ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

Figures of Speech Workbook

Student Learning Outcomes:
 CR 9.3 I CAN create and use appropriate language, suited to my audience, and organized for effect, to construct meaning.
 CR 9.6 I CAN read and comprehend poetry, plays, and stories from different cultures, while being insightful and interpretive.
 CC 9.9 I CAN experiment with a variety of text forms (debates, presentations, poetry, short stories, comic scripts) and techniques (tone,
point of view, imagery, figurative language).

Instructions:
1. Define each term.
2. Provide examples for each term.
3. Practice skills for each term.

FORESHADOWING
Foreshadowing
Definition
eg. Jack’s ill temper would one day be the death of him.
Foreshadowing
Examples

Read the following passages and draw a line to the event each passage most likely foreshadows:
1. In the beginning of a movie, a well-dressed woman is travelling by a. The children are soon visited by
ship. She stares out at the ocean, daydreaming. As she stares, she Peter Pan and whisked away to
hums the tune, “Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me”. face a dangerous situation.
2. A character in a story behaves in an odd and irregular way and b. There will be a terrible event
complains continuously that he has a headache. involving pirates.
3. A boy and a girl drop breadcrumbs as they travel deeper and deeper c. The boy and girl become
into the woods. helplessly lost.
4. A character says, “It would be a bad idea to break any laws at this d. A crime is committed.
point in time.”
5. “But George, do you think the children will be safe without Nana? e. A character becomes very ill.
Safe? Of course they’ll be safe. Why not?

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
FLASHBACK
Flashback
Definition
eg. Dream sequence in a movie
Flashback
Examples

Underline the flashback in each statement:

1. All of a sudden, Ashanti remembered an incident from long ago. He had been walking in the words with his older
brother, who tried to scare him half to death with a story about a hooded monster. Ashanti had been so
frightened then that he had cried uncontrollably.
2. Nikki lined up with the other runners. They were all flushed with determination and excitement-all except Gloria.
Suddenly, it was last year again, and she was telling the coach that she had to drop out of team because of her
illness. Now she was well again. “Still,” she said to herself, “what am I doing here? I’ll never win. I haven’t
practiced enough!”
3. Something good was in store for her soon. She just knew it in her bones! Out on this same street last year, she
had felt angry and hopeless. Today she felt happy and self-assured.
4. Sinking lower and lower, pulled into darkness by the furious water, he could no longer hold his breath. He knew
the end was near. Then the ringing alarm clock burst in, saving him from reliving once more that awful experience
of many summers ago. He would never go near the sea again, he promised himself.
5. The big dog started across the street, heading right for Aisha. Aisha froze in her tracks. Her dog Chance had
disappeared in the fall, leaving the whole family upset- mom crying, dad peering out the window every five
minutes hoping that Chance would be at the door. Now this old thing was coming at her…was it Chance, or just a
look-alike?
6. Lisa stood next to her mother, ready to begin mixing the dough. Suddenly the smell took her back to 6 months
ago, when her grandma had come to visit. She, her mother, and her grandma had made the best cookies.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
SYMBOLISM
Symbolism
Definition
eg. Athena’s owl visited him = He got a good idea (Owl = wisdom)
Symbolism
Examples

Note: A symbol can be a sign that stands for something. We look at it and understand the meaning attached to it.

Look at each sign below and decide what it stands for or represents, write it below the picture:

Think of three other symbols you would recognize and draw them here:

Share your drawings with a partner and see if they recognize the symbols!

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
IMAGERY
Imagery
Definition
eg. It was a dark night. The entire street was quiet. The wind whistled
Imagery through the back alleys.
Examples

Read the passage below. Circle words that give imagery. Define the words below:
The hot, July sun beat relentlessly down, casting an orange glare over the farm buildings, the fields, the pond. Even the
usually cool green willows bordering the pond hung wilting and dry. Our sun-baked backs ached for relief. We quickly
pulled off our sweaty clothes and plunged into the pond, but the tepid water only stifled us, and we soon climbed back
onto the brown, dusty bank. Our parched throats longed for something cool—a strawberry ice, a tall frosted glass of
lemonade. We pulled on our clothes and headed through the dense, crackling underbrush, the sharp briars pulling at our
damp jeans, until we reached the watermelon patch. As we began to cut open the nearest melon, we could smell the
pungent skin mingling with the dusty odor of dry earth. Suddenly the melon gave way with a crack, revealing the deep,
pink sweetness inside.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
METAPHOR
Metaphor
Definition
eg. The world is a vampire
Metaphor
Examples

