Figures of speech and figurative language: English unit 11 notes (FBISE class 12)

Literal and figurative languageOften examined

Literal language means exactly what the words say. "It rained heavily in Islamabad last night" is literal. Figurative language uses words in a way that goes beyond their dictionary meaning to create a picture, a feeling or a strong effect. "The sky opened its taps over Islamabad last night" is figurative: the sky has no taps, but the picture tells you how hard it rained.

A figure of speech is one particular pattern of figurative language that has a name, such as simile, metaphor or hyperbole. Poets call them poetic devices or literary devices. In the exam the three names mean the same thing.

Literal meaning: The plain, dictionary meaning of words: what they say exactly.
Figurative meaning: A meaning that goes beyond the plain words, built on comparison, exaggeration, contrast, sound or reference.
Figure of speech: A named way of using words figuratively for effect, for example simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole.
Poetic (literary) device: Any technique a writer uses for effect, including figures of speech, sound devices (alliteration, rhyme) and structural devices (enjambment, refrain).
Idiom: A fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from its separate words, for example "under the weather" (ill), "around the clock" (all day and all night), "once in a blue moon" (very rarely).

Writers use figures of speech for three reasons: to make an idea vivid (the reader can see or feel it), to add emphasis (the idea sticks), and to create a mood or tone (sad, funny, angry, calm). When you explain a device in Q3, you must say which of these effects it has.

The families of devices

There are about 35 devices in this unit. They are easier to learn in families, because devices in the same family are the ones students confuse.

The nine families of figures of speech in this unit
Family	What the devices do	Devices
Comparison	Show one thing through another, unlike thing	Simile, metaphor, extended metaphor, personification
Address	Speak to someone or something, or ask for effect	Apostrophe, rhetorical question
Exaggeration and softening	Make things bigger, smaller or gentler than they are	Hyperbole, understatement, litotes, euphemism
Contrast and contradiction	Put opposite words or ideas together, or say the opposite of what is meant	Oxymoron, paradox, antithesis, irony (verbal, situational, dramatic), sarcasm
Word play	Use one word with two meanings	Pun
Sound	Repeat or imitate sounds	Alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia
Senses and reference	Create pictures, stand for ideas, point to famous things	Imagery (six kinds), symbolism, allusion
Substitution	Put one word in place of another	Metonymy, synecdoche, transferred epithet
Arrangement and structure	Order or repeat words and lines	Anaphora, repetition, refrain, climax, anticlimax, enjambment

SimileOften examined

Simile: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things directly, using "like" or "as" (also "as ... as", "as if", "than" or "resembles").

The word simile comes from Latin similis, "similar". The writer openly admits that a comparison is being made: A is like B. The comparison works because the two things are different in kind but share one quality. Eyes and emeralds are different things, but both sparkle and both are green.

How to spot it

Look for "like" or "as" (or "as ... as").
Check that the two things joined by "like/as" are different in kind (a person and a stone, time and a thief).
Check that the comparison is figurative: it is not literally true that she ran as fast as the wind.

Examples

Example	Why it is simile
"Her eyes sparkled like emeralds." (FBISE model paper)	Eyes are compared to emeralds with like: both sparkle and are green.
"The batsman stood as firm as a rock at the crease."	A person is compared to a rock with as ... as: both are hard to move.
"When the result came out, Ali ran home like the wind."	Running is compared to wind with like: both are very fast.

Metaphor and extended metaphorOften examined

Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without "like" or "as", by saying that one thing is the other.

A metaphor is a stronger comparison than a simile. A simile says "life is like a riddle"; a metaphor says "life is a riddle", as if the two were the same thing. The reader must work out the shared quality: life is puzzling and full of questions without easy answers.

An implied metaphor does not use "is". The comparison hides in a verb or a noun phrase: "The captain barked orders at his team" compares the captain to a dog; "a sea of troubles" compares troubles to a sea.

An extended metaphor is one comparison continued over several lines, a paragraph or a whole poem, with more and more details that fit the same picture.

How to spot it

Find a sentence of the form "A is B" or "A was B" where B cannot literally be A.
Or find a verb or noun that belongs to something else: "barked", "a sea of", "the Hunter of the East".
Make sure there is no "like" or "as" joining them (otherwise it is a simile).
For an extended metaphor, check whether the same comparison continues with several linked details.

