The Important English Language Features That You Should Know

Allegory

An allegory is a literary device in which an event or a character in a play, poem, or tale symbolizes a concept. The author uses allegory to illustrate the idea rather than providing a clear explanation, and it is up to the readers to make sense of it. Such an application of linguistic devices enriches the feeling or idea.

The humans are driven from the farm by a troop of animals who take over the management of it. The underlying narrative, however, is about the Russian Revolution; the dogs that assist the pigs symbolize the KGB, and the pigs who seize control of the farm are symbolic of Communist leaders like Lenin and Stalin.

Alliteration

Lizards appealed to Lady Larson!

It’s to note that every word in the sentence above starts with the same sound, the letter “l.” Alliteration is simply the placement of words that begin with the same sound together. It is revered by poets and authors alike. Readers cannot argue that alliteration adds emphasis and a lovely rhythm to the writing—it makes reading enjoyable!

Allusion

An allusion is when something is mentioned subtly about a concept, feeling, idea, person, or object. The author expects the reader to recognize and comprehend the reference without explaining. When used properly, it refines your text structures.

I don’t believe he is loyal. Rather than Samwise Gamgee, he looks to be more like Macbeth.

The example uses the well-known Macbeth from Shakespeare to represent the trait of treachery and Samwise from The Lord of the Rings to emphasize the trait of loyalty.

Analogy

Rome wasn’t built in a day, therefore you have to work hard every day if you want to get a decent rank!

And that’s an analogy. A persuasive writing style allows the author to present arguments and ideas in a way that makes you understand.

Anaphora

A technique to emphasize a point or help your readers recall what you are saying. The recurrence of the sentence’s initial clause is known as anaphora.

• Your health is important to us.
• We’re concerned about your health.
• Your life is important to us.

The first two words of the phrases are repeated in this instance. This holds the reader’s interest.

Dramatic Irony

The use of irony is one of the most beloved aspects of English. Irony forces the reader to reflect. How? Irony is the employment of a distinct set of words to give them a meaning that differs from what they imply. Bewildered? Next, peruse the subsequent instances:

• The student who finished first in the class did not pass the university admission exam!
• On social media, people talk about how worthless social media is.
• It’s the best feature to utilize while discussing experiences and life in general.

Metaphor

It’s something you’ve already read about in school, and it applies to real life as well as poetry. A person, place, or activity is described as something else in a metaphor. Therefore, when you use a metaphor in your writing, the readers are given a clear explanation of what you are attempting to communicate.

• After lunch, he is a sloth.
• The 50% off at H&M drew customers in.

Oxymoron

• Virtual reality addiction is universal.
• You’re not sure which subjects to choose!

“Virtual reality” is a combination of two terms that have quite distinct meanings. Is “clearly confused,” then. An example of such a linguistic application is an oxymoron. It highlights the significance of an idea. It’s also entertaining, which is why many well-known television shows and films have oxymoronic titles: Big Little Lies, You Only Live Twice, Eyes Wide Shut, and you can probably think of many more today.

Personification

Personification can be seen in the names of animated films such as “Happy Feet,” books such as “The Giving Tree,” or the famous quote from Emily Dickinson, “The heart wants what it wants – or else it does not care.”

It shows an idea or thing with human emotions or displays them as having human skills, as you may have surmised by now.

By employing this literary trick, you may force the reader to visualize or comprehend your topic more fully.

Pun

“Pun intended,” is a term that we have encountered in sentences. What does that signify then? Making puns is an excellent method to practice your vocabulary. In a pun, a word’s true meaning is subverted to convey something different. This linguistic device lends humour to your work. It’s a wordplay, frequently including terms that sound the same. This trait is frequently featured in newspaper headlines.

• The football game finally started, and the ball eventually rolled.
• Sheep are not worth educating; they have been herded before.

Simile

A simile is another descriptive technique that contrasts two things, ideas, or people. It is distinct from metaphor in that it limits comparisons to the use of “like” or “as.”

• Her blueberry cheesecake rivals the quality of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.
• The street wound around like a river.

Foreshadowing

This linguistic device gives readers a preview of what will happen later on in the narrative.

• Example 1: In a play, a gun is presented in the first act and explodes in the third.
• Example 2: Before the revelation of a grave sickness, a character coughs.
• Example 3: A dark cloud cover on the horizon signals the approach of a storm.

Flashback

A flashback is a break in the regular flow of events that shows something that happened in the past.

• Example 1: A veteran remembers his military years in a flashback.
• Example 2: The protagonist of a tale reflects on their early years.

Tone

Tone is a linguistic attribute that describes the overall attitude or character of written language.

• Example 1: A positive outlook in an acceptance letter.
• Example 2: A scholarly work written in a serious tone.
• Example 3: A mystery novel with a tense tone.

Mood

The emotional environment that a narrative’s linguistic elements produce

• Example 1: A ghost story with an eerie atmosphere.
• Example 2: A love poem’s beautiful ambience.
• Example 3: A speech full of inspiration and hope.

Motif

A recurrent motif with meaning in a narrative.

Illustrations of this linguistic characteristic.

• The use of the colour red denotes danger in motion pictures.
• A novel’s topic of friendship.
• Recurrent flashbacks that allude to a character’s background in a television show.
• Quote: “The reappearance of an image is a motif; it is not an image itself.”

Sarcasm

Saying one thing while meaning something else, usually with mockery or disdain.

• Ex: Congratulating someone on a job well done when they commit a mistake.
• Example 2: Eating a piece of cake and stating, “I can’t wait to start my diet.”
• Example 3: “You have the clarity of mud.”
• “Sarcasm: the last refuge of the creatively bankrupt,” someone once said.