Identify the two things being compared in each sentence and tell how they are alike:
1. The lake was a huge mirror in the moonlight.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. The playground became a lake after the thunderous rain.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
3. I am the glue that holds us together.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

Underline the sentences that are METAPHORS. Circle the two items being compared:
1. Jenny sings like a bird.
2. Mary is a pack rat.
3. The dancer moved around the stage like a spinning top.
4. My friend is a stubborn mule.
5. Our lawn is a green carpet from the fence to the street.
6. He hit that ball a mile away.

Use a metaphor to describe someone who is:

1. Tall _ex. He is a giant ________________________________________________________________________.
2. Fast ______________________________________________________________________________________.
3. Slow ______________________________________________________________________________________.
4. Smart ______________________________________________________________________________________.
5. Sneaky ______________________________________________________________________________________.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
6. Angry ______________________________________________________________________________________.
7. Silly ______________________________________________________________________________________.

Note: Metaphors are a way to compare things by saying that one thing IS another thing. For example, we say
somebody IS a fool. In the past, in Europe, a fool was a person who entertained the king or queen by doing
silly things. When we call somebody a fool we really mean that he or she is doing something silly or stupid;
we are using a metaphor.

What do we really mean when we say these things?:

1. When we say someone is a PIG we really mean that ____________________________________.
2. When we call someone an angel we really mean that ____________________________________.
3. If we say someone is a giant we really mean that ____________________________________.
4. When we call a man an ogre or a woman a witch we really mean ____________________________________.
5. When somebody plays cards and we call them a shark, we really mean that ________________________________.
6. If we say that somebody is a volcano ready to explode, we really mean that ________________________________.
7. When we say somebody is bright, we mean that ____________________________________.

Write some original metaphors to complete each of the following:

1. Happiness IS _ex. … a warm bed___________________________________________________.
2. Loneliness IS __________________________________________________________________.
3. Fear IS ________________________________________________________________________.
4. Embarrassment IS ____________________________________________________________.
5. Love IS ________________________________________________________________________.
6. Courage IS __________________________________________________________________.

Similes and Metaphors

In the blank below, write the word SIMILE or METAPHOR after the sentence. If it’s a simile, circle the word “like” or “as”:
1. Example: Jill is like a diamond in the rough. ____Simile_______________
2. That dot is as big as a horse! _ ______________________
3. Jenny is as quiet as a mouse. _ ______________________
4. That man is over the hill. _ ______________________
5. Steve turned as white as a ghost when his father caught him! _ ______________________
6. The car is a boat! _ ______________________
7. Her singing sounds like a cat dying. _ ______________________
8. His shoes are skis! _ ______________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
9. It’s as hot as an oven in here. _ ______________________
10. My room is a hazardous zone! _ ______________________
EUPHEMISM
Euphemism
Definition
eg. He “kicked the bucket.”
Euphemism
Examples

The expressions in italics are euphemisms. What do they probably mean? Write their meaning
underneath the sentence:
1. She was less favored by beauty than her sister
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Someone borrowed money from my locker without asking me.
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. I just bought a pre‐owned car yesterday.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. I just won a lunch reservation from Mr. Simon.
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The caretaker does an excellent job at Braden.
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. I got in a bit of trouble for stretching the truth about the broken lamp.
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Now I’m headed for the correctional facility again.
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Where do I work? Actually, I’m between jobs at the moment.
________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Now that I’m getting up there in years I don’t like birthdays so much.
________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Eric’s driving skills leave plenty of room for improvement.
________________________________________________________________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
ANALOGY/EXTENDED METAPHOR
Analogy
Definition
eg. Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare
Analogy
Examples

Sonnet 18
William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
Thou art more lovely and more temperate. But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
And every fair from fair sometime declines, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
1. What two things is Shakespeare comparing?
_________________________ and _________________________
2. How can you tell that this is an example of an analogy (extended metaphor)?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

No Man is an Island
John Donne

No man is an island entire of itself; every man own were; any man's death diminishes me,
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; because I am involved in mankind.
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe And therefore never send to know for whom
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
1. What two things is John Donne comparing?
_________________________ and _________________________
2. How can you tell that this is an example of an analogy (extended metaphor)?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
Note: Sometimes analogies are just a direct comparison between two things. These are often found in logic
puzzles and IQ tests.