Examples

Example	Why it is metaphor
"Life is a riddle." (FBISE model paper)	Life is called a riddle: both are puzzling and hard to solve. There is no like or as.
"Our teacher is an encyclopedia." (FBISE model paper option)	The teacher is called an encyclopedia: she knows about everything. The subject is a person, so this is metaphor, not personification.
"Wasim Akram was a tiger on the field."	The bowler is called a tiger: fierce, fast and fearless.

Extended metaphor

An extended metaphor explained

"All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players; / They have their exits and their entrances, / And one man in his time plays many parts." (Shakespeare, As You Like It)

The first line sets up the metaphor: the world is a stage. Each following line extends it with a matching detail: people are players (actors), birth and death are entrances and exits, and the stages of life are the parts (roles) an actor plays. Because one comparison runs through all four lines, it is an extended metaphor.

PersonificationOften examined

Personification: A figure of speech that gives human qualities, feelings or actions to something that is not human: an object, an animal, an idea or a force of nature.

Personification is a special kind of comparison: the thing is treated as if it were a person. Ideas such as opportunity, time, death and hope, and natural things such as the wind, the moon and shadows, are often personified. The effect is to make an abstract idea or a lifeless thing feel alive and close to us.

How to spot it

Find the subject of the verb. Ask: is it non-human?
Then look at its verb or adjective. Ask: is this something only a person normally does or feels (knock, whisper, smile, weep, dance, be cruel, be kind)?
If both answers are yes, it is personification.

Examples

Example	Why it is personification
"Opportunity knocked at the door." (FBISE 2026 Set A)	Opportunity is an idea, but it knocks like a visitor at a door.
"The shadows crept silently across the room." (FBISE model paper)	Shadows cannot creep; creeping quietly is what a person (or a thief) does.
"The old bus coughed and groaned up the road to Murree."	Coughing and groaning are human actions given to a machine.

Apostrophe

Apostrophe: A figure of speech in which the speaker addresses directly someone who is absent or dead, or a thing or an idea, as if it could hear and reply.

Apostrophe (pronounced a-POS-tro-fee) comes from a Greek word meaning "turning away": the speaker turns away from the audience to talk to someone or something else. It often begins with "O" or with the name followed by a comma, and uses "you", "thou", "thy" or a command. The effect is strong feeling: love, grief, anger or prayer.

How to spot it

Look for the thing being spoken to: a name, "O ...", or "you/thou/thy" aimed at a non-present person, an object or an idea.
Look for commands or questions addressed to it ("be brave", "carry my message").
Check that the one addressed cannot really answer.

Examples

Example	Why it is apostrophe
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are."	The speaker talks to a star as if it could hear.
"Death, be not proud." (John Donne)	The poet gives a command directly to Death.
"My heart be brave, and do not falter so" (FBISE 2026 Set B poem)	The poet speaks to his own heart and tells it to be brave.

HyperboleOften examined

Hyperbole: A figure of speech that uses deliberate and obvious exaggeration for emphasis or humour. It is not meant to be believed literally.

Hyperbole (pronounced hy-PER-bo-lee) makes a feeling or a fact much bigger than it really is, so that the reader feels how strong it is. "I'm starving" means "I am very hungry". We use hyperbole every day, especially with numbers, time and size.

How to spot it

Look for impossible numbers, times or sizes: "a million times", "for a year", "a ton", "forever", "around the clock".
Ask: is it literally possible? If not, and the aim is emphasis, it is hyperbole.
Test: you can replace the words with "very, very" (very tired, very busy) and keep the meaning.

Examples

Example	Why it is hyperbole
"I'm so tired, I could sleep for a year." (FBISE 2026 Set A)	Nobody sleeps for a year; it means very tired.
"We are working around the clock to ensure success." (FBISE 2026 Set D)	Nobody works every hour without rest; it means working extremely hard.
"I have told you a thousand times to switch off the fan."	The number is exaggerated to show the speaker's annoyance.

Understatement and litotes

Understatement: A figure of speech that deliberately presents something as much smaller, less serious or less important than it really is.

Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole. The speaker says less than the truth, often for humour, modesty or calm. The reader knows the real situation, so the small words make the big fact stand out.

Litotes (pronounced LY-to-teez) is a special kind of understatement that says something positive by denying its opposite: "not bad" means good, "not unkind" means kind, "no small achievement" means a big achievement.

