Poetry Terms – Howard School Grade 5

alliteration
when several words begin with the same sound are next to each other or close together

Assonance
when the same VOWEL sound is repeated in words that are next to each other or close together

free verse
when a poem is written without a pattern of rhyme, meter or line length

imagery
the author’s use of description and words to create pictures in the reader’s mind. It appeals to the reader’s five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell or taste. It can also help create pictures in the reader’s mind.

metaphor
the comparison of two things WITHOUT using the words like or as and presenting them as almost being identical

onomatopoeia
when a word sounds like the noise or sound that it stands for

personification
when human qualities are given to things

repetition
when words or phrases are repeated to emphasize a point

rhyming verse
when words end with the same sound

simile
the comparison of two things by using the words like or as

stanza
a group of lines in a poem

prose
ordinary speech or writing that we use everyday other than poetry

meter
a regular pattern of rhythm

idiom
An expression that has a meaning different from the meaning of its individual words.

mood
A literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions.

tone
Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

hyperbole
deliberate exaggeration for effectAn exaggeration or overstatement to make a point, show humor or emotion