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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Figures of Speech Quiz: Identify Metaphor, Simile, and More

Quick, free rhetorical devices quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Ozan SisliUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for figures of speech quiz on dark blue background

This figures of speech quiz helps you identify metaphors, similes, personification, and more in short examples with instant feedback. For extra practice, try metaphor and simile practice or take a quick simile or metaphor quiz. Want a broader check-up? Challenge yourself with a literary devices test.

Which of the following is a simile?
He's a shining star.
Time is a thief.
She was as brave as a lion.
The leaves danced in the wind.
A simile explicitly compares two things using the words "like" or "as." In this case, bravery is compared to a lion with "as brave as a lion." Other options illustrate different figures of speech. .
Identify the metaphor in the following options.
Time is a thief.
She swims like a fish.
His voice was music to her ears.
My phone died.
A metaphor makes an implicit comparison without using "like" or "as." "Time is a thief" suggests time steals moments from us. Other options either use "like" for simile or illustrate different figures. .
Which sentence features personification?
He ran faster than a cheetah.
Her smile was a ray of sunshine.
They were baking like pros.
The wind whispered through the trees.
Personification gives human qualities to non-human entities. The wind cannot literally whisper, so this is personification. Other options are similes or metaphors. .
Choose the example of hyperbole.
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
He's an early bird.
She dances like a butterfly.
The city never sleeps.
Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration for effect. Claiming you could eat an entire horse is clearly exaggerated. Other answers illustrate similes or personification. .
Which phrase is an example of alliteration?
She sells seashells by the seashore.
Her eyes were pools of water.
He was as tall as a tree.
The bees buzzed angrily.
Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in a series of words. The repeated "s" sound makes this an alliteration. Other choices show different devices. .
Identify the example of onomatopoeia.
He felt cold as ice.
Her laughter was infectious.
She felt a lump in her throat.
The bees buzzed angrily.
Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds. "Buzzed" mimics the sound bees make. The other options are simile, metaphor, or different figures. .
Which of these is an oxymoron?
He's a shining star
Quiet as a mouse
Bittersweet
Dead as a doornail
An oxymoron pairs contradictory terms to create a paradoxical effect. "Bittersweet" combines opposite tastes. Other phrases are idioms or metaphors. .
What figure of speech is used in "Her smile was a ray of sunshine"?
Personification
Simile
Hyperbole
Metaphor
This is a metaphor because it directly describes her smile as sunshine without using "like" or "as." It implies warmth and brightness. Similes would use "like" or "as" to compare. .
Which sentence is an example of personification?
She sparkled at the party.
The water was crystal clear.
The city never sleeps.
He is strong as an ox.
Personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities. The city can't literally sleep, so this is personification. Other examples are simile or literal descriptions. .
What figure of speech appears in "The homework was a breeze"?
Simile
Litotes
Hyperbole
Metaphor
This is a metaphor because it equates homework with a gentle breeze, implying ease. It does not use "like" or "as," which distinguishes it from a simile. .
Which option contains an idiom?
It's raining cats and dogs.
He's as brave as a lion.
Her words were music.
The car purred down the road.
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning isn't deducible from the literal definitions. "Raining cats and dogs" means heavy rain, not actual animals. Other options are simile, metaphor, or onomatopoeia. .
Identify the anaphora in the following examples.
The sun rose and the sun set.
Time and tide wait for no man.
He's a pain and a joy.
We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight in the fields.
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. "We shall fight" is repeated to create emphasis. .
Which example illustrates litotes?
She is not unlike her mother.
That's the tiniest ant I've ever seen.
Life is a highway.
He is the best player ever.
Litotes is an understatement using a negative to affirm a positive. "Not unlike" understates similarity. Other answers show hyperbole or metaphor. .
Which phrase is an example of synecdoche?
All hands on deck.
He runs like the wind.
Life is but a dream.
She has a heart of gold.
Synecdoche uses a part to represent the whole. "Hands" refers to sailors. It's a specific form of metonymy. .
What figure of speech is used in "The White House issued a statement"?
Personification
Metonymy
Oxymoron
Synecdoche
Metonymy substitutes an associated word for the thing meant. "The White House" stands for the U.S. executive branch. It's different from synecdoche, which uses part - whole relationships. .
Identify the chiasmus in the following sentences.
I think, therefore I am.
She's the sunshine of my life.
Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You.
All that glitters is not gold.
Chiasmus reverses the structure of words in successive phrases. Here "Fool Kiss You" and "Kiss Fool You" invert the order. This crossing pattern defines chiasmus. .
Which sentence exemplifies antithesis?
Life is but a walking shadow.
He ran like the wind.
Her voice was warm as honey.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Antithesis places contrasting ideas in parallel structures. Dickens's line pairs best/worst to highlight extremes. Other options are metaphor or simile. .
Which example illustrates apostrophe?
They were as busy as bees.
O Death, where is thy sting?
The stars danced in the sky.
She's a diamond in the rough.
Apostrophe addresses someone or something absent or nonhuman as if present. Here, death is spoken to directly. Other options show personification or simile. .
Which sentence uses a euphemism?
He passed away last night.
She sprinted to the finish line.
The clock screamed midnight.
That test was a breeze.
Euphemisms are polite expressions for harsh realities. "Passed away" replaces "died." Other answers are literal or different figures. .
Identify the zeugma in the following example.
Bright sun, bright day, bright mood.
Time is a flat circle.
She broke his car and his heart.
He is as cunning as a fox.
Zeugma connects a verb to two objects in different ways. Here "broke" applies physically to the car and emotionally to the heart. It creates a surprising effect. .
Which phrase is an anadiplosis?
Life's but a walking shadow.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
She's smart and charming.
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate.
Anadiplosis repeats the last word of a clause at the start of the next. "Anger" ends the first sentence and begins the second. Other options show different devices. .
Identify the polysyndeton in the following sentence.
Time flies when you're having fun.
They lived and laughed and loved and left.
His words were sharp as knives.
She ran, jumped, and shouted.
Polysyndeton uses multiple conjunctions in close succession. The repeated "and" adds rhythm and emphasis. The second option uses a single conjunction. .
Which example demonstrates asyndeton?
She ran like the wind.
She is the sun and the moon.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
He laughed and played and sang.
Asyndeton omits conjunctions between clauses for a concise effect. Julius Caesar's phrase omits "and." Other options either include conjunctions or are different figures. .
Which sentence illustrates epanalepsis?
He ran like a deer.
The waves crashed angrily.
Nothing can bring back the past. The past is gone.
She danced with joy and joy danced in her heart.
Epanalepsis repeats the initial word or phrase at the end of a clause. Here "the past" begins and ends the thought. Other options show different devices. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Figures of Speech -

