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Quizzes > Books & Literature

AP Lit MCQ Practice: Onomatopoeia and Literary Devices

Quick, free AP English Literature MCQs. Instant results and explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Banin Rostam KhoramianUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for an AP English Literature practice quiz on a dark blue background.

This AP Lit MCQ practice helps you spot onomatopoeia and core literary devices in context. Check your understanding with instant feedback, build speed, and then try our sound devices quiz, a broader literary devices quiz, or extra literary device practice to strengthen weak spots today.

Which literary device directly compares two unlike things using "like" or "as"?
Personification
Hyperbole
Metaphor
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things explicitly using the words "like" or "as". It is often used to create vivid imagery for readers by highlighting shared qualities. Unlike a metaphor, it does not assert that one thing literally is another. .
What is a metaphor?
A repetition of beginning consonant sounds
A statement that exaggerates for effect
An overstatement of truth
A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as"
A metaphor asserts that one thing is another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. It differs from a simile because it does not use connecting words such as "like" or "as." By equating two objects, metaphors can add depth and meaning to literary descriptions. .
Which device involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words?
Consonance
Onomatopoeia
Alliteration
Assonance
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words. It is often used to create rhythm, mood, or emphasis in poetry and prose. Unlike consonance, which repeats consonant sounds anywhere in a word, alliteration focuses on initial sounds. .
What term describes words that imitate natural sounds?
Hyperbole
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron
Euphemism
Onomatopoeia refers to words that phonetically mimic or suggest the source of the sound they describe. Examples include "buzz," "bang," and "sizzle." Poets and writers use this device to make descriptions more expressive and vivid. .
Which device gives human traits to nonhuman things?
Metonymy
Anthropomorphism
Personification
Irony
Personification attributes human characteristics, emotions, or intentions to nonhuman entities, like animals or inanimate objects. It helps readers connect emotionally with abstract concepts or lifeless things. Unlike anthropomorphism, personification does not fully flesh out a nonhuman as if it were human. .
What is an example of hyperbole?
"He was as brave as a lion."
"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
"The thunder clapped loudly."
"Her eyes were like stars."
Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or effect. Phrases like "I could eat a horse" illustrate clearly impossible scenarios to stress a point. It is often used in everyday speech as well as literary contexts. .
Which term describes a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms?
Oxymoron
Paradox
Euphemism
Irony
An oxymoron pairs two opposing or contradictory words to create a unique effect, such as "bittersweet" or "deafening silence." It differs from a paradox, which is a statement that defies logic but may reveal a deeper truth. Oxymorons are concise and highlight complex ideas. .
What is a paradox?
A poetic foot with stressed then two unstressed syllables
A type of rhyme at line endings
A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a truth
An extreme exaggeration
A paradox is a statement that appears contradictory or absurd but can express a deeper truth upon reflection. For example, "less is more" highlights the value of simplicity. Paradoxes often provoke thought and introspection. .
Which type of irony occurs when the audience knows something the characters do not?
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
Cosmic irony
Verbal irony
Dramatic irony arises when the audience or reader is aware of key information that characters lack, creating tension or humor. It is widely used in plays, films, and novels to engage the audience. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, we know Juliet is alive when Romeo does not. .
Which of the following is examples of verbal irony?
You win a prize you didn't want
Saying "Great, another rainy day" when you hate rain
Rain postpones your wedding
Describing lightning as roaring
Verbal irony occurs when a speaker says something contradictory to what they really mean, often for sarcastic or humorous effect. It relies on context and tone to convey the opposite meaning. Beware not to confuse it with situational irony, which involves events. .
What term describes reference to a future event or hinting at what is to come?
Flashback
Allusion
Foreshadowing
Anachronism
Foreshadowing is a literary device used to give an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. It creates anticipation and builds suspense. Authors use dialogue, descriptions, or events as subtle clues. .
What describes a jump backward in time within a narrative?
In Medias Res
Analepsis
Flashback
Foreshadowing
A flashback interrupts the chronological flow of a narrative to recount events that occurred earlier. It provides background or context to the current situation or characters. Authors use it to add depth and history without linear constraints. .
Which device appeals most directly to the reader's senses?
Allusion
Imagery
Satire
Irony
Imagery uses descriptive language that appeals to sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to paint vivid pictures in readers' minds. It enhances the emotional impact and realism of a scene. Poets and authors rely on sensory details to immerse the audience. .
What is the central idea or underlying message of a literary work?
Plot
Tone
Mood
Theme
The theme of a work is its core idea or insight into life, often conveyed indirectly through characters, plot, and motifs. It differs from plot, which is the sequence of events, and tone, which is the author's attitude. Themes can be universal or specific. .
Which term refers to the author's attitude toward the subject?
Style
Mood
Theme
Tone
Tone reflects the writer's or narrator's attitude expressed through word choice, sentence structure, and stylistic details. It can be formal, informal, sarcastic, melancholic, and more. Tone differs from mood, which is the emotional atmosphere felt by the reader. .
What is the atmosphere or feeling created by a literary work?
Tone
Diction
Theme
Mood
