Literary Devices

Examples:

She sells seashells by the sea-shore. Larry’s lizard likes lounging in the sun. Kim’s kid kept kicking like crazy.

Metaphor  

A comparison of two unrelated things to describe something using something else that does not have a literal similarity. 

Taking the example of “life is a rollercoaster”, everyone knows that in the literal sense this statement does not make sense, however it is used to describe that life is similar to rollercoaster in that it has many ups and downs.

Examples:

Life is a rollercoaster. He is a walking dictionary. My big brother is a couch potato. The teenager’s stomach was a bottomless pit.

Simile

Comparison of two different things, comparable to a metaphor, except usually using the words “like” or “as”. 

Similes have a comparable effect to metaphors in that they help the reader make connections between things they know the imagery the author wants to create.

For example, “he is as busy as a bee”, allows the reader to make the comparison between bees, who look for pollen all day, and the business of the person.

Examples:

He is as busy as a bee As cold as ice As tough as nails Last night, I slept like a log.

Oxymoron  

Two words beside each other that have opposite or contradictory meanings. 

The effect an oxymoron has on the reader is that it makes them pause and think.

It can make a phrase seem more dramatic. Examples: