examples in Fiction
• Symbolism in Fiction Writing
• Story Point of View
• How to Recognize and Create an Unreliable Narrator
• What Is Second-Person Point of View?

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How to write effectively (and 5 ways figurative language can help)

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Using figurative language to write effectively

Knowing your similes from your idioms is all well and good, but it won’t help you pass your assignment or make that sale. You need to put your knowledge into practice. Here are five ways that you can use figurative language to produce high-impact writing that captivates your reader.

Use sensory descriptions to immerse your reader

Your reader will be more engaged in your writing if you immerse them in your scenario. In other words, make them feel as though they are actually there with you. To do this, you’ll need to provide sensory descriptions – smells, sights, sounds, tastes, and textures. Figurative language offers a helping hand that makes your sensory descriptions more evocative. The below example uses alliteration and simile to describe the taste of a particular scotch whisky.

Talisker Skye has a smoky sweetness with maritime notes and a spicy edge,

rugged in beauty like a Hebridean island.

– Talisker Distillery, www.malts.com

Persuade your audience

Whether you’re proposing a theory or selling a product, you need to persuade your reader that your ideas are right. Obviously, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your claims, but figurative language can make your argument more persuasive. The example below uses a metaphor that compares racism to a disease. Think about how the phrase makes you feel. It creates a feeling of disgust, of something being damaging, harmful and repellent. This emphasises how damaging racism can be, and the importance of eliminating it.

Racism is a disease that must be eradicated.

Create emphasis and impact

Figurative language can be useful when you need to make an impact. It adds an extra layer of intensity to your statement. The sentence below is a commonly-used example of hyperbole that deliberately uses exaggeration to emphasise how hungry the person is. It is more effective than simply saying “I’m hungry”.

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

Make your material relatable

There’s no doubt that some subjects lack popular appeal. Thankfully, figurative language invokes commonly-shared experiences to make even the driest material relatable. The following quote uses personification to describe the writing and editing process:

The goal of text generation is to throw confused, wide-eyed words on a page; the goal of text revision is to scrub the words clean so that they sound nice and can go out in public.

– Paul J. Silvia

Anyone who has bathed an unruly child can relate to the image that Paul J. Silvia creates. The description perfectly captures the process of writing and editing, even for an audience less familiar with the subject.

Add clarity

We know that figurative language can help paint a picture in a reader’s mind, and sometimes that picture can help to add clarity to an idea or description. The example sentence uses a simile to compare the surface of a lake to a mirror, making it explicitly clear that the water is motionless.

The lake was perfectly still and smooth, like a mirror.

And finally…

Hopefully this post has given you some ideas about how to use figurative language in your writing. If you’re looking for more in-depth help and advice , contact Wordsmiths by email or WhatsApp . Our editing service can help bring your writing to life, keeping your readers engaged in your message. To find out more about our editing services, check out our website. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook to get more tips on writing and editing. Don’t forget to sign up to our mailing list to receive our latest news and blog first.

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75+ Examples of Figurative Language

• Figurative Language
• Published on Oct 23, 2021

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Figurative language makes writing – and even speaking – more expressive and easier to understand. When done well, it lends style to your writing.

More resources on figurative language:

• What is figurative language? The resource covers how figurative language improves writing, dos and don’ts while writing figuratively, and more.
• Exercises on figurative language

(Note that key parts of each figure of speech have been underlined for you to easily follow them and that my comments accompanying examples are in square brackets.)

Examples of using different types of figurative language on a given topic

When writing on a topic, it’s convenient to first brainstorm and write variety of figures of speech on that topic, and then incorporate them in your piece. This is probably a better way to polish your figurative language. Here are multiple figures of speech on two topics. Give a try yourself first and see how many you can write.

1. Cold weather

Fetching grocery in the cold was a death sentence . [Metaphor]

The snowstorm left behind a thick blanket of snow in most parts of the state, government declaring emergency , people staying indoors , air traffic grounding , and power failing in some areas . [Metaphor/ Parallelism (absolute phrases)]

The predawn snowfall smothered our chances of having an outdoor game. [Personification/ Metaphor]

The cold wind pierced my bones. [Personification/ Metaphor]

Fetching grocery in the cold was like a death sentence . [Simile]

It was a frigid night, freezing blood in my veins . [Hyperbole/ Alliteration]

“When will the weather improve?” the old man moaned . [Onomatopoeia]

The dog yelped as the gust of cold wind struck his face. [Onomatopoeia]

2. Nervous while waiting for the result

My heart skipped few beats while waiting for the result. [Idiom]

My heart failed few times while waiting for the result. [Hyperbole/ Alliteration (2)]

In the moments before the result was declared, I was an undertrial moments away from the verdict . [Metaphor]

While waiting for the result, my heart requested me to take a stroll and stop thinking about the worst. [Personification/ Metaphor]

In the moments before the result was declared, I was like an undertrial moments away from the verdict . [Simile]

While waiting for the result, my heart pounded like a set of drums in a music event . [Onomatopoeia/ Simile]

Examples of each of 8 figurative languages

1. alliteration.

The dog sprinted across the field to fetch the ball.

The virulent virus has disrupted lives and deflated economies.

In these troubled times , travel has come down to a trickle .

The iguanas make deep dives in the ocean to feed on marine algae.