How to spot it

Compare the words with the situation: are the words much weaker than the facts?
Look for softeners: "a bit", "slightly", "a little", "just a scratch".
For litotes, look for "not" or "no" before a negative word: "not bad", "not unlike", "no fool", "not the worst".

Examples

Example	Why it is understatement
"The heat in Jacobabad in June is a bit uncomfortable." (Jacobabad often passes 50 degrees)	Understatement: dangerous heat is described as slightly uncomfortable.
"It's just a scratch," said the fielder, as blood ran down his arm.	Understatement: a serious cut is made to sound tiny.
"Scoring 1100 out of 1200 is not a bad result." / "He is no fool."	Litotes: not bad means very good; no fool means clever.

EuphemismOften examined

Euphemism: A mild, polite or indirect word or phrase used in place of one that is harsh, rude, embarrassing or unpleasant.

Euphemism (pronounced YOO-fe-miz-um) comes from Greek words meaning "speaking well". People use euphemisms to be kind or polite about painful or awkward topics: death, illness, old age, poverty, losing a job, failure, the body and the toilet.

How to spot it

Ask: is the topic unpleasant or sensitive (death, illness, poverty, being fired, being fat, old age)?
Ask: is there a blunter word that this phrase is replacing? If yes, the phrase is a euphemism.
Common euphemisms: passed away (died), under the weather (ill), let go (fired), senior citizens (old people), less fortunate (poor), washroom (toilet), put on weight (got fat), economical with the truth (lying).

Examples

Example	Why it is euphemism
"He has been under the weather." (FBISE 2026 Set B)	Under the weather is a gentle way of saying ill or sick.
"His grandfather passed away last night."	Passed away softens the harsh word died.
"The company let him go after the loss."	Let him go softens the hard fact: he was fired.

OxymoronOften examined

Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which two words of opposite meaning are placed side by side in one short phrase, usually an adjective and a noun.

Oxymoron comes from two Greek words: oxys (sharp) and moros (foolish), so the word itself is an oxymoron: "sharp-foolish". The two opposite words create a surprise and show that a feeling or situation is mixed or complicated.

How to spot it

It is a phrase of two (or three) words, not a whole sentence.
The words sit next to each other and contradict each other: living/dead, deafening/silence, open/secret.
Test: can one word be the opposite of the other? If they simply agree (dark night), it is not an oxymoron.

Examples

Example	Why it is oxymoron
"living dead" (FBISE 2026 Set B)	Living and dead are opposites placed together.
"The news of the leaked paper was an open secret in the college."	A secret is hidden; open means known to all.
"There was a deafening silence when the principal entered."	Silence has no sound, yet it is called deafening (too loud).

More oxymorons to learn	Meaning
bitter sweet, sweet sorrow	a feeling that is happy and sad at once
cruel kindness, cruel to be kind (phrase)	hurting someone for their own good
original copy, same difference	everyday contradictions
seriously funny, awfully good	used for emphasis
wise fool, poor rich man	a contradiction in a person

Paradox

Paradox: A statement that seems to contradict itself or seems impossible, but on thinking about it reveals a truth.

A paradox makes the reader stop and think. At first it sounds wrong; then you see the hidden sense. It is often used in proverbs, poems and wise sayings.

How to spot it

It is a whole sentence or statement, not a two-word phrase.
It seems self-contradictory or absurd when first read.
After thought, it makes sense: find the hidden truth and you have proved it is a paradox.

Examples

Example	Why it is paradox
"The more you learn, the more you realise how little you know."	Learning seems to make you know less; the truth is that learning shows how big knowledge is.
"The child is father of the man." (Wordsworth)	A child cannot be his own father; the truth is that childhood shapes the adult.
"I must be cruel only to be kind." (Shakespeare, Hamlet)	Cruelty and kindness seem opposite; the truth is that a painful act can help someone.

Antithesis

Antithesis: A figure of speech that places opposite or contrasting ideas side by side in balanced (parallel) words, phrases or clauses.

Antithesis (pronounced an-TITH-e-sis) means "opposite". The two halves of the sentence have the same grammatical shape, so the contrast is sharp and easy to remember. Many proverbs and famous speeches use it.

How to spot it

Look for two parts of a sentence with the same structure (often joined by a comma, semicolon, "and", "but" or "not ... but").
Check that the key words in the two parts are opposites: err/forgive, best/worst, proposes/disposes.

