Welcome, book enthusiasts, to the Ultimate Literary Terms Quiz: a challenge for testing and sharpening your literature smarts! Are you ready to dive into the world of metaphor, allusion, and symbolism? This free literary terms quiz is designed to put your knowledge of literary devices, from classic tropes to modern narrative techniques, to the test. Whether you're brushing up for a class or craving a fun literature trivia session, you'll tackle questions in our literary terms trivia format and explore contemporary literature quiz prompts. Feeling confident? Jump into our ultimate literary terms quiz or brush up on nuance with the literary devices quiz . Let's see if you can ace this literary terms test - start now and prove your prowess!
What is a metaphor?
A comparison using like or as
A direct comparison between two unrelated things
Giving human qualities to nonhuman objects
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally
A metaphor directly states that one thing is another, creating a figurative comparison without using comparative words like “like” or “as.” It differs from simile, which makes comparisons using “like” or “as.” Personification attributes human qualities, and hyperbole involves deliberate exaggeration. Learn more.
Which literary device involves the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words?
Assonance
Alliteration
Consonance
Onomatopoeia
Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely connected words, like “wild and woolly.” Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds, while consonance repeats consonant sounds in any position. Onomatopoeia imitates natural sounds. Learn more.
What does onomatopoeia refer to?
Imitation of natural sounds with words
An extreme exaggeration
A subtle understatement
A comparison using like or as
Onomatopoeia uses words that phonetically imitate natural sounds, such as “buzz,” “clang,” or “sizzle.” It brings a vivid auditory element to writing by mimicking the sound described. It is distinct from hyperbole (exaggeration) and understatement. Learn more.
Which device gives human characteristics to animals, objects, or ideas?
Simile
Personification
Metaphor
Hyperbole
Personification attributes human traits, emotions, or actions to nonhuman entities, like “the wind whispered through the trees.” It differs from metaphor and simile, which compare two things. Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration, not giving human qualities. Learn more.
Identify the literary device in the line “Hear the mellow wedding bells.”
Assonance
Consonance
Rhyme
Alliteration
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within words, as shown by the “e” sound in “hear,” “mellow,” and “wedding.” Consonance repeats consonant sounds, and alliteration focuses on initial consonants. Rhyme matches end sounds. Learn more.
What term describes a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or art?
Analogy
Allusion
Allegory
Hyperbole
An allusion is an indirect or passing reference to a person, place, event, or another text, relying on the audience’s familiarity. An allegory is a narrative with symbolic meaning throughout. An analogy explains similarities, and hyperbole is an exaggeration. Learn more.
Which form of irony involves saying the opposite of what one means?
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Verbal irony
Cosmic irony
Verbal irony occurs when a speaker says one thing but means another, often for sarcastic effect. Situational irony is a twist between expected and actual events, while dramatic irony arises when the audience knows something characters do not. Cosmic irony attributes outcomes to fate or the universe. Learn more.
How does a simile differ from a metaphor?
It uses “like” or “as” to make comparisons
It directly equates two things without like or as
It only appears in poetic form
It always exaggerates for effect
A simile makes a comparison between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.” A metaphor directly equates the two things without comparative words. Both can appear in prose or poetry and need not exaggerate. Learn more.
What term describes a narrative that begins in the middle of the action?
Flashback
In medias res
Anachronism
Stream of consciousness
In medias res is a Latin term meaning “in the midst of things,” used when a story opens amid the action. Flashback then fills in prior events. Anachronism is a chronological mistake, and stream of consciousness is a narrative style capturing a character’s thoughts. Learn more.
Which term describes a character who undergoes significant internal change throughout a story?
Antagonist
Dynamic character
Foil
Static character
A dynamic character experiences significant internal growth or transformation over the course of a narrative. A static character remains largely the same, and a foil highlights traits of another character. The antagonist opposes the protagonist. Learn more.
What is a caesura in poetry?
A pause or break within a line
Continuation of a sentence without a pause
A two-line stanza
A repeated refrain
A caesura is a deliberate pause or break in the middle of a poetic line, often marked by punctuation. Enjambment, by contrast, carries a sentence across line breaks. A couplet is two lines of verse, and a refrain repeats at set intervals. Learn more.
What term describes an extended metaphor that dominates a passage or entire work?
Motif
Conceit
Allegory
Trope
A conceit is an elaborate, extended metaphor that stretches across a poem or literary work, often making surprising connections. A motif is a recurring subject or theme, while allegory is a narrative with a consistent symbolic level. Trope is a general term for figurative language. Learn more.
Which poetic meter consists of five iambs per line and is commonly used by Shakespeare?
Iambic pentameter
Trochaic tetrameter
Dactylic hexameter
Anapestic trimeter
Iambic pentameter is a meter in which each line contains five iambs, or metrical feet of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. It has been the dominant meter in English dramatic and epic verse, notably used by Shakespeare. Trochaic, dactylic, and anapestic meters have different patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. Learn more.
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Study Outcomes
Identify Literary Devices -
Recognize and define essential literary devices - such as alliteration, metaphor, and antihero - by completing the literary terms quiz.
Differentiate Similar Terms -
Distinguish between often-confused terms like simile versus metaphor or motif versus theme to sharpen your literary analysis.
Analyze Text Excerpts -
Examine brief passages to pinpoint literary devices in context and understand their impact on meaning and tone.
Apply Literary Knowledge -
Use your grasp of literary terms trivia to craft precise examples in writing or discussion.
Recall Definitions Accurately -
Boost your memory of key literary terms through targeted questions that reinforce important definitions.
Appreciate Contemporary Usage -
Deepen your understanding of how contemporary literature employs literary devices to evoke emotion and theme.
Cheat Sheet
Alliteration and Assonance -
Alliteration repeats initial consonant sounds (e.g., "She sells seashells") while assonance repeats vowel sounds (e.g., "the early bird catches the worm"). These sound devices add musicality and emphasis, making them staples in any literary terms quiz; check Purdue OWL's Poetry Toolbox for more examples.
Metaphor vs. Simile -
A simile uses "like" or "as" to compare two things (e.g., "as brave as a lion"), whereas a metaphor makes a direct comparison (e.g., "time is a thief"). Remember the mnemonic "Simile Says 'S' for Similar" to ace this literary devices quiz distinction.
Types of Irony -
Verbal irony expresses the opposite of what's said, situational irony occurs when outcomes defy expectations, and dramatic irony lets the audience know more than characters (think Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet). Recognizing these in your literary terms trivia strengthens your analytical skills - see British Library's irony breakdown for deeper insight.
Narrative Perspective -
First-person ("I") offers intimacy, third-person limited follows one character, and third-person omniscient sees all thoughts. Understanding point of view is crucial in a literary terms test to gauge reliability and bias; review MIT's Writing and Communication Center for pro tips on spotting shifts.
Archetypes and the Antihero -
Archetypes are universal character models (e.g., the Hero, the Mentor), while an antihero lacks traditional heroic traits (e.g., Jay Gatsby). Use the "Hero's Journey" framework from Joseph Campbell's work to identify archetypes in contemporary literature quizzes and craft memorable character analyses.