The shark surfaced to breathe.

The slow sloth inched up the tree trunk .

The business centre is buzzing with activity.

The deafening downpour has resulted in flash floods .

More resources on alliteration:

• More than 150 alliteration examples on 7 topics
• What is alliteration and how to write one?

2. Hyperbole

I felt as abandoned as a used Kleenex .

During probation period, I felt like a bug under the microscope .

The movie went on for what seemed like  an eternity .

The leaping catch by the fielder took my breath away .

Your decrepit furniture seems to be from Jurassic era .

My new shoes, little bit tight, are killing me.

Kids are so overloaded these days. Just look at their bags; they weigh a ton .

The food was so delicious that I almost ate my fingers .

More resources on hyperbole:

• More than 100 examples of hyperbole
• What is hyperbole and how to write one?

The scandal proved to be the final nail in the coffin of the mayor.

Some of the bank employees have been allegedly working hand in glove with business owners to sanction loans without proper due diligence.

I jumped the gun by sending the proposal to the client without first showing it to my manager.

I’ve made the request few times in the past, but it has always fallen on deaf ears .

The boss cut that arrogant guy to size in no time.

I spent two hours cooling my heels in the waiting room while the CFO was busy in a meeting.

I was left out in the cold in the annual promotions in the company.

The IP for our key technology has been leaked, and many in my team, including the manager, are under a cloud .

More resources on idiom:

• More than 200 idioms with meaning and use
• What are idioms and why non-natives should learn them?

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4. Metaphor

During the moments before the result was declared, I was a tax payer who had just received an audit notice from the IRA : extremely nervous.

My loans are a millstone around my neck , keeping me tied to my 9-to-5 job.

My night shift is a graveyard : not a soul in sight, complete silence, and an occasional howl from the street dogs.

Journalism is literature in hurry . Matthew Arnold

The world is a stage , but the play is badly cast. Oscar Wilde

Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it . Albert Smith

Jonah Lomu, a rampaging bull with the ball , is widely recognized as one of the greatest of the game. [An appositive acting as a metaphor]

His fortress of a house was finally breached by the intelligence agencies. [Implied metaphor]

More resources on metaphor:

• More than 100 examples of metaphors
• Metaphor examples for kids
• What is metaphor and how to write one?

5. Onomatopoeia

Nervous, I babbled my way through the first few minutes of the interview.

Finding the sheep at her mercy, the witch cackled before waving her wand.

I caught my head on the door and howled in pain.

The car screeched to a stop.

I was taken aback by the dog’s snarl ; a moment earlier, he seemed so friendly.

I was chomping my chicken piece unconcerned by the reaction of others around.

Don’t slurp the soup! It’s bad manners.

The race car turned the curve and then vroomed on the home stretch.

More resources on onomatopoeia:

• Examples of 140+ onomatopoeic words (with meaning and use)
• What is onomatopoeia and its common errors?

6. Parallelism

Many accidents could be attributed to human errors, but faulty road design , absence of street lights , lack of dividers , and potholes on roads also contribute to such incidents. Source [Noun phrases in parallel]

Cheetah hunts impalas and rabbits , lives in coalition and singly , and communicates through variety of sounds . [Verb phrases in parallel]

Usain Bolt was quick off the blocks , fast in the middle , and exceptional at the finish . [Adjective phrases in parallel]

Located at the end of the street and protected by a sturdy fence , the house has had no occupants in nearly two years. [Past participial phrases in parallel]

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant . Robert Louis Stevenson [Prepositional phrase in parallel]

Live in the sunshine , swim the sea , drink the wild air . Ralph Waldo Emerson [Clauses in parallel. Note that you don’t see a subject here because it’s an imperative sentence.]

Joe’s dress was better than that of Mac . [Parallelism when comparing]

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t , you’re right. Henry Ford [Parallelism with correlative conjunction]

More resources on parallelism:

• More than 80 examples of parallelism
• How to write parallel sentences that make writing impactful?

7. Personification

Covid-19 stalked continent after continent with no remorse.

My first novel got crucified .

Chocolate frog, a new species of frog found, has been shying away from mankind for time immemorial.

The kettle hissed and bellowed steam.

Saying they were last polished two weeks back, the shoes begged for a polish.

The lock shrieked in pain as I rattled the wrong key in it.

The carved pumpkin sat on the table, smiling and observing Halloween preparations.

The ball, after being hit hard, sailed over the boundary line and landed in the third tier of the stadium

More resources on personification:

• More than 180 examples of personification
• What is personification and how to write one step-by-step?

Investing in such junk bonds is like carrying water in a sieve .

I had grand dreams, but, when faced with reality, they went down, much like how Titanic went down after colliding with the iceberg .

The vagabond roamed the streets like a tin can swept by wind .

Playing polo is like trying to play golf during an earthquake . Sylvester Stallone

The hackers made off with millions of dollars from the bank, taking advantage of their lax security which was as strong as the one provided by our street dog drunk on a liter of beer .

Public speaking is as easy for me as putting toothpaste back in tube .

The seal couldn’t escape from the shark’s vice-like grip . [An adjective acting as simile]

His concern for building a career was no more than the concern of well-fed lions for the next meal . [Similes formed through comparison words other than like and as ]

More resources on simile:

• More than 120 examples of similes
• Simile examples for kids
• What is simile and how to write one?

