Literary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary Devices

Definitions and ExamplesDefinitions and Examples

Goals• After this lesson, you should be able to:

– Understand the definitions of two literary devices: alliteration and hyperbole

– Identify examples of these literary devices in a text

– Make up your own examples

Alliteration• the repetition of sound at the beginning

of two or more neighboring words.

Fun with Words• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

• She sells sea shells by the sea shore• Zigmund Zane zig-zagged through the zany zoo zone.

Identify the Alliteration in these sentences

1. Puny puma pit their skills against the zebras.

2. Pretty Polly picked pears for preserves.

3. Handsome Harry hired hundreds of hippos for Hanukkah.

Answers1. Puny puma pit their skills against the

zebras.

2. Pretty Polly picked pears for preserves.

3. Handsome Harry hired hundreds of hippos for Hanukkah.

Make Your Own…and share with the class!

• B_______________• B_______________• B_______________• B_______________• B_______________

• C_______________• C_______________• C_______________• C_______________• C_______________

Hyperbole• An extravagant exaggeration used to

emphasize a point.

• It’s so hot! I think I’m going to melt!

Where is the exaggeration?

• I’m so tired, I could sleep for a year!

• I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse!

• I tried a thousand times!

• It was so funny, I nearly died laughing!

Try some of your own!• I’m so tired…

• I’m so hungry…

• It was so funny…

Let’s Sum Things Up!• Alliteration: the repetition of sound at the

beginning of two or more neighboring words.• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.• Hyperbole: An extravagant exaggeration

used to emphasize a point.• I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse!

• Remember: look for these while you read!