Examples

Example	Why it is antithesis
"To err is human; to forgive, divine." (Alexander Pope)	Human error is set against divine forgiveness in two balanced clauses.
"Man proposes, God disposes."	Proposes and disposes are contrasted in two short parallel clauses.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." (Charles Dickens)	Best and worst are placed in identical clauses.

Irony: verbal, situational and dramaticOften examined

Irony: A contrast between appearance and reality: between what is said and what is meant, between what is expected and what happens, or between what a character knows and what the reader knows.

Irony always has a gap. Find the gap and you have found the irony. There are three kinds, and FBISE can ask you to name the kind.

How to spot it

Verbal: the speaker's words mean the opposite of what they say.
Situational: the result is the opposite of what everyone expected.
Dramatic: the reader or audience knows something important that a character does not.

Examples

Example	Why it is irony
Verbal: Looking at the heavy rain on the day of the school picnic, Sara said, "What lovely weather for a picnic."	She means the weather is terrible: her words say the opposite.
Situational: A fire station burns down; a traffic warden is fined for wrong parking.	The last thing we expect from those places and people is exactly what happens.
Dramatic: In Romeo and Juliet the audience knows Juliet has only taken a sleeping drug, but Romeo believes she is dead.	We know the truth; the character does not, so his actions fill us with dread.

Kind	The gap is between	Question to ask
Verbal irony	what is said and what is meant	Does the speaker mean the opposite?
Situational irony	what is expected and what happens	Did the opposite of the expected thing happen?
Dramatic irony	what the reader knows and what a character knows	Do we know something the character does not?

Irony in your textbook fiction

Identify the kind of irony in these two stories.

The Pearl (John Steinbeck): Kino believes the great pearl will pay for Coyotito's medicine, his education and a church wedding. Instead it brings greed, violence and finally the death of Coyotito. The pearl that was expected to save the family destroys its happiness. This is situational irony.

After Twenty Years (O. Henry): Bob waits outside a closed shop to meet his old friend Jimmy Wells. The friendly policeman he talks to is Jimmy himself, who recognises Bob as a wanted criminal and sends another officer to arrest him. The reunion Bob expected becomes his arrest: situational irony. Once we learn the truth, Bob's cheerful words to the policeman also read as dramatic irony, because we now know what he did not.

Sarcasm

Sarcasm: A harsh, mocking form of verbal irony used to hurt, criticise or make fun of a person. The words usually praise, but the tone shows contempt.

Sarcasm comes from a Greek word meaning "to tear flesh". It is irony with a sharp edge. In speech the tone of voice gives it away; in writing, look for praise given to someone who clearly does not deserve it.

How to spot it

Is there praise or a polite phrase aimed at a person?
Does the situation show the person did badly?
Is the aim to mock or wound? Then it is sarcasm.

Examples

Example	Why it is sarcasm
To a student who arrives 40 minutes late: "Oh, how kind of you to join us."	The polite words mock the student's lateness.
To a batsman out on the first ball: "Great innings, champ."	Praise that means the opposite, said to mock him.
"Wow, you finished a two-page assignment in only three weeks. What speed."	The remark praises speed to criticise slowness.

Pun

Pun: A play on words that uses a word with two meanings, or two words that sound alike, to make a joke or a double meaning.

A pun makes one word do two jobs at once. Both meanings must make sense in the sentence. Puns are usually humorous, but poets and dramatists also use them for serious double meanings.

How to spot it

Find the key word and ask: does it have two meanings that both fit here?
Or: does it sound like another word that also fits (two-tired / too tired)?
If the sentence is a joke that depends on one word, it is almost always a pun.

Examples

Example	Why it is pun
"I used to be a banker, but I lost interest."	Interest means money earned on savings and also attention.
"A bicycle cannot stand on its own because it is two-tired."	Two-tired (two tyres) sounds like too tired.
"Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man." (Mercutio, dying, in Romeo and Juliet)	Grave means serious and also refers to the grave where he will lie.

AlliterationOften examined

Alliteration: The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words that are close together.

Alliteration makes a line musical, easy to remember and full of energy. It is common in poems, tongue-twisters, slogans and headlines. It is judged by sound, not spelling: "cat" and "kite" alliterate (both /k/); "cat" and "city" do not; "phone" and "fan" do.