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How to Use Figurative Language in Essay Writing

Many writers use figurative language to make their writing more interesting and personal. Figurative language implies using words that make your readers paint a picture in their mind. For example, common tools of figurative language include alliteration, metaphors, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole. If you want to use figurative language in your essay, check out these tips at https://college-writers.com/ .

Mark Mediocre Words

When the first draft of your essay is ready, highlight phrases and words that are boring or overused. For example, you might want to replace such words as:

• … and a lot more.

These words are not bad but they are quite boring and don’t allow your readers to paint a clear picture because they depend on interpretation.

Don’t Tell — Show

Once you’ve highlighted all the words and phrases that you would like to replace, it’s time to choose other words and phrases that will provide more sensory details. Use metaphors and vivid imagery so that your readers can visualize the things you’re writing about.

Keep It Natural

Don’t overuse figurative language. It should be a natural part of your writing. If you overuse figurative language, your essay will look like a poor attempt to impress the audience. In addition, don’t try to use all the types of figurative language in one paper.

To use figurative language in the right way, you need to practice. We also recommend that you read more descriptive literature to see how figurative language is used by successful authors.

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Figurative Language: Meaning & Examples

Knowing what “figurative language” is and how to use it in your writing can take your writing from average to exceptional. Below, we’ll define “figurative language” and go over 10 different types.

What Does Figurative Language Mean?

Figurative language is an excellent tool you can use in writing that helps your audience better visualize and understand your message.

There are several different types including:

• Personification

What Is Figurative Language?

Figurative language are words or phrases that help readers engage with, visualize, and understand your writing. They do this by transcending the literal definition of words.

Every writer should familiarize themselves with figurative language. Why? Not only because it makes your writing sound nice, but also because it can play a major role in the effectiveness of the message you’re trying to get across.

There are different types of figurative language— some more useful than others depending on what you’re writing about. Below, we’ll go over 10 common types of figurative language .

Types of Figurative Language

Similes use the words “as” or “like” to explicitly highlight the similarities between two seemingly different things.

You’re sweet like candy.

2. Metaphors

Compared to similes, metaphors are implicit comparisons because they don’t use “as” or “like.”

Daniel is the light of my life.

There are many different types of metaphors , including standard, implied, mixed, extended, and conceptual metaphors.

An idiom is a phrase in which the meaning of the whole cannot be derived from the meaning of the parts.

There are plenty of fish in the sea.

A non-native English speaker might not deduce that this phrase means “there are numerous eligible people to date.”

4. Hyperboles

A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that is used to emphasize something or add a desired effect. You’ve likely used a hyperbole if you’ve ever said something like:

I’m so tired that I’m going to sleep for the rest of time.

The example above is hyperbolic because there’s no way someone can literally sleep for the rest of time. However, it does help the audience understand how tired the writer (or speaker) is.

5. Oxymorons

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are put side by side.

In my unbiased opinion , the movie was terrible.

Unbiased opinion is an oxymoron because opinions are inherently biased. There are many reasons a writer might decide to include an oxymoron in their text, whether it be for comedic or dramatic effects.

Simply put, a pun is a humorous play on words that exploits the different meanings of a word.

Make like a tree and leave.

This pun makes use of leave as a verb, and the fact that a tree has leaves (plural noun). Puns are often added to a text to entertain readers.

7. Personification

Personification is when human qualities and abilities are figuratively applied to inanimate objects or abstractions.

Personification makes it easier to write about things that are usually challenging. It also makes your writing more engaging and tangible.

The last piece of the pie was calling my name.

Obviously, pie cannot call out someone's name. But personifying it is a creative way to let the audience know that the last piece of pie was tempting to you.

8. Allusion

An allusion is when a famous person, place, literary work, or event is implicitly referenced. For example:

Surrounded by the majesty of the Rocky Mountains, I could be forgiven for thinking I was in Eden.

The example above alluded to the biblical Garden of Eden.

Litotes is a type of ironic understatement that uses negative terms to express a positive statement.

It’s not uncommon for something like this to happen.

The use of not and uncommon together ends up meaning common. Litotes are used to emphasize the positive through the use of negatives. They also sometimes make your reader pause and reflect.

10. Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a type of figurative language in which a part of something is used to represent a whole (or vice-versa).

Did you see Jason’s new set of wheels ?

Here, wheels represents a car. A synecdoche can be useful when you want to keep your writing fluent or concise.

Experienced writers know when to employ figurative language in their writing. They also know which ones work best depending on the setting and context of the text.

Familiarizing yourself with these different types of figures of speech is an effective way of sharpening your writing skills.

If you want to take it a step further, you can also elevate your writing by using LanguageTool —a multilingual writing assistant that can check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. If that weren’t enough, it can also suggest stylistic improvements and help rephrase your sentences. Try it today.

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How to Use Good Figurative Language for Essays

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How to Add Figurative Language to an Essay

How to Start an Introduction When Writing an Essay About Poetry

Writers use figurative language to add interest, variety and personality to their work. Figurative language is broadly defined as using words to paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Specific uses of figurative language include similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole and onomatopoeia. If you’d like to add figurative language to your essay, the best time to do this is during the revision stage of the writing process.

