I. Figures of Speech (using language in a non-literal way):
* Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as." (e.g., "The world is a stage.")
* Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as." (e.g., "He fought like a lion.")
* Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things. (e.g., "The wind whispered secrets.")
* Hyperbole: An exaggeration used for emphasis or effect. (e.g., "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.")
* Understatement (Litotes): Deliberately downplaying something for emphasis. (e.g., "It's a bit chilly" during a blizzard.)
* Irony: A contrast between expectation and reality. This can be verbal (saying the opposite of what you mean), situational (an unexpected outcome), or dramatic (the audience knows something the characters don't).
* Oxymoron: Combining contradictory terms. (e.g., "jumbo shrimp," "bittersweet")
* Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory but may hold a deeper truth. (e.g., "Less is more.")
* Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. (e.g., "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.")
* Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within words. (e.g., "Go slow over the road.")
* Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words. (e.g., "pitter patter")
II. Sound Devices (focus on the musicality of language):
* Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds. (e.g., "buzz," "hiss," "bang")
* Rhyme: Repetition of similar sounds, often at the end of lines in poetry.
III. Rhetorical Devices (techniques used in persuasive writing and speeches):
* Allusion: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.
* Analogy: Comparing two things to explain something complex using something simpler.
* Antithesis: Juxtaposing contrasting ideas in parallel structure. (e.g., "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.")
* Rhetorical Question: A question asked for effect, not requiring an answer.
* Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. (e.g., "I have a dream...")
IV. Literary Techniques (broader structural and narrative elements):
* Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about events that will happen later.
* Flashback: Interruption of the narrative to show events from the past.
* Imagery: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the five senses.
* Symbolism: Using objects, characters, or events to represent abstract ideas.
* Motif: A recurring image, idea, or symbol that develops or reinforces a theme.
* Theme: The central idea or message of a literary work.
* Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject matter.
* Mood: The feeling or atmosphere created in the reader.
* Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told (first person, third person limited, third person omniscient).
This list isn't exhaustive, but it covers many of the literary devices that are commonly taught and analyzed in high school English classes. The level of detail and complexity will vary depending on the grade level and curriculum. Remember that understanding the *effect* of a literary device is just as important as simply identifying it.