Complete the analogy by writing the correct word on the blank line:
1. Snake is to reptile as frog is to __amphibian_____________________________________.
2. Parrot is to feathers as bear is to ________________________________________________.
3. Zebra is to stripes as giraffe is to ________________________________________________.
4. Cat is to kitten as cow is to ______________________________________________________.
5. Canary is to yellow as polar bear is to __________________________________________.
6. Goose is to flock as fish is to ______________________________________________________.
7. Ant is to six legs as spider is to ________________________________________________.
8. Snake is to slither as whale is to ________________________________________________.
9. Lion is to carnivore as rhino is to ________________________________________________.
10. Bison is to walk as kangaroo is to ________________________________________________.
11. Pig is to piglet as duck is to ______________________________________________________.
12. Bass is to fish as mustang is to ______________________________________________________.

Complete each analogy using a word from the box:

Hand Book Cherries Throw Under Big Eye
Hour Water Plant Car Down Square Red
1. In is to out as up is to ____________________________________________________________.
2. Go is to green as stop is to ______________________________________________________.
3. Land is to dirt as ocean is to ______________________________________________________.
4. Apple is to tree as flower is to ________________________________________________.
5. Toe is to foot as finger is to ______________________________________________________.
6. Day is to month as minute is to ________________________________________________.
7. Purple is to grapes as red is to ________________________________________________.
8. Word is to sentence as page is to ________________________________________________.
9. Small is to large as little is to ______________________________________________________.
10. Three is to triangle as four is to ________________________________________________.
11. Smell is to nose as sight is to ______________________________________________________.
12. Top is to bottom as over is to ______________________________________________________.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
SIMILE
Simile
Definition
eg. Life is like a box of chocolates
Simile
Examples

Complete the simile by filling in the blank:

1. The car was as dirty as a ______________________________________________________.
2. The candy was like ____________________________________________________________.
3. My little brother sounds like a ________________________________________________.
4. My room is as messy as ______________________________________________________.
5. School is like __________________________________________________________________.
6. The chair was as hard as a ______________________________________________________.
7. Her hair looked like ____________________________________________________________.
8. The monster’s breath was like ________________________________________________.
9. My lunch tasted like ____________________________________________________________.
10. The rabbit was as soft as ______________________________________________________.

Underline the simile and circle the two words being compared:
1. Her hair was as black as night.
2. I was so tired that night; it was a good thing my pillow was as soft as a cloud.
3. Tina’s toy truck was as flat as a pancake.
4. Stallion has won many horse races because he is as fast as lightning.
5. Our coach told us what to do as loudly as a lion.

Write the meaning of the sentence and circle the two words being compared:
1. His smile is as big as the room.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. The package was as light as a feather.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
3. At the picnic, Dad was as hungry as a bear so he ate and ate and ate.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
4. The shopping mall is as massive as Jupiter.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
5. Mr. Potter expected his class to be as silent as the grave while he was talking.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
*Remember, a simile is a figure of speech in which two UNLIKE things are compared using the words LIKE or AS.

Think of some common phrases you hear. Can you list three similes of your own? Have fun and
make some up!
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
ONOMATOPOEIA
Onomatopoeia
Definition
Onomatopoeia eg. The cannon boomed as it fired.
Examples

How many onomatopoeia can you find in this poem? Circle them!:
An onomatopoeia It’s the clatter and the plip-plops,
is a very special thing. and the beeps and bonks and chirps.
It’s a word like quack or flutter, It’s the mumbles and the rumbles,
or oink or boom or zing. and the rattles and the burps.
It sounds just like its meaning, It’s the hissing and the buzzing,
for example snort and hum. and the giggles and the moos.
It’s the crash and clang of cymbals, And on a spooky moonlit night,
and the rat-a-tat of drums. it is a scary BOO!