Mark Dead Words

After you’ve completed a first draft of your essay, print off a copy and use a highlighter or colored pen to mark any words or phrases that are overused, boring, or otherwise lifeless. Words to mark might include:

• A lot • Many • Big • Small • Fun • Cool • Awesome • Great • Exciting • Good • Happy • Sad • Really

These words aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re boring and don’t paint a clear picture for the reader because they’re subject to the reader’s interpretation.

Show, Don’t Tell

Now that you’ve marked your dead words and phrases, you can work on replacing them with words and phrases that come alive. Your goal is to show, not tell, the reader what is happening in your essay, and you can do this by including sensory details. Consider the following sets of sentences:

• The workday went by slowly. I was really excited to start my vacation.

• I watched the clock, which seemed to be moving more slowly than usual. At exactly 5 p.m., it was like a bolt of lightning hit my chair. I jumped up, grabbed my bag, and zoomed off to board a plane for paradise. By the time I got to the airport, I could almost smell the saltwater.

Both sets of sentences convey the idea that the author was excited to go on vacation, but the second set is much more effective because the use of figurative language helps the reader visualize the author’s excitement.

Don’t Overdo It

Figurative language should be a natural part of your essay. If your descriptions sound forced or like you’ve just stuck them in to meet a requirement, go back and revise your work. Think about how you’d like your audience to feel as they’re reading your essay and then use figurative language accordingly. Also, remember that you don’t have to use every type of figurative language in one essay.

Keep Practicing

As you continue developing your skills as a writer, you will find that using figurative language becomes more natural. Reading descriptive literature can help speed up this process, as can having someone else review your work.

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• Purdue OWL: Using Metaphors in Creative Writing
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Rochelle Spears Wilson holds a MA in professional writing and a BA in English. She was a classroom teacher for nine years and taught English, social studies and technology. She has worked with students in grades 4-12 and now owns her own consulting business.

Poems & Poets

Learning about Figurative Language

How to use simile and metaphor like a boss..

BY Rebecca Hazelton

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Just how is the sky like a patient etherized upon a table? If two roads diverged in a wood, why should I care?

Why can’t poets just say what they mean ? You’ve probably heard this before, either in the classroom or outside of it. Perhaps you’ve even said it yourself, after wrestling with a particularly difficult poem. It sounds like a simple request for clarity, but the question points out a number of assumptions about how we communicate, not just as poets but as people. It shows a preference for plain, matter-of-fact speech, and it suggests that all the figurative language poets are so fond of—metaphor, simile, and more—is just too frilly and flashy. But in real life, figurative language is everywhere, and we never say what we mean completely, because language often fails us. For instance, every time we try to tell people how much we love them—like, really really love them—the words seem woefully inadequate to the task. Not only that, we can sense they’ve been said before countless times by countless others. They aren’t really doing the job. We want to express our feelings as originally as possible, in order to give them the power in words that we feel in ourselves. And that’s where figurative language can help.

All that frill and flash that we often find in poetry is actually something you’re already quite experienced with. We constantly hear metaphors and similes in pop songs, and our everyday speech is peppered with figurative language. In fact, we are so dependent on it to express ourselves that someone who didn’t employ it would seem quite strange. Science fiction is full of characters who can’t or won’t engage with figurative language. Star Trek’s Mr. Spock and Data are both very literal speakers who serve to highlight the humanity of those around them. More recently, in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy , Drax the Destroyer has a little problem with metaphors; Rocket Raccoon says, “Metaphors go over his [Drax’s] head,” to which Drax replies, “ Nothing goes over my head! My reflexes are too fast; I would catch it.” This line gets a laugh because figurative language is so integral to how we communicate as humans. Without figurative language, we are robotic outsiders of human experience.

You use and understand figurative language constantly in your everyday conversation, without even thinking about it. For instance, if something terribly embarrassing happened to you, such as talking to your crush with a piece of spinach plastered to your front teeth, you might say to a friend, “I can’t even.” This is aposiopesis , a figure of speech where you deliberately leave your thought unfinished. You depend on your listener or reader to fill in the blanks. It’s a great way to show just how speechless you are. Your friend replies, “Yeah, you’re the most elegant,” which is an example of sarcasm : there’s a big gap between what he’s saying and what he means. “Not to mention everyone in school saw it, too,” continues your friend, who might be a jerk. This is paraleipsis ; your friend is feigning wanting to say nothing about your very public humiliation, and in doing so is drawing your attention to it. You sigh and cover your face with your hands, saying, “I died. I just died.” That’s hyperbole , which is when we exaggerate. Your friend, a recognizer of figurative language, knows you haven’t kicked the bucket (another figurative phrase!). These are only some of the ways we use figurative language in our everyday speech, and when you’re attuned to how pervasive it is, you’ll notice how difficult it can be to not use figurative language.

When we think of figurative language, we almost always think of metaphors and similes, so these are the two techniques we will focus on. They are the stars of figurative language. Both are comparisons, but a metaphor is more like an equation (“I’m a steamroller, baby”), whereas a simile uses “like” or “as” or “than” to create the connection (“rock you like a hurricane”). They are ultimately very similar, though to my mind, a metaphor asks more of a reader. Because a metaphor equates two dissimilar things (me, steamroller), it demands a leap of faith on the reader’s part. A simile, on the other hand, implicitly acknowledges that the comparison is not equal (I’m like a steamroller, but I’m not one, really). For this reason, a metaphor is just a touch riskier, and the payoff greater.

