By Subject By Standard Proficiency Assessments

Literary Devices

English Language Arts, Grade 8

❮

❯

Authors use literary devices to make their writing entertaining and to help the reader to form mental images from the text. Alliteration: Starting with Similar Sounds Alliteration is when multiple words in a sentence have the same beginning consonant sound. Alliterative sounds create rhythm and mood. Alliteration is often used in tongue twisters, riddles, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales. Pam placed peppermints on the plate. Kim came to fly the colorful kite. Hyperbole: Exaggerating for Effect Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration. It is often used in tall tales and other humorous works. She drove that car faster than the speed of light. We are so hungry we could eat a horse. Onomatopoeia: Making Words from Sounds Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like the word it describes. The word comes from the actual sound. They are usually — but not always — verbs. The duck quacked and flapped its wings as it chased the intruder from its nest. With my every step, the buzzing grew louder until at last I found the bee hive. Personification: Giving Life to Inanimate Objects Personification is giving a human quality to a nonhuman — and often a nonliving — thing. The wind howled outside my window. That last piece of cake kept calling my name. Literary Devices Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4046

Read each sentence. Identify it as an example of alliteration (A), hyperbole (H), onomatopoeia (O), or personification (P). _____ 1. The drip, drip, drip of the faucet was getting on my nerves. _____ 2. It was so cold that the penguins were wearing coats. _____ 3. She’s already answered that question a million times. _____ 4. Three grey geese were in a green field grazing. _____ 5. The vine wove its fingers through the trellis. _____ 6. The dog plotted to steal Max's socks when he wasn’t looking. _____ 7. Ella heard a loud thump and spun around in surprise. _____ 8. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. _____ 9. We are weary of this wintry weather. _____ 10. Tracy lost control of her bike and smacked into the shed. _____ 11. He could have knocked me over with a feather. _____ 12. “There’s a certain slant of light... when it comes, the landscape listens, shadows hold their breath...” [Emily Dickinson] Literary Devices Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4046 O

Literary Devices

English Language Arts, Grade 8

Need Help?

NewPath Learning

Solutions

Shop By Product

Shop By Grade

Shop By Subject