Types of Figures of Speech

Figures of Speech

There are seven types of figure of speech.

1-Simile:-

Simile is that figure of speech in which comparison is made between two objects of different types which have at least one point in common. And words of comparison (like, so, and as) are used.
Example:-

Life is like a dream.
The night is as dark as black stone.

Note:- Here, comparison is made between night and black stone. But there is one common thing between them and that is dark.
Note:- comparison of two things of same kind is not simile such as.

Ram is as noble as his father.

Here, comparison is made between ram and his father, but both are human.

2-Metaphor

Metaphor is an implied simile in which objects of comparison are identified but words of comparison (as, so, and like) are not used.

The camel is the ship of desert.
Life is a dream.

Note :- every simile can be expanded into a metaphor and every metaphor is compressed into a simile. Such as

Soldiers fought like a lion (simile)
Soldiers were lion in fight (metaphor)

3-Personification :-

It is that figure of speech in which lifeless things and abstracts are thought as living things. Such as

Experience is the best teacher.

Note:- Here experience is an abstract but it thought here as a living teacher.

4-Apostrophe:-

It is that figure of speech in which lifeless things, ideas are addressed directly. Apostrophe is a special form of personification such as

O death! Where is your sting?

Here death is being addressed directly.

5-Hyperbole:-

Hyperbole is that figure of speech in which things are represented as greater our less, higher or lower, better or worse than they are actually such as.

Not to speak about crane even I can pick up the 1000 kilos weight by my one hand.

6-Oxymoron :-

In oxymoron, two opposite ideas are put together such as.

This is an open secret.
Live is bitter sweet.

Here bitter and sweet are opposite for each other but both are put together.

7-Onomatopoeia :-

It is that figure of speech in which sound of words is recognized or sound of words suggests its meaning such as.

I heard the humming of bees.
Grunt grunt goes the hog.

Source - Figures of Speech

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