Literary Devices

Add “SPICE” to your writing !!!

Goal: Students will use spice to add voice to their writing

appropriately.

Objective: Students will learn to use literary devices in their writing.

The Art and Science of Writing

Science: Structure Art: Voice, Style, and Spice

Idioms

A saying that cannot be taken literally.

Examples of Idioms• Finger-licking good• Don’t cry over spilled milk• A gut feeling• Go the extra mile• He lost his head• Hit the nail on the head• Easy as pie• On pins and needles• Don’t let the cat out of the bag• Keep a straight face• Too many cooks in the kitchen• All ears• Break a leg• Zip your lip

Similes

A comparison of 2 unlike things using like or as.

Examples of Similes• Her eyes were as blue as the ocean.• He ran like lightning down the street.• I screamed as loud as a siren.• Grandma is as blind as a bat.• The flower was as red as Santa’s suit.• My hands were like ice.• The man was as tall as a skyscraper.• The baby was as cute as a kitten.• Last night, I slept like a log.• Your answer was as clear as mud.

Hyperbole

An exaggeration of any statement.

Examples of Hyperboles• He was so embarrassed, he thought he might die.• I told you a thousand times!• Her smile was a mile wide.• The package took forever to come in the mail.• I had a ton of homework.• The boy worked so hard his brain hurt.• The lady is so hungry she could eat a horse.• The dad snored louder than a freight train.• My backpack weighs a ton.• It took 2 seconds to drive here.

Alliteration

Repeating the same beginning sound.

Examples of Alliteration

• Sally sells sea shells at the sea shore.• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.• Mike’s microphone made much music.• The seven sisters slept soundly in the sand.• Henry’s home hopefully has heat.• A giant jiggled and jumped gingerly across the jetty.• The kangaroo kicked the cackling cat as it caught a kite.• The nasty nuisance kneed the nanny in the neck.• The furious phone fell to the floor as it rang.

Metaphors

A comparison of 2 unlike things without using like or as

Examples of Metaphors• Her eyes were fireflies.• I was a bear when I woke up early in the morning.• The cafeteria was a circus on Friday.• My room is a disaster area.• The test was a walk in the park.• She cut him down with her words.• The quarterback was throwing rockets throughout the game.• She has a heart of stone.• The teacher’s voice was music to my ears.• He is a shining star at school.

PersonificationGiving human traits to

objects or animals.

Examples of Personification• Time flew and before we knew it, the day was over.• My computer throws a fit every time I turn it on.• The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze.• The moon winked at me through the clouds.• The car was suffering and needed some TLC.• The words appeared to leap off the paper as she read.• The phone awakened me with a mighty ring.• The DVDs flew off the shelves when they went on sale.• The bread jumped out of the toaster.• The fire ran wild through the forest.• The baseball screamed all the way into the outfield.

OnomatopoeiaSounds objects make!

Examples of Onomatopoeia

• Zip!• Cha-ching!• Vroom!• Bang!• Ding-dong!• Crack!• Boom!• Whaaaa!• Choo! Choo!

• Oink!• Boooo!• Eeeek!• Tick-tock!• Woo! Woo!• Zzzzzzz!• Snap!• Pop!

Oxymoron

Words that contradict.

Examples of Oxymorons• jumbo shrimp• dull knife• one-man band• agree to disagree• black light• almost finished• big sip• crash landing• quiet storm• tough love• whole piece

• dress pants• freezer burn• harmless lie• inside-out• lamp shade• loud silence• mud bath• partially completed• quick fix• upside down• wise fool

Put a little bit of yourself into everything you write!!

Add VOICE to your writing!!

SPICE up your writing by adding your personality (your own VOICE) to your writing!

For example, as writers, you might have very strong feelings about a subject.

Let’s talk about snakes!

Some writers LOVE snakes! Others HATE snakes.

If you HATE snakes, your comments might sound like this:

DISGUSTING! EWWWWW! SNAKES GIVE ME THE CREEPS! I HOPE I NEVER RUN INTO A SNAKE! I HATE SNAKES! NASTY! GROSS! YUCK! SNAKES SCARE ME!

If you LOVE snakes, your comments might sound like this:

AWESOME! COOL! SNAKES ARE FASCINATING CREATURES! REMARKABLE! OUTSTANDING! NEAT! COLORFUL! WILD! SUPER!

Here are some suggestions to add spice to your writing with words and/or phrases:

OMG!!!LOL!!

RADICAL!I didn’t know that!

I wonder what will happen next?Let me explain!

Keep reading to find out!Isn’t that interesting?

I learned something new!I didn’t see that coming, did you?

REMEMBER THESE TIPS:

Choose your words carefully!!

Add your voice in just the right place:

After an interesting fact When you want to comment on something you

just wrote To add humor to your writing To begin or end a paragraph

Literary Devices Flip Book

DIRECTIONS:

1. Create flip book as shown.2. List literary devices on outside flaps.3. Create a sentence for each literary device and write it on the inside of the flap.4. Illustrate the sentence, also on the inside of each of the flaps.5. Create a colorful cover.6. Write your name on the top flap.7. Display proudly.

Goal: Students will use spice to add voice to their writing

appropriately.

Objective: Students will learn to use literary devices in their writing.