Mood is the emotional ambiance that a reader experiences when reading a text, shaped by descriptive details and setting. It can be eerie, joyful, suspenseful, or calm, among others. Mood differs from tone, which is the author's attitude. .
Which device substitutes the name of an attribute or adjunct for the thing meant, such as "the pen is mightier than the sword"?
Irony
Allusion
Metonymy
Synecdoche
Metonymy replaces a thing's name with something closely associated with it, like "the crown" for royalty. It differs from synecdoche, which uses a part to represent the whole or vice versa. Metonymy is common in rhetoric and poetry. .
What is synecdoche?
A figure of speech where a part stands for the whole
A contradictory statement
An extended metaphor
A repeated consonant sound
Synecdoche uses a part of something to refer to its whole (e.g., "wheels" for a car) or vice versa. It is a subset of metonymy, focusing specifically on part-whole relationships. Writers use it for concise expression. .
Which rhetorical device repeats the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?
Epistrophe
Anaphora
Asyndeton
Chiasmus
Anaphora is the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive sentences or clauses to create emphasis. It is common in speeches and poetry. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. repeated "I have a dream" to powerful effect. .
What repeats the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses?
Climax
Epistrophe
Symploce
Anaphora
Epistrophe involves repeating a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis and rhythm. It is the counterpart to anaphora, which repeats at the beginning. Authors often use it for poetic or rhetorical impact. .
Which device involves the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words?
Onomatopoeia
Assonance
Alliteration
Consonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby stressed syllables, such as "the rain in Spain." It enhances musicality and mood in poetry and prose. It differs from alliteration (initial consonants) and consonance (repeated consonants). .
What is consonance?
Repetition of vowel sounds
Use of exaggerated statements
Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words
Contradictory terms joined together
Consonance refers to repeated consonant sounds in close proximity, often at word endings, like "blank and think." It differs from alliteration, which repeats initial sounds, and assonance, which repeats vowel sounds. It adds rhythm and cohesion. .
Which line-break feature in poetry continues a sentence without pause beyond the end of a line?
Stanza
Enjambment
End-stopped line
Caesura
Enjambment occurs when a sentence or clause runs over from one poetic line to the next without terminal punctuation. It can accelerate rhythm and maintain momentum. Poets use enjambment to surprise readers and control pacing. .
What is a caesura?
A foot with one stressed syllable
A type of sonnet
An exaggerated phrase
A deliberate pause within a line of poetry
A caesura is a strong pause within a line of poetry, usually marked by punctuation or a natural speech break. It creates emphasis, shifts tone, or speeds/slows rhythm. Classical poets like Homer employed caesurae extensively. .
Which term describes unrhymed iambic pentameter often used in Shakespeare's plays?
Free verse
Heroic couplet
Blank verse
Trochaic tetrameter
Blank verse is unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter, with five pairs of unstressed-stressed syllables per line. Shakespeare and Milton famously used it for dramatic and epic works. It resembles natural speech while retaining formal structure. .
How many syllables are in each line of iambic pentameter?
Eight
Twelve
Ten
Six
Iambic pentameter consists of five iambs per line, each iamb having two syllables (unstressed followed by stressed), totaling ten syllables. It is the dominant meter in English dramatic and epic poetry. Its rhythm mirrors natural speech patterns. .
What defines free verse poetry?
A fixed stanza form
Strict rhyming structure
Poetry without consistent meter or rhyme scheme
Use of heroic couplets
Free verse is poetry that does not follow regular metrical patterns or rhyme schemes. It allows poets flexibility in form and rhythm, drawing on natural speech cadences. Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot are notable practitioners. .
Which speech allows a character to speak thoughts aloud when alone on stage?
Dialogue
Aside
Monologue
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a dramatic device where a character, alone on stage, speaks their inner thoughts aloud, revealing motivations or dilemmas. Unlike a monologue, it is not addressed to other characters. Shakespeare's plays feature famous soliloquies like Hamlet's "To be or not to be." .
What is a monologue?
A brief remark to the audience
A poetic form
A private inner speech
A long speech by one character addressed to others
A monologue is an extended speech delivered by a single character to other characters or the audience. It differs from a soliloquy, where the speaker is alone and shares inner thoughts. Monologues can reveal background or advance the plot. .
Which aside is a brief remark by a character unheard by other characters?
Dialogue
Soliloquy
Monologue
Aside
An aside is a short comment or speech that a character makes directly to the audience, unheard by other characters. It provides insight or commentary. Shakespeare frequently used asides to convey hidden motives. .
Which narrative perspective allows the narrator to know the thoughts and feelings of all characters?
Third-person omniscient
Second-person
First-person
Third-person limited
Third-person omniscient narrators have access to the internal thoughts, feelings, and backgrounds of all characters and can move freely in time and place. This perspective provides a broad view of events. It contrasts with limited or first-person points of view. .
What do you call a narrator whose credibility is compromised?
Unreliable narrator
Objective narrator
Omniscient narrator
Limited narrator
An unreliable narrator presents a distorted or biased view of events, leading readers to question accuracy. This technique can create suspense and multiple interpretations. Classic examples include Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." .
What is a villanelle?
A four-line stanza form
A free-verse narrative poem
A 19-line poetic form with two repeating rhymes and refrains
A 14-line sonnet with a volta
A villanelle consists of 19 lines divided into five tercets and a concluding quatrain, with two refrains and two repeating rhymes. The first and third lines of the opening tercet alternate as the final lines of the succeeding tercets and form the final couplet. Dylan Thomas's "Do not go gentle into that good night" is a famous example. .