    Recognize key figures of speech examples with answers, including metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole.

  2. Differentiate Literary Devices -

    Distinguish between types of figures of speech by comparing their definitions and usage in context.

  3. Analyze Contextual Usage -

    Examine how each figure of speech enhances meaning and tone within sentences and passages.

  4. Apply Knowledge in Quizzes -

    Engage with this figures of speech quiz to test your understanding and reinforce correct identification under timed conditions.

  5. Enhance Language Mastery -

    Build confidence in using and interpreting figures of speech, boosting both your analytical and creative writing skills.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Metaphor vs. Simile Mastery -

    Metaphors state a direct comparison between two unlike things (e.g., "Time is a thief"), while similes use "like" or "as" ("Time is like a river"). To remember, use the S&S trick: "Simile Says 'See similarity'" and look for "like" or "as." According to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab, spotting these in figures of speech examples with answers sharpens your interpretive skills.

  2. Personification for Vivid Imagery -

    Personification gives human qualities to inanimate objects or ideas, such as "The wind whispered through the trees." Ask yourself, "Could this nonhuman subject actually perform this action?" The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms notes that this device brings scenarios to life and boosts reader engagement in any figures of speech quiz.

  3. Hyperbole: Exaggeration with Impact -

    Hyperbole is deliberate overstatement used for emphasis, like "I'm so hungry I could devour an entire ocean." Spot it by the scale: if the claim is wildly unrealistic, it's hyperbole. The British Council highlights that understanding this in figure of speech examples helps you distinguish fact from fancy.

  4. Onomatopoeia: Sound in Words -

    Onomatopoeia uses words that mimic actual sounds - think "buzz," "clang," or "sizzle." A quick tip: say the word aloud and listen for the aural echo. Merriam-Webster confirms this device adds sensory depth, making it a favorite in both poetry and everyday figures of speech quizzes.

  5. Mnemonic for 9 Key Devices -

    Memorize "Mighty Smart Poets Might Hate Odd Alliterations, Onomatopoeias, Understatements!" to recall Metaphor, Simile, Personification, Metonymy, Hyperbole, Oxymoron, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and Understatement. Create flashcards with one device per card to quiz yourself with examples and answers. LiteraryDevices.net recommends active recall via mnemonics to lock in each type of figure of speech.

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