Metaphors and similes have two parts. There’s the tenor (the original subject we’re trying to describe) and the vehicle (the compared object we’re borrowing qualities from). So if we look at Robert Burns ’s poem “ A Red, Red Rose ,” we see “O my Luve is like a red, red rose.” Love would be the tenor (subject) and rose would be the vehicle (object). Metaphors and similes work only when they illuminate, that is, when they help us better understand or see something by way of comparison. They should feel both apt and surprising—a hard balance! If the tenor and the vehicle seem too similar, the comparison won’t be surprising or illuminating for the reader. You really want to compare apples to oranges, not Fuji apples to McIntoshes. Or, better yet, try comparing apples to baby birds.

Let’s say you were to write, “The coffin was a dark shroud. ” Since both coffins and shrouds are items that cover the dead, “shroud” doesn’t take us very far afield here, and my idea of the coffin hasn’t changed much after reading this comparison. But if you were to write, “The coffin was a black boat,” then your reader might be a little more surprised. Firstly, it seems like an apt comparison—both coffins and boats are containers of sorts. Secondly, a boat introduces the idea of travel or conveyance, and that idea is reflected back onto the subject, the coffin. The idea of an afterlife, or of a transition from life to death, has been introduced. We now know more about the coffin than we did before, and we’re thinking about it in fresh ways.

Your metaphors should contain all the information your reader needs, and no more. Learning how to judge this takes time and experience. When we are evaluating our metaphors or similes, we want to consider not only what’s most apt (coffin/shroud vs. coffin/boat) but what’s important. For instance, let’s look at these lines:

their dreams as bruised as apples fallen in the orchard, late September, no one caring to pick them up.

What’s important here? Dreams bruised like apples, clearly. Something that should be nourishing and sweet has been damaged. The orchard is also important, because it adds context and lets us know that these apples were intended for use, not just growing wild. Since the apples were never harvested, there’s an idea of waste or neglect evoked here. This adds further nuance to the metaphor.

I’m putting a lot of stress here on picking the right metaphor and how best to present it, but my intent isn’t to discourage you. Whether a metaphor works in a poem can’t be judged until you try, and the exercises I’m suggesting at the end of this piece will encourage you to experiment. But a lot of the figurative language that immediately springs to mind when we think of something like “love,” for instance, comes not only from cultural traditions but also from the commercial sector. When you compare your love to a flower, you’re channeling not just Robert Burns but also FTD and Hallmark. By thinking about how to balance aptness and surprise, and considering your metaphor’s true focus, you can avoid relying on clichés.

If someone says, “I felt angry” to you, you really have only a broad understanding of that emotion. You can draw on your own experiences with anger, but what if you’ve never had cause to be as angry as this person? Or what if this person is using the word “angry” when really they mean something more like “miffed”? But if that person were to say, “I felt like someone had set me on fire,” then you’d not only have a much better idea of just how angry he or she is, but better understand the person’s feelings of helplessness, hurt, and lingering pain. This is the real gift figurative language gives us—it allows us to better understand someone else’s experience even if our own experience doesn’t directly match up.

Here are some exercises to help you practice using figurative language. Some of these are based in play, and some are more serious. Both are necessary. Experiment, then evaluate and see what you have!

1. First, let’s warm up our engines. The following exercise, “Metaphor Mad-Libs,” is a great way to start thinking about metaphors without worrying too much about the result! Fill out these sentences and let your creativity loose.              My date danced like a __________________ (animal)       ________________ (verbing) on a ______________ (noun).              The rain pelts my skin like a _________________(noun/person)     ________________ (verbing) a/his/her ______________ (noun).               The world is a _____________________ (noun) trying to     _______________________ (verb phrase).              Romantic comedies are the ____________________ (noun)     of the _______________________ (noun).              The wind ___________________ (verbed) like a      ________________ (noun) ____________________ (verbing)      a ___________________ (noun).              Love me as much as a ___________________ (profession)     loves to _________________ (verb/phrase). Now that you’ve filled these out, go back and see if any of them strike you as particularly apt or funny. Pick one and see if you can write a poem using that as the first line. By filling in the blanks and giving yourself permission to temporarily abandon what “makes sense,” you may find yourself writing wilder, zanier poems. Many contemporary poems use figurative language in a similarly freewheeling way. You might check out James Tate ’s “ Poem to Some of My Recent Poems ” or Lucy Brock-Broido ’s “ Meditation on the Catastrophic Imagination ” and think about how their figurative language serves as a counterpoint or complement to their thematic concerns. In Wendy Xu ’s “ And Then It Was Less Bleak Because We Said So ,” for example, ecstatic figurative language such as “Your confetti tongue explodes / into acid jazz” gradually gives way to a more melancholy tone. 2. The poet Cathy Smith Bowers suggests taking a look at Pablo Neruda ’s odes , and using one as a model for your own poem. Neruda wrote many odes to inanimate objects. For example, in “ Ode to a Large Tuna in the Market ,” he describes the fish as a “torpedo / from the ocean / depths, / a missile” that is now a “solitary man of war / among these frail vegetables” of the market. Read the entire poem a few times, then go through and circle all the places you see metaphors, similes, or other forms of figurative language. You’ll find there are quite a lot! Neruda’s figurative language and wide-ranging imagination let us see the fish vividly as it was in life, making the acknowledgment of the fish’s death all the more affecting. Now, with Neruda as inspiration, try to write your own ode to an inanimate object, using figurative language to bring it to life. 3. This last exercise, from the poet Jacques Rancourt, focuses a bit more on the image in general, but it will still require you to think about metaphor and/or simile. Take a look at the poem “ To Absence ,” by W.S. Merwin . What images does Merwin use to evoke the idea of absence, without directly invoking it in the poem? Then choose one of these seven abstractions: love, despair, innocence, loneliness, joy, truth, or trust. Take a few minutes to brainstorm imagery for each one. Let your imagination run wild and weird—maybe “innocence” makes you think of two Siberian tigers sleeping in the rain!—but try to avoid overused images (such as a rose for love). The images don’t have to make sense yet; trust your mind’s weirdness. Now go through your lists of images and pick the one that really strikes you as surprising, strange, and interesting. Write a poem exploring that image, but do not mention the inspiring abstraction (or any other abstractions) in your poem. Instead, use the abstraction as a title, as Merwin does.

