Name: _____________________

Ms. Proch ELA 9

#1 Literary Term Worksheet

Just a little more practice. This will help you find a literary term in your song lyrics. Please
answer the following questions. You will be looking at 5 different literary terms.

Metaphors
Metaphors are comparisons that show how two things that are not alike in most ways are
similar in one important way. Metaphors are a way to describe something. Authors use them to
make their writing more interesting or entertaining.
Unlike similes that use the words as or like to make a comparison, metaphors state that
something is something else.
Read the statements that contain metaphors in italics. Then complete the statements that
explain the metaphors.
1. Brian was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball back over the net.
This metaphor compares Brian to a wall because __________.
a. He was very strong.
b. He was very tall.
c. He kept returning the balls.
d. His body was made of cells.
2. We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadnt been such a hog.
Tammy was being compared to a hog because she __________.
a. looked like a hog
b. ate like a hog
c. smelled like a hog
d. was as smart as a hog
3. Cindy was such a mule. We couldnt get her to change her mind.
4. The metaphor compares Cindy to a mule because she was __________.
a. always eating oats
b. able to do hard work
c. raised on a farm
d. very stubborn

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

Alliteration
An alliteration is the repetition of the initial consonant. There should be at least two repetitions
in a row. Here are some examples.

Angela Abigail Apple white ate anchovies and artichokes.

Bertha Bartholomew blew big, blue bubbles.
Clever Clifford Cutter clumsily closed the closet clasps.
Dwayne Dwiddle drew a drawing of dreaded Dracula

Make up 3 alliterations of your own and write them here:

1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Hyperbole
Hyperbole - a figure of speech involving exaggeration.
Here are a few examples:

I am so hungry, I could eat a horse.

Running faster than the speed of light.
You could be Miss Universe.
It took light years for this to work.
I waited in line for centuries.
I've told you a million times don't exaggerate.

Make up three of your own hyperboles and write them here:

1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Allusion
An Allusion is reference to a famous person or event in life or literature.
i.e. She is as pretty as the Mona Lisa. Here are a few more examples.
"As the cave's roof collapsed, he was swallowed up in the dust like Jonah, and only his frantic
scrabbling behind a wall of rock indicated that there was anyone still alive".
The allusion in the sentence above is to Jonah. The reader is expected to recognize the
reference to Jonah and the whale, which should evoke an image of being 'swallowed alive' ... in
this case, behind a wall of dust and rock.
"Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything
except the bare necessities".
Did you spot the allusion to Scrooge? That name should bring to mind an image of someone
who 'pinches pennies' and hoards money with a passion. But the allusion only works if the
reader is familiar with Charles Dickens' story 'A Christmas Carol'.
You should now have a good understanding of how allusion works. Let's see if you've really got
it. Below you will find some characters and descriptions which might be referred to when
writing something. Have a look:

Hamlet was a character from Shakespeare who had a difficulty making a decision.
The Three Stooges were a comedy team of not-too-bright buffoons.
The 'cowardly lion' from the Wizard of Oz was a coward.
Judas betrayed Jesus.
Mother Teresa was a nun who selflessly devoted her life to caring for the poor and sick.

Write your own allusion here. If you wish, your sentence may allude to one of the characters
above, or to someone or something else you choose.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

Rhyme
Rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. Here are some examples:
Run, pun
Walking, talking
Shirt, flirt
Write a 4 different pairs of rhymes here:
______________ ________________
______________ ________________
______________ ________________
______________ ________________

GREAT JOB

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

#2 Literary Term Worksheet

Just a little more practice. This will help you find a literary term in your song lyrics. Please
answer the following questions. You will be looking at 5 different literary terms.
Similes
Similes are comparisons that show how two things that are not alike in most ways are similar in
one important way. Similes are a way to describe something. Authors use them to make their
writing more interesting or entertaining.
Similes use the words as or like to make the connection between the two things that are
being compared.
Examples:
1. Playing chess with Ashley is like trying to outsmart a computer.
The activity playing chess with Ashley is being compared to trying to
outsmart a computer. The point is that Ashley can think in a powerful
manner that resembles the way a computer operates, not that she is like
a computer in any other way.
2. His temper was as explosive as a volcano.
His temper is being compared to a volcano in that it can be sudden and violent
Underline the word or phrase that is being described by each simile. Put (parentheses) around
the word or phrase it is being compared to. The first two have been done for you.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Mary frowned and said, I believe that taking drugs is like (playing with fire).
Dont tell Mother that her cookies taste like (lumps of sand).
Karen was offended when I said that she was as flaky as a snowstorm.
Be careful when you go out. The sidewalk is as slippery as greased glass.
Im not comfortable about this situation. I feel like a bug sitting under a magnifying glass.
I really like Patty. Her heart is as soft as a feather pillow.
Cheryls smile is as sweet as a lullaby.

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing - hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story
Read the following passages and draw a line to the event each passage most likely foreshadows
In the beginning of a movie, a well
dressed woman is travelling by ship. She
stares out at the ocean, daydreaming. As
she stares, she hums the tune Yo ho, A
Pirates Life for Me.
A character in and story behaves in an
odd and irregular way and complains
continuously that he has a headache.
A boy and a girl drop breadcrumbs as they
travel deeper in the woods.
A character says, it would be a bad idea
to break any laws right now.
But George, do you think the children
will be safe without Nana? Safe? Of
course they will be safe. Why not?

The children are visited by Peter

Pan are soon whisked away to
face a dangerous situation.

There will be travelling event

involving pirates.
The boy and the girl become
helplessly lost
A character becomes very ill.
A Crime is committed.

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia are words that sound like the objects they name or the sounds those objects
make. Here is a poem with some examples in it.
Cafeteria
Boom! Went the food trays.
Clap! Clap! Goes the teacher.
Rip! Went the plastic bag.
Munch! Munch! Go the students.
Slurp!!! Went the straws.
Whisper Is what half the kids in the room are doing.
Think of 3 different examples of onomatopoeia and write them here:
1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

Personification
Personification is giving human qualities to animals or objects.
i.e. The daffodils nodded their yellow heads. Some more examples are:
The ancient car groaned into third gear.
The cloud scattered rain throughout the city.
The tropical storm slept for two days.
The nonliving objects in the above sentences (car, cloud, storm) have been given human
qualities (groaned,scattered, slept). Adding meaning to nonliving or nonhuman objects in this
manner is called personification.
Personify the following sentences. Change the words in parentheses to words that would
describe a humans actions:
1. My bedroom door (opened).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. The puppy (barked) when I left for school.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. The leaf (fell) from the tree.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. The flashlight (went on).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Hair (is) on my head.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________
Ms. Proch ELA 9

Oxymoron
Oxymoron is putting two contradictory words together.
i.e. bittersweet, jumbo shrimp, and act naturally. \
Here are some more examples and explanations.
Pretty ugly
When we say pretty ugly, this has the same meaning as quite ugly. However, this is an
oxymoron because 'pretty' can refer to something attractive or beautiful. 'Ugly' refers to
something not attractive. So, putting these contradicting words together makes this phrase an
oxymoron.
A few more examples:
virtual reality

definite maybe

original copies

pretty ugly

same difference

plastic glasses

almost exactly

constant variable

even odds

minor crisis

extinct life

genuine imitation

exact estimate

only choice

freezer burn

free love

working holiday

rolling stop

Think of two more oxymorons and write them here:

_______________ ______________
_______________ ______________

GREAT JOB