Which variation of the sonnet consists of an octave and a sestet with a volta at line nine?
Petrarchan sonnet
Miltonic sonnet
Spenserian sonnet
Shakespearean sonnet
The Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet is divided into an eight-line octave (abbaabba) and a six-line sestet (various rhyme schemes), with a volta or turn between. This structure emphasizes a problem-and-resolution pattern. Petrarch's poems pioneered this form. .
What meter comprises six feet, each foot having one stressed followed by two unstressed syllables?
Anapestic trimeter
Trochaic tetrameter
Dactylic hexameter
Iambic pentameter
Dactylic hexameter is a classical meter used in ancient Greek and Latin epic poetry, like Homer and Virgil. Each line has six dactyls (one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed). English adaptations exist but rarely mirror the original effect. .
Which term describes a recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story?
Theme
Motif
Archetype
Symbol
A motif is a repeated image, idea, or symbol that helps develop and inform a work's major themes. Unlike a theme, which is the central message, a motif is a building block that reinforces it. For example, blood in Macbeth underscores guilt. .
What is allegory?
A short, witty poem
A narrative that operates on a symbolic level, conveying hidden meanings
A comedic play
An extended simile
An allegory is a story in which characters, events, or settings symbolize abstract ideas, often teaching moral or political lessons. Famous examples include Orwell's Animal Farm. It works on literal and symbolic levels simultaneously. .
Which concept describes a typical character or action recognized across cultures?
Motif
Archetype
Theme
Symbol
An archetype is a universal symbol, theme, setting, or character type that recurs across literature and cultures, like the hero, the mentor, or the journey. Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell explored archetypal patterns. They resonate due to shared human experiences. .
What term describes a coming-of-age novel?
Gothic novel
Bildungsroman
Pastoral
Picaresque
A Bildungsroman is a novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood. The term is German for "education novel." Examples include Goethe's Wilhelm Meister and Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye. .
Which narrative structure presents a story within a story?
Magic realism
Epistolary
Frame narrative
Stream of consciousness
A frame narrative uses an overarching story to contain one or more inner narratives. Examples include The Canterbury Tales and Heart of Darkness. The frame offers context and commentary for the embedded tales. .
What is stream of consciousness?
A structured dialogue
A narrative technique portraying characters' continuous flow of thoughts
A rhythmic verse form
A formal rhetorical device
Stream of consciousness attempts to replicate the unfiltered flow of a character's mental processes, often lacking conventional structure. James Joyce's Ulysses and Woolf's Mrs Dalloway are classic examples. It immerses readers in inner experiences. .
Which term refers to excessive pride leading to a character's downfall?
Hubris
Hamartia
Nemesis
Catharsis
Hubris is Greek for excessive pride or self-confidence, often a tragic hero's fatal flaw. It typically invites nemesis or divine retribution. Examples include Oedipus and Macbeth. .
What is catharsis in tragedy?
Plot reversal
Comic relief
The hero's tragic flaw
Emotional purification experienced by the audience
Catharsis is Aristotle's term for the emotional release or purification that audiences feel after witnessing tragic drama. It provides relief by evoking pity and fear. Tragic plays like Othello aim to induce catharsis. .
Which Greek term denotes a tragic flaw or error in judgment?
Peripeteia
Catastrophe
Hamartia
Anagnorisis
Hamartia is the protagonist's tragic error or flaw that leads to the downfall. It differs from hubris, which is an overweening pride. Aristotle discussed hamartia as essential to tragedy. .
What is deus ex machina?
A recurring motif
An unexpected power saving a seemingly hopeless situation
A comic character in tragedy
A tragic hero's downfall
Deus ex machina, Latin for "god from the machine," refers to an improbable or sudden resolution to a plot, often seen as contrived. It originated in Greek drama when gods were lowered onto the stage. Modern critics often view it as a weak plot device. .
Which narrative mode blends third-person narration with a character's internal thoughts?
Stream of consciousness
Epistolary
Omniscient narration
Free indirect discourse
Free indirect discourse merges third-person reporting with a character's inner thoughts and feelings, often without explicit tags. It provides intimacy while maintaining narrative distance. Jane Austen and Flaubert employed this technique. .
What is metafiction?
A fictional biography
Fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction
A story about mythology
A scientific novel
Metafiction draws attention to its own status as artifice, often breaking the fourth wall or commenting on storytelling. It challenges readers' suspension of disbelief. Authors like Kurt Vonnegut and John Barth use metafictional techniques. .
Which term describes vivid, often dramatic, description of a visual work of art in text?
Pictorialism
Ekphanic
Caricature
Ekphrasis
Ekphrasis is a literary device in which a poem or prose vividly describes a visual work of art, such as Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn." It brings the artwork to life in language. This interplay enriches both mediums. .
What is pathetic fallacy?
A broken rhythm in poetry
An unrealistic plot twist
A false argument
Attributing human emotions to nature
Pathetic fallacy is the ascribing of human feelings or responses to inanimate objects or nature, as when weather mirrors a character's mood. John Ruskin coined the term. It enhances emotional resonance but can be overused. .
Which device places events or details out of chronological order?
In media res
Chronotope
Non sequitur
Anachronism
Anachronism occurs when something is placed in a time period where it does not belong, intentionally or by mistake. Shakespeare's use of clocks in Julius Caesar is a famous anachronism. It can signal thematic contrasts or errors. .
What is euphony?
A harmonious sequence of words pleasing to the ear
A harsh collection of sounds
An abrupt syntax
A rapid pace in poetry
Euphony refers to the use of melodic, flowing sounds in language to create a pleasing effect. Poets choose words with softer consonants and open vowel sounds. It contrasts with cacophony. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Key Literary Terms -