There are many kinds of figurative language in addition to the ones I’ve concentrated on here. Once you become more comfortable with metaphor and simile, try branching out into other techniques, which you can find explained in our Glossary of Poetic Terms . You might find personification a useful tool, or metonymy and synecdoche . You might also consider the figures of speech that concentrate less on meaning and more on word order, such as anaphora , antithesis , and chiasmus . I hope these exercises help you see that when we use figurative language, we may not be saying what we mean literally, but we are putting meaning into what we say.

Rebecca Hazelton is the author of Fair Copy (2012), winner of the Ohio State University Press/ The Journal Award in Poetry, and Vow (2013), from Cleveland State University Poetry Center. She was the 2010-11 Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow at the University of Wisconsin, Madison's Creative Writing Institute; and winner of the “Discovery”/ Boston Review 2012 p oetry contest. Hazelton's poems have appeared...

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• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.

A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis , nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.

Before beginning a literary analysis essay, it’s essential to carefully read the text and c ome up with a thesis statement to keep your essay focused. As you write, follow the standard structure of an academic essay :

• An introduction that tells the reader what your essay will focus on.
• A main body, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument using evidence from the text.
• A conclusion that clearly states the main point that you have shown with your analysis.

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Table of contents

Step 1: reading the text and identifying literary devices, step 2: coming up with a thesis, step 3: writing a title and introduction, step 4: writing the body of the essay, step 5: writing a conclusion, other interesting articles.

The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

Your goal in literary analysis is not simply to explain the events described in the text, but to analyze the writing itself and discuss how the text works on a deeper level. Primarily, you’re looking out for literary devices —textual elements that writers use to convey meaning and create effects. If you’re comparing and contrasting multiple texts, you can also look for connections between different texts.

To get started with your analysis, there are several key areas that you can focus on. As you analyze each aspect of the text, try to think about how they all relate to each other. You can use highlights or notes to keep track of important passages and quotes.

Language choices

Consider what style of language the author uses. Are the sentences short and simple or more complex and poetic?

What word choices stand out as interesting or unusual? Are words used figuratively to mean something other than their literal definition? Figurative language includes things like metaphor (e.g. “her eyes were oceans”) and simile (e.g. “her eyes were like oceans”).

Also keep an eye out for imagery in the text—recurring images that create a certain atmosphere or symbolize something important. Remember that language is used in literary texts to say more than it means on the surface.

Narrative voice

Ask yourself:

• Who is telling the story?
• How are they telling it?

Is it a first-person narrator (“I”) who is personally involved in the story, or a third-person narrator who tells us about the characters from a distance?

Consider the narrator’s perspective . Is the narrator omniscient (where they know everything about all the characters and events), or do they only have partial knowledge? Are they an unreliable narrator who we are not supposed to take at face value? Authors often hint that their narrator might be giving us a distorted or dishonest version of events.

The tone of the text is also worth considering. Is the story intended to be comic, tragic, or something else? Are usually serious topics treated as funny, or vice versa ? Is the story realistic or fantastical (or somewhere in between)?

Consider how the text is structured, and how the structure relates to the story being told.

• Novels are often divided into chapters and parts.
• Poems are divided into lines, stanzas, and sometime cantos.
• Plays are divided into scenes and acts.

Think about why the author chose to divide the different parts of the text in the way they did.

There are also less formal structural elements to take into account. Does the story unfold in chronological order, or does it jump back and forth in time? Does it begin in medias res —in the middle of the action? Does the plot advance towards a clearly defined climax?

With poetry, consider how the rhyme and meter shape your understanding of the text and your impression of the tone. Try reading the poem aloud to get a sense of this.

In a play, you might consider how relationships between characters are built up through different scenes, and how the setting relates to the action. Watch out for  dramatic irony , where the audience knows some detail that the characters don’t, creating a double meaning in their words, thoughts, or actions.

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Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.

If you’re given a prompt for your essay, your thesis must answer or relate to the prompt. For example:

Essay question example

Is Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” a religious parable?