How to spot it

Read the line aloud and listen to the first sound of each important word.
Two or more nearby words that begin with the same consonant sound show alliteration. Small words (the, and, of) may come in between.

Examples

Example	Why it is alliteration
"Busy bees buzzed around the blooming blossoms." (FBISE model paper option)	The /b/ sound begins busy, bees, buzzed, blooming, blossoms.
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."	The /p/ sound begins almost every word.
"Like snow upon the Desert's dusty Face" (FBISE 2026 Set D poem)	The /d/ sound begins Desert's and dusty.

Assonance

Assonance: The repetition of the same vowel sound in words that are close together, while the consonants around it are different.

Assonance creates an inner rhyme and a mood. Long vowels (as in "slow", "moan") slow a line down and sound sad or calm; short vowels (as in "quick", "bit") speed it up.

How to spot it

Read aloud and listen to the vowel sound in the middle of the words, not the first letter.
The repeated vowel sound is the same, but the words do not fully rhyme.

Examples

Example	Why it is assonance
"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain."	The long a sound (as in day) repeats in rain, Spain, stays, mainly, plain.
"Go slow over the road."	The long o sound repeats in go, slow, over, road.
"Hear the mellow wedding bells." (Edgar Allan Poe)	The short e sound repeats in mellow, wedding, bells.

Consonance

Consonance: The repetition of the same consonant sound in the middle or at the end of words that are close together.

Consonance is the partner of assonance: assonance repeats vowels, consonance repeats consonants. It gives a line a firm, echoing texture.

How to spot it

Listen to the last sounds (or middle sounds) of nearby words.
If the same consonant sound keeps coming back after different vowels, it is consonance.

Examples

Example	Why it is consonance
"The ants crept past the tent."	The /t/ sound ends ants, crept, past and tent.
"He struck a streak of bad luck."	The /k/ sound ends struck, streak and luck.
"odds and ends"	The /dz/ sound ends odds and ends.

OnomatopoeiaOften examined

Onomatopoeia: The use of a word that imitates the sound it names.

Onomatopoeia (pronounced on-o-mat-o-PEE-a) lets the reader hear the scene. Examples: buzz, hiss, bang, crash, sizzle, tick-tock, splash, moo, chirp, honk, boom, thud, crackle, pitter-patter.

How to spot it

Say the word aloud: does it sound like the noise it describes?
The word usually names a sound made by an animal, a machine, water, fire or a collision.

Examples

Example	Why it is onomatopoeia
"The bees buzzed around the hive."	Buzz sounds like the noise bees make.
"The pakoras sizzled in the hot oil."	Sizzle imitates the sound of frying.
"Rickshaws honked and horns beeped on Murree Road."	Honk and beep imitate horn sounds.

Imagery (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, kinaesthetic)Often examined

Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (and to the sense of movement), so that the reader can see, hear, feel, smell or taste a scene in the mind. In short: "creating pictures in the reader's mind".

Imagery is not a comparison and not a trick of sound. It is vivid description. A writer can create imagery with plain literal words ("the green grass felt soft and dewy"), or with other devices such as similes and metaphors that also paint a picture. Each kind of imagery is named after the sense it appeals to.

How to spot it

Look for words of colour, light, shape and size (sight); sound (hearing); texture and temperature (touch); smell; taste; and movement or bodily effort.
Ask: which sense does this line make me use? That sense gives the kind of imagery.

The six kinds, with examples

Kind	Sense	Example	Sense words
Visual	sight	"The white minarets of Faisal Mosque gleamed against the green Margalla Hills."	white, gleamed, green
Auditory	hearing	"The call to prayer echoed softly across the silent city at dawn."	echoed, softly, silent
Tactile	touch	"The green grass felt soft and dewy underfoot." (FBISE model paper option)	soft, dewy, felt
Olfactory	smell	"The smell of wet earth rose after the first monsoon rain."	smell, wet earth
Gustatory	taste	"The sweet, sticky jalebi melted on my tongue."	sweet, sticky, tongue
Kinaesthetic	movement and bodily action	"The fast bowler sprinted, leapt and hurled the ball at the stumps."	sprinted, leapt, hurled

Symbolism

Symbolism: The use of an object, colour, person, place or action to stand for a bigger idea beyond its literal meaning.

A symbol is real in the story (a real pearl, a real blanket) but it also carries a deeper meaning (hope, greed, love). Flags, colours and religious objects are symbols in daily life: green stands for life and Islam, white for peace.