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole
Definition
eg. I would die to go to that show.
Hyperbole
Examples

Note: Hyperboles are fun. A hyperbole says more than is true. A hyperbole stretches the truth so far that it is not
expected to be taken literally. It is used to emphasize a point.

Write TWO hyperboles to complete each of the following lines:

1. She can run so fast _________________________________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________.
2. I studied so hard _________________________________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________.
3. My lawyer is so smart _________________________________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________.
4. He is so handsome _________________________________________________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________________.

Create some attention getting, original hyperboles in response to the following lines of dialogue:
1. Don’t you think the TV is too loud? The TV is so loud
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. Are you really going to eat the entire hot fudge brownie sundae? I’m so hungry
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
3. Look at that incredible amount of snow piled up outside. The snow is so deep that
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
4. Do you really want to go to the movies? I mean, don’t you have too much homework to do? I have so much
homework
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
5. Look at that poor old dog. He can hardly walk. That dog is too old
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
6. Aren’t you glad you got an A on the test? I’m so happy
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
7. Is that a mosquito bite? My arm is so swollen
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
8. Did you really see a shark just now? That shark was so vicious
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
9. How bad is your headache? My head aches so much
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
10. Weren’t you frightened by the roller coaster? I was so frightened
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

Write a sentence with hyperbole to describe each item below:

1. A heavy book __________________________________________________________________.
2. A funny girl __________________________________________________________________.
3. A talkative boy __________________________________________________________________.
4. A long wait __________________________________________________________________.
5. An expensive gift ____________________________________________________________.

What do these phrases really mean?:

1. “My feet were killing me” really means __________________________________________.
2. “I worked my fingers to the bone” really means ____________________________________.
3. “I was dying to see” really means ________________________________________________.
4. “I was so tired I couldn’t move” really means ____________________________________.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
SUSPENSE
Suspense
Definition
eg. The final gun fight in a western
Suspense
Examples

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
REPETITION

Repetition
Definition

eg. The highwayman came riding, riding, riding.

Repetition
Examples

Underline the repetition in each poem below:

Inside the ocean Under the clouds, In our hearts, we have
I see fish. Under the trees, something special.
Inside the waves Under the sea, In our hearts,
I hear a splash. I can fall asleep, somebody
Inside the water and dream of lives in there
I felt a fish. moving clouds who you
It seems so big, and swaying trees, love so very much.
as big as a whale. and waves moving,
It has to be, in the sea.
But then I see,
It's a tuna fish.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
PERSONIFICATION
Personification
Definition
eg. The bridge groaned under the weight of the cars.
Personification
Examples

Here is a list of eight human actions. Can you list eight more?
Speaks Sings Waltzes Plays Works Dies Laughs Smiles

Think of four objects or living things from nature and use each with four of the human actions
from the list above:
ex. The spring birds chattered.
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

Now add a simile after each and you’ll have a line of poetry!: ex. The spring birds chattered like
ladies at a tea party.
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_

In each sentence, an object or idea is personified. Identify the object or idea that is being
personified and explain which human trait or action is applied to the object or idea:
1. The wind whispered through the dark and gloomy forest.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
2. The gardener lovingly added the manure to his crops believing he was making happy flowers.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________
3. Time crawled as Tim sat in the hot detention room painfully watching the clock tic.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________
4. When Monica walked through the shoe store, each shiny pair of high heels called out to her.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________
5. When the patriots defeated the redcoat army, freedom rang across the fruited plains.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________
6. As Alice searched for her missing pencil, she said sarcastically, “Well, I guess it just walked off my desk.” She
looked at her classmates accusingly.
a. What is being personified? ____________________________________
b. Which human trait or quality is given? ____________________________________

Underline the idea, object, or animal being personified and circle what they are doing that makes
it an example of personification:
ex. The sun danced across the sky on the hot summer day.
1. The big full moon guided me through the forest.
2. The mountain listened to the rumbles beneath its surface.
3. As the rain pounded to the ground, everyone ran for cover.
4. The old man sat at the edge of the sea as the waves crashed on the shore.
5. The old car groaned as it made its way down the long open road.
6. The wind whispered lonely sounds as it blew through the old creaky windows.
7. The leaves raced to the ground as the children ran across the playground.
8. The pencil moaned as the boy turned the handle on the pencil sharpener.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

How many times is personification used in this poem? Underline them:

I know that clouds aren’t people,
But they’re looking glum today.
So I say that they are pouting, as I watch the sky turn gray.