    Gain clear definitions and examples of essential AP Lit MCQ practice terms such as symbolism, meter, and tone to reinforce your foundational knowledge.

  2. Analyze Figurative Language -

    Learn to recognize and interpret metaphors, similes, and other devices within multiple-choice questions to sharpen your analytical skills.

  3. Identify Poetic Meter -

    Develop the ability to scan lines of poetry and determine meter patterns, improving your confidence on AP Literature MCQ practice quizzes.

  4. Apply Rhetorical Devices -

    Practice spotting and explaining rhetorical strategies in prose and poetry passages to boost your AP Literature and Composition practice test performance.

  5. Evaluate Answer Explanations -

    Use insightful feedback from the quiz to understand why each answer is correct or incorrect and refine your test-taking approach.

  6. Improve Test-Taking Strategies -

    Adopt targeted techniques for pacing, elimination, and educated guessing to maximize your score on AP Literature sample test questions.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Symbolism and Imagery -

    Learn to decode symbols and vivid imagery by looking for recurring objects or descriptions that hint at deeper meaning; for example, water often signifies rebirth in classic texts (College Board AP Literature guidelines). A handy mnemonic - S.I.D.E. (Symbol, Imagery, Detail, Emotion) - can help you spot these elements quickly during ap lit mcq practice.

  2. Meter and Rhyme Scheme -

    Master scansion by marking stressed (´) and unstressed (˘) syllables to identify patterns like iambic pentameter (˘´˘´˘´˘´˘´) or trochaic tetrameter (´˘´˘´˘´˘). Recognizing couplets, tercets, or quatrains in an ap literature sample test can sharpen your ear for rhythm and support answer choices about form and tone.

  3. Figurative Language and Rhetorical Devices -

    Spot metaphors, similes, and personification by asking "Is this literal or figurative?" Use the SPAM trick - Simile, Personification, Alliteration, Metaphor - to tag devices in seconds on any ap lit practice mcq. Identifying these devices swiftly boosts accuracy on the AP Literature and Composition practice test.

  4. Narrative Perspective and Tone -

    Differentiate first-person, third-person limited, and omniscient narrators - notice pronouns and knowledge scope. Evaluating tone words (e.g., ironic, earnest) in ap literature mcq practice helps you choose the correct answer by matching diction to attitude.

  5. Themes and Motifs -

    Summarize a text's central theme in one concise sentence (e.g., "ambition leads to ruin" in Macbeth) and list recurring motifs (blood, sleep). Mapping themes plus motifs during an ap literature and composition practice test creates a roadmap for answering big-picture questions with confidence.

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