How to spot it

An object is repeated or given special importance in a text.
It points to an abstract idea (hope, freedom, death, love) that the writer does not state openly.

Examples

Example	Why it is symbolism
The crescent and star on Pakistan's flag	The crescent stands for progress and the star for light and knowledge.
The pearl in The Pearl (John Steinbeck)	At first it stands for hope and a better life; later for greed, evil and destruction.
The blanket in The Blanket (Floyd Dell)	The blanket given to Granddad stands for the family's rejection of the old man; Petey's half blanket shows his father that he too could be sent away one day.

Allusion

Allusion: A brief, indirect reference to a well-known person, place, event, story or text (from history, religion, literature or myth), which the reader is expected to recognise.

An allusion packs a whole story into one name. If you know the story, you instantly understand the quality meant: Hatim Tai for generosity, Romeo for a lover, Waterloo for a final defeat.

How to spot it

Look for a famous name (often capitalised) used for its quality, not as the real person or place.
The meaning depends on knowing the story behind the name.

Examples

Example	Why it is allusion
"He is the Hatim Tai of our mohalla."	Refers to Hatim Tai, famous for generosity: he is very generous.
"Our team met its Waterloo in the final."	Refers to Napoleon's last defeat at Waterloo: a final, decisive defeat.
"Don't open that Pandora's box."	Refers to the Greek myth in which opening a box released every trouble into the world.

Metonymy

Metonymy: A figure of speech in which the name of one thing is replaced by the name of something closely associated with it.

Metonymy (pronounced me-TON-i-mee) means "change of name". We use it all the time: a capital city for its government, a writer's name for his books, a container for what it holds.

How to spot it

Replace the word with what it really means. If the real meaning is something connected to the word (not a part of it), it is metonymy.

Examples

Example	Why it is metonymy
"The pen is mightier than the sword."	Pen stands for writing and ideas; sword stands for war and force.
"Islamabad has announced new rules for the board exams."	Islamabad stands for the federal government, which is based there.
"I am reading Iqbal these days."	Iqbal stands for Allama Iqbal's poetry.

Synecdoche

Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole, or the whole stands for a part.

Synecdoche (pronounced si-NEK-do-kee) picks out the part that matters most: sailors are "hands" because hands do the work on a ship; people are "mouths" when they need food.

How to spot it

Ask: is the word a physical part of the thing meant (hands of sailors, wheels of a car)? Part for whole.
Or is a big whole used for a smaller part (Pakistan for the Pakistan team)? Whole for part.

Examples

Example	Why it is synecdoche
"All hands on deck."	Hands (part) stands for the sailors (whole).
"He has ten mouths to feed."	Mouths (part) stands for the people in his family.
"Pakistan won the Champions Trophy in 2017."	Pakistan (whole country) stands for the cricket team (part).

Transferred epithet

Transferred epithet: A figure of speech in which an adjective (an epithet) is transferred from the person it really describes to a thing connected with that person.

The night is not sleepless; the person is. The cell is not lonely; the prisoner is. Moving the adjective to the object makes the whole scene carry the person's feeling.

How to spot it

Find an adjective describing a thing (night, pillow, cell) that normally describes a person's feeling or state.
Ask: who actually feels it? If a person in the sentence does, the epithet has been transferred.

Examples

Example	Why it is transferred epithet
"She spent a sleepless night before the result."	She was sleepless; the adjective is moved to the night.
"The prisoner paced his lonely cell."	The prisoner is lonely, not the cell.
"He tossed and turned on his restless pillow."	He is restless; the pillow is not.

Anaphora

Anaphora: The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines, clauses or sentences.

Anaphora (pronounced a-NAF-o-ra) builds rhythm and emphasis. Speakers use it to stir feeling; poets use it to hammer an idea home.

How to spot it

Look at the first words of several lines or clauses in a row. If they are the same, it is anaphora.

Examples

Example	Why it is anaphora
"In every cry of every Man, / In every Infants cry of fear, / In every voice: in every ban" (William Blake, London; used in the FBISE 2026 Set A paper)	Three lines begin with In every, stressing that suffering is everywhere.
"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields." (Winston Churchill)	Each clause begins with we shall fight.
"Every morning I pray, every morning I study, every morning I run."	Each clause begins with every morning.