Now, the sky is not a person,

But I feel its raindrop tears.
So I say that it is crying,
And then the sun appears.

The sun is not a person,

But its warmth spreads like a grin.
So I say the sun is smiling,
And the sky cheers up again.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
ALLITERATION
Alliteration
Definition
eg. She sells seashells…
Alliteration
Examples

Complete the people alliterations below:

ex. My mom’s making milkshakes.
1. Touch teachers ____________________________________________________________.
2. ___________________________________________________________________cooking cakes.
3. Thirty thieves __________________________________________________________________.
4. __________________________________________________________________nurses napping.
5. Funny __________________________________________________________________farming.
6. Cheerful children ____________________________________________________________.
7. __________________________________________________________________singerstanding.
8. ____________________________________________________________ bankers buying bread.
9. ____________________________________________________________________girls giggling.
10. Hungry hunters ____________________________________________________________.

Complete the animal alliterations below:

ex. Big bears biting berries.
1. Dirty dogs __________________________________________________________ in the dirt.
2. ______________________________________________________________ cats cooking carrots.
3. ________________________________________________________________ snakes slithering.
4. Red rabbits __________________________________________________________________.
5. _______________________________________________________________horses hauling hay.
6. Purple pandas ____________________________________________________________pictures.
7. Creepy _________________________________________________________________crawling.
8. Many mice __________________________________________________________________.
9. Tired ___________________________________________________________________talking.
10. Green gorillas __________________________________________________________________.
11. _______________________________________________________ whales waiting in the water.

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
OXYMORON
Oxymoron
Definition
eg. Awfully good
Oxymoron
Examples

Here are some examples of oxymoron:

Act naturally Freezer burn Pretty ugly
Almost exactly Good grief Sweet sorrow
Alone together Living dead Small crowd
Clearly misunderstood Minor catastrophe Terribly pleased
Diet chocolate-cake Near miss Working vacation
Extinct Life Passive aggressive

Can you write three of your own?

1. _______________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
HUMOUR
Humour
Definition
eg. A funny part in a scary movie.
Humour
Examples

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
IRONY
Verbal Irony –

Irony Situational Irony –

Definition
Dramatic Irony –

Ex. Alanis Morissette’s song “Ironic” is ironic because none of the situations she refers to as
ironic actually are ironic.
Irony
Examples

Read the following examples of irony. Determine which of the three types of irony are being used
and explain why:
1. A mean old man ate a large meal at a restaurant. The waitress tried to provide him with excellent service, but
every time she brought him a dish, he complained. First he thought that the soup was too cold when it was hot.
Then he said that his steak was dry and chewy, when it was moist and succulent. Then he complained that one of
her blonde hairs was in his mashed potatoes, but the hair was actually grey like his own. She remained patient
and continued to try to help him until the end of the meal, when he left her a quarter for a tip. She replied on his
way out, “Thank you for the generous tip, Mister.”
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

2. Tom has always liked Lucy, but Lucy has always thought Tom was annoying and unattractive. One day, Lucy
comes home to find an eviction notice on her door. Apparently, her roommate had been spending the rent
money that Lucy was giving her on other things. Lucy only has 24 hours to get all her stuff over to her mom’s
house, and Lucy doesn’t even have a car. But Tom has a truck. So Lucy calls up Tom and asks him how he’s doing.
She tells him that she’s always thought he was funny, and that they should hang out sometime. Tom thinks that
Lucy has finally come around is beginning to like her. He also thinks that his jokes are funny because she is
laughing after everything that he says.
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

3. In the story, “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, the author tells the reader that the protagonist Andy is going to die but
Andy doesn’t know it yet .
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
4. The rapper Eminem is well-known for his song writing ability, but he is equally known for his shockingly profane
and obscene lyrical content. Eminem has made a fortune selling his curse filled songs to millions of children
around the world. But, on a 60 Minutes interview, Eminem claimed that there was no swearing in his own home
and that his children were not allowed to play music with curse words, including his own tracks.
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