Your thesis statement should be an answer to this question—not a simple yes or no, but a statement of why this is or isn’t the case:

Thesis statement example

Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” is not a religious parable, but a story about bureaucratic alienation.

Sometimes you’ll be given freedom to choose your own topic; in this case, you’ll have to come up with an original thesis. Consider what stood out to you in the text; ask yourself questions about the elements that interested you, and consider how you might answer them.

Your thesis should be something arguable—that is, something that you think is true about the text, but which is not a simple matter of fact. It must be complex enough to develop through evidence and arguments across the course of your essay.

Say you’re analyzing the novel Frankenstein . You could start by asking yourself:

Your initial answer might be a surface-level description:

The character Frankenstein is portrayed negatively in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

However, this statement is too simple to be an interesting thesis. After reading the text and analyzing its narrative voice and structure, you can develop the answer into a more nuanced and arguable thesis statement:

Mary Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

Remember that you can revise your thesis statement throughout the writing process , so it doesn’t need to be perfectly formulated at this stage. The aim is to keep you focused as you analyze the text.

Finding textual evidence

To support your thesis statement, your essay will build an argument using textual evidence —specific parts of the text that demonstrate your point. This evidence is quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to explain your argument to the reader.

It can be useful to comb through the text in search of relevant quotations before you start writing. You might not end up using everything you find, and you may have to return to the text for more evidence as you write, but collecting textual evidence from the beginning will help you to structure your arguments and assess whether they’re convincing.

To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction.

Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on. It usually contains the name of the author and text(s) you’re analyzing. Keep it as concise and engaging as possible.

A common approach to the title is to use a relevant quote from the text, followed by a colon and then the rest of your title.

If you struggle to come up with a good title at first, don’t worry—this will be easier once you’ve begun writing the essay and have a better sense of your arguments.

“Fearful symmetry” : The violence of creation in William Blake’s “The Tyger”

The introduction

The essay introduction provides a quick overview of where your argument is going. It should include your thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s structure.

A typical structure for an introduction is to begin with a general statement about the text and author, using this to lead into your thesis statement. You might refer to a commonly held idea about the text and show how your thesis will contradict it, or zoom in on a particular device you intend to focus on.

Then you can end with a brief indication of what’s coming up in the main body of the essay. This is called signposting. It will be more elaborate in longer essays, but in a short five-paragraph essay structure, it shouldn’t be more than one sentence.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

Some students prefer to write the introduction later in the process, and it’s not a bad idea. After all, you’ll have a clearer idea of the overall shape of your arguments once you’ve begun writing them!

If you do write the introduction first, you should still return to it later to make sure it lines up with what you ended up writing, and edit as necessary.

The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.

Paragraph structure

A typical structure for a high school literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs : the three paragraphs of the body, plus the introduction and conclusion.

Each paragraph in the main body should focus on one topic. In the five-paragraph model, try to divide your argument into three main areas of analysis, all linked to your thesis. Don’t try to include everything you can think of to say about the text—only analysis that drives your argument.

In longer essays, the same principle applies on a broader scale. For example, you might have two or three sections in your main body, each with multiple paragraphs. Within these sections, you still want to begin new paragraphs at logical moments—a turn in the argument or the introduction of a new idea.

Robert’s first encounter with Gil-Martin suggests something of his sinister power. Robert feels “a sort of invisible power that drew me towards him.” He identifies the moment of their meeting as “the beginning of a series of adventures which has puzzled myself, and will puzzle the world when I am no more in it” (p. 89). Gil-Martin’s “invisible power” seems to be at work even at this distance from the moment described; before continuing the story, Robert feels compelled to anticipate at length what readers will make of his narrative after his approaching death. With this interjection, Hogg emphasizes the fatal influence Gil-Martin exercises from his first appearance.

Topic sentences

To keep your points focused, it’s important to use a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence allows a reader to see at a glance what the paragraph is about. It can introduce a new line of argument and connect or contrast it with the previous paragraph. Transition words like “however” or “moreover” are useful for creating smooth transitions:

… The story’s focus, therefore, is not upon the divine revelation that may be waiting beyond the door, but upon the mundane process of aging undergone by the man as he waits.

Nevertheless, the “radiance” that appears to stream from the door is typically treated as religious symbolism.

This topic sentence signals that the paragraph will address the question of religious symbolism, while the linking word “nevertheless” points out a contrast with the previous paragraph’s conclusion.

Using textual evidence

A key part of literary analysis is backing up your arguments with relevant evidence from the text. This involves introducing quotes from the text and explaining their significance to your point.

It’s important to contextualize quotes and explain why you’re using them; they should be properly introduced and analyzed, not treated as self-explanatory:

It isn’t always necessary to use a quote. Quoting is useful when you’re discussing the author’s language, but sometimes you’ll have to refer to plot points or structural elements that can’t be captured in a short quote.

In these cases, it’s more appropriate to paraphrase or summarize parts of the text—that is, to describe the relevant part in your own words:

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The conclusion of your analysis shouldn’t introduce any new quotations or arguments. Instead, it’s about wrapping up the essay. Here, you summarize your key points and try to emphasize their significance to the reader.

A good way to approach this is to briefly summarize your key arguments, and then stress the conclusion they’ve led you to, highlighting the new perspective your thesis provides on the text as a whole:

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

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• What is Figurative Language?...

