Here is an overview of the different figures of speech.
Simile
In simile we make a comparison between two distinctly different objects which have at least one common trait. The simile is usually introduced by words such as like, so or as.
- My Love is like a red, red rose.
A comparison made between two objects of the same kind is not a simile.
A large number of similes are used in everyday speech. Common examples are given below:
- As proud of a peacock
- As old as the hills
- As cold as ice
- As good as gold
Metaphor
A metaphor is different from a simile. Here we suggest a likeness between two objects of distinctly different nature. Note that a metaphor does not state that one thing is like another. It boldly claims that the two objects are one and the same.
Examples are:
- Life is a dream. (Here the speaker establishes a likeness between life and dream by saying that they are one and the same.)
Note that we can convert a metaphor into a simile by using the words like or as. In the same way, a simile can be converted into a metaphor.
- She is like a red rose. (Simile)
- She is a red rose. (Metaphor)
Personification
In personification, inanimate objects and abstract ideas are spoken of as if they were endowed with life and intelligence.
Example
- Necessity is the mother of invention.
Apostrophe
An apostrophe is a direct address either to an absent person or to a nonhuman entity.