Figures of Speech: Simile, Metaphor and Personification

What Are Figures of Speech?

Figures of speech are expressions that use words in an imaginative, non-literal way to create vivid pictures and add colour to language.

Common Figures of Speech

• Simile: compares two unlike things using "like" or "as". Example: "She is as brave as a lion."
• Metaphor: describes something by saying it IS another thing, without "like/as". Example: "Time is money."
• Personification: gives human qualities to non-human things. Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
• Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect. Example: "I've told you a million times."
• Alliteration: repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words. Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck."
• Onomatopoeia: words that imitate the sound they describe, e.g. "buzz", "bang", "sizzle".

Why They Matter

Writers use figures of speech to make their writing more interesting, memorable and expressive, especially in poetry, prose and everyday speech.

Practice Tip

When identifying a figure of speech, ask: is a direct comparison being made (simile/metaphor), is a non-human thing acting human (personification), or is the statement exaggerated (hyperbole)?