What is Figurative Language? Definition and Examples

6 min read · Updated on August 28, 2024

Use figurative language to win over your audience

Figurative language can bring life to communications and help us engage our audience. But what is figurative language exactly? In this article, we'll look at a definition, explore 12 figurative language types, and provide some examples. 

What is figurative language?

Figurative language is a way of adding color to speech or writing through the use of non-literal wording. It's more creative than simply stating dry facts and can be used for effect to keep your audience listening or reading. As the words aren't meant to be taken literally, the reader needs to lean on their existing knowledge to understand the intended meaning. 

For example, compare: 

The classroom is an icebox

The classroom is cold

In the first example, we know that the classroom isn't literally an icebox, but we understand it is very cold. The second example is more accurate and literal, but it doesn't paint such a vivid picture in the reader's mind. 

Figurative language is common in novels, poetry, and political discourse but is rarely used in communications such as business reports, instructions, and resumes . It's important to understand when and where to use figurative language, if you're to use it to its best effect. 

Why use figurative language?

Figurative language is a way of making your speech or writing more engaging, interesting, and impactful. It helps build connections with the reader or listener by adding rhythm to the words, creating a picture in the mind's eye, or helping make complex ideas more accessible. 

As well as adding creativity to your communications, figurative language can add rhetorical meaning , enabling you to influence, persuade, and impress. 

12 types of figurative language

Below, we explore 12 different types of figurative language that you can experiment with to make your communications more interesting and we also provide some figurative language examples to illustrate each type. 

You probably remember this one from school. Similes compare something directly to something else – usually, something that isn't similar at all. You can usually spot similes as they use the words “like” or “as” to make the comparison.

Examples: 

Her lips are as red as roses

Life is like a box of chocolates

As busy as a bee

Taking the simile a step further, metaphors skip the comparative words and directly relate the qualities of one thing to another. Again, the things being compared aren't generally related in any way. 

He is the apple of my eye

I am an early bird

She has a heart of stone

Onomatopoeia 

Onomatopoeia is a fun figure of speech which involves naming something based on the sound it makes. The word accurately reflects the noise it describes. 

Crash, bang, clang

Moo, buzz, meow

Gulp, hiccup, rasp

Personification 

Personification is the attribution of human traits or physical qualities to something non-human. Giving inanimate objects human traits makes them more relatable and lifelike. 

She has been kissed by the sun

New York is the city that never sleeps

The biscuits called to me from the tin

Alliteration 

Alliteration refers to using the same sound at the beginning of words, repeatedly. It can provide a pulse and give rhythm to your words.

Bruce barked by the babbling brook

Dunking a delicious donut in your drink is disgusting

Kate cruelly kicked the kitten 

Much like alliteration is the repetition of initial word sounds, assonance is the repetition of nearby vowel sounds. It can help create a sense of rhythm. 

Bright city lights

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain

Hyperbole 

Hyperbole is a particular type of exaggeration used for emphasis. It can help to reinforce a point with intense imagery. 

Example: 

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse

I have a million things to do this morning 

My mum will kill me for breaking the glass

Allusion 

If you're calling something to mind or implying something, without directly mentioning it, you're using allusion. It adds deeper meaning to your communication by using your audience's pre-existing knowledge. 

You don't need to be Einstein to understand algebra (alluding to genius)

Chocolate is my Achilles Heel (alluding to a weakness)

He's dressed like the Caped Crusader (alluding to Batman)

An oxymoron uses phrases with pairs of words that are normally used as opposites. Using an oxymoron can be dramatic or thought-provoking. 

Bittersweet

Working vacation

Deafening silence 

Metonymy and synecdoche

These two are very closely related. Metonymy involves replacing a phrase with a related one, whereas synecdoche means substituting a particular attribute of something to represent the whole. 

Suit (to mean a business executive )

Wall Street (to mean the entire financial sector)

My ride is outside (to mean car)

A litote uses an affirmative statement using a negative, in an example of ironic understatement. 

The singing wasn't exactly terrible

We're not as young as we used to be

I can't disagree

Tautology is described as repeating something unnecessarily, using different words. Sometimes considered to be a fault, it can also be used deliberately to add emphasis. 

We live in close proximity 

Pick and choose 

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Choose the right language for your audience

Clearly, figurative language can be used to enable understanding, add interest, and influence. It's not the right communication style for every situation though! Consider whether using figurative language will increase or decrease understanding before you begin scattering imagery at every opportunity. 

It's not wise to use it when there is a risk of it being misunderstood or misinterpreted. If ambiguity would cause problems, figurative language is best avoided. 

Spice up your communications with figurative language 

We've explained what figurative language is and looked at different types and examples. You're well-positioned to add some jazz to your next speech or story by using these figures of speech to create impactful images for your audience. Which of the techniques on our figurative language list will you try?

Another place you need to make an impact is in your resume, but figurative language won't cut it there. If you want to make sure you're presenting the facts and figures clearly and concisely, why not send your resume for a free resume review by the experts at TopResume? 

Recommended reading: 

Understand Body Language to Improve Your Communication

11 Best Communication Skills for Your Resume (With Examples)

4 Types of Communication Style – What's Yours?

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