Definition

Figures of speech are special terms in language.

They add colour and interest to our speech and writing.

Common figures of speech include the following:

alliteration	assonance	cliché
metaphor	metonymy	onomatopoeia
oxymoron	paradox	simile

EXAMPLES

This shows the same statement, without and then with figures of speech.

plain language	He ran quickly down the street.
with a simile	He ran like a hare down the street.
with a metaphor	He hared down the street.

Use

People use these figures of speech all the time - without thinking.

If you say 'I've told him a thousand times!' this isn't really true.

You are using a figure of speech - exaggeration - to make a point.

Figures of speech add colour, interest, and meaning to our language.

They are often used in speech - and in creative writing such as poetry and short stories.

They are not usually used in writing for instructions or business.

Here's a plain statement of fact:

This is a wooden door

Now here's an example of a metaphor:

The sunshine of your smile

Both statements are made in five words.

But you can see that the metaphor says much more than the factual statement.

It includes ideas of the sun, happiness, friendliness, pleasure, and possibly more.

NB! Don't try too hard to use figures of speech. They'll come naturally.

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