5. When Lawrence saw the posters for the circus hanging on the bulletin board, as he swept up the trimmings at
Slim's Barbershop, he knew he would be taking his little cousins. They loved animals, and he was looking forward
to seeing the smiles on their faces as the circus performers amazed them with their stunts. But sweeping up hair
clippings didn't pay a whole lot. Lawrence spent 45 dollars just getting tickets. But it was worth it to see his
cousins' faces. The day finally came and everyone was excited as they walked into that big circus tent. But
Lawrence soon realized that he and his cousins would be thirsty and hungry. As they sat in their seats, the drink
vendor walked by selling beverages. Desperately thirsty, Lawrence asked him how much a lemonade would cost,
and the drink vendor said, "Eleven dollars each." Lawrence replied, "Oh, that's it? Just eleven dollars? What a
great deal for one cup of lemonade. That's totally worth it." The drink vendor walked away.
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

6. Mr. Reinhart is the building inspector for the entire county.  Anytime a person wants to add a permanent
structure to their home or property, such as a deck or balcony, the building plans need to be approved by Mr.
Reinhart before construction can begin.  Mr. Reinhart checks to see that each plan is safe before construction
begins.  Once building begins, he checks to see that construction is going according to the plan.  In a way, he is
responsible for ensuring that every structure in the county is built properly.  One day Mr. Reinhart was having a
party at his house.  He and his three guests were barbequing on the porch attached to his house, when the
structure suddenly collapsed.  Apparently, termites got into the wood and had been chewing away the support
beams for several months.
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

7. Mr. Bath is the president of Make-A-Bath Industries, a small company that employs fifteen workers, including
Tom Miller, father of six. Ever since the economy went down the tubes, Make-A-Bath hasn't been selling bath
tubs like they once did, and now Mr. Bath has to fire three workers, one of whom will be Tom Miller. But Mr. Bath
has never fired anyone before, so he has been delaying giving Tom and the other employees the bad news. But
Christmas is approaching. Tom wants to buy nice gifts for his six children, but he doesn't have any money. So
Tom charges a whole bunch of nice gifts on his credit card, figuring that he can pay it back with money from his
checks that he will be getting from his job all year. Tom and his family don't have a lot of extra money to spend, so
he likes to get his kids nice Christmas presents. Tom is looking forward to one of the best Christmases ever.
Type of irony: ______________________
Why this irony? ________________________________________________________________________________

MISCHANCE/MURPHY’S LAW
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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

Mischance
Definition

Mischance
Examples

Circle the instances of mischance (or Murphy’s Law) in Alanis Morisette’s "Ironic”:
An old man turned ninety-eight Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
He won the lottery and died the next day When you think everything's okay and everything's
going right
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
You think everything's gone wrong and everything
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
blows up
In your face
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
A traffic jam when you're already late
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
Who would've thought... it figures
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a
knife
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly It's meeting the man of my dreams
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye And then meeting his beautiful wife
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight And isn't it ironic...don't you think
And as the plane crashed down he thought A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's like rain on your wedding day It's the good advice that you just didn't take
It's a free ride when you've already paid Who would've thought... it figures
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
MALAPROPISM
Malapropism
Definition
eg. Refudiate instead of repudiate
ex. Alanis Morissette’s use of the word ironic in her song “Ironic” is a
Malapropism
malapropism because none of the situations she describes are ironic.
Examples

Draw a circle around the word that is used incorrectly, then rewrite the sentence using the
correct word:
1. There are three angels in a triangle.
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. We decided to sign the partition.
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. I am pleased to except this prize.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. The brakes on a bike work by fraction.
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The jugular prepared to pounce.
________________________________________________________________________________________

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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________
PUN
Pun
Definition
Ex. Iraqi head seeks arms.
Pun
Examples

For each pun below, underline the word or words that create the pun. On the lines underneath
the pun, explain the two meanings of the word.
1. We were all very grave when we visited the cemetery.
It means a serious attitude.
It also means a burial plot for the dead.

2. It’s pointless to write with a broken pencil.

3. Growing up we were too poor to pay attention.

4. Why can’t a bicycle stand on its own? It’s two tired.

5. He was a great doctor until he lost patients.

6. Elizabeth was fired from her job at the hamburger stand for putting her hair in a bun.

PARADOX
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ELA 9 Name: ________________________________

Paradox
Definition
eg. The son is father of the man.
Paradox
Examples

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