Repetition

Repetition: The use of the same word, phrase, line or idea more than once for emphasis, rhythm or feeling.

Repetition is the general name. It makes an idea stick, shows strong emotion, or creates a musical rhythm. Its special forms have their own names: anaphora (repeated at the start), refrain (a whole line repeated at intervals), alliteration (repeated sounds, not words).

How to spot it

Look for the same word or phrase used two or more times close together.

Examples

Example	Why it is repetition
"Work, work and work." (Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah)	Work is repeated three times to stress constant effort.
"Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink." (Coleridge)	Water is repeated to show how the thirsty sailors are surrounded by undrinkable sea water.
"Break, break, break, / On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!" (Tennyson)	Break is repeated to copy the steady crashing of the waves.

Refrain

Refrain: A line or group of lines repeated at regular intervals in a poem or song, usually at the end of each stanza.

A refrain works like a chorus. It holds the poem together, stresses its main idea and makes it easy to remember and sing.

How to spot it

A whole line (or more) comes back in the same words.
It returns at regular places, usually the end of each stanza.

Examples

Example	Why it is refrain
The national anthem of Pakistan: each of its three stanzas ends with "Saya-e-Khuda-e-Zuljalal".	The same closing line returns at the end of every stanza.
"Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'" (Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven)	The raven's one word returns at the end of stanza after stanza.
"Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" (Dylan Thomas)	These two lines return in turn at the end of the stanzas.

Rhetorical question

Rhetorical question: A question asked for effect or emphasis, not to get an answer. The answer is obvious or is already implied.

A rhetorical question makes the reader agree without being told. It is common in speeches, essays and poems. "Who does not love Pakistan?" really means "Everyone loves Pakistan."

How to spot it

The sentence ends with a question mark, but no answer is expected.
Turn it into a statement: if the meaning stays the same, it is rhetorical.

Examples

Example	Why it is rhetorical question
"Who does not love Pakistan?"	It means everyone loves Pakistan.
"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" (Shelley, Ode to the West Wind)	It means spring (hope) always follows winter (hardship).
A teacher to a student chatting before the exam: "Do you want to fail?"	It means stop chatting and study.

Climax and anticlimax (as figures of speech)

Climax (gradation): The arrangement of words, phrases or ideas in increasing order of importance or force, so the sentence rises to the strongest idea at the end.
Anticlimax (bathos): A sudden drop from something important or serious to something trivial, usually for humour or satire.

Climax comes from a Greek word meaning "ladder": each idea is a step higher than the last. Anticlimax builds the same ladder and then falls off the last step.

How to spot it

Look for a list of three or more items.
If each item is stronger than the one before, it is climax.
If the last item is suddenly small, silly or trivial after serious items, it is anticlimax.

Examples

Example	Device	Why
"I came, I saw, I conquered." (Julius Caesar)	Climax	Coming, seeing and conquering rise to the greatest act.
"He lost his money, his health, and finally his honour."	Climax	Each loss is worse than the last.
"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." (Francis Bacon)	Climax	Reading grows deeper at each step.
"He lost his family, his home, and his umbrella."	Anticlimax	After two tragedies, an umbrella is laughably small.
"Here thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey, / Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea." (Alexander Pope)	Anticlimax	A great queen's serious counsel is placed beside a cup of tea.
"She is a poet, a scholar, a leader of her nation, and a very good cook."	Anticlimax	The last item drops from greatness to kitchen skill.

Enjambment

Enjambment: The running on of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next, without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line.

Enjambment (from French, "striding over") makes the reader move quickly to the next line to finish the thought. It creates speed, suspense, or the natural flow of speech. Its opposite is an end-stopped line, which ends with a comma, full stop or other pause and completes its sense.

How to spot it

Look at the end of each line: is there no punctuation?
Is the grammar incomplete, so that the subject, verb or object is on the next line? Then the line is enjambed.

Examples

Example	Why it is enjambment
"The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon / Turns Ashes" (FBISE 2026 Set D poem)	The subject is on line 1; its verb turns is on line 2.
"Awake! For Morning in the Bowl of Night / Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight" (FBISE model paper poem)	Morning is the subject on line 1; its verb has flung starts line 2.
"A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard / In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird" (Wordsworth, FBISE 2026 Set B poem)	The sentence runs on without a break to finish its meaning.

Side by side: the devices students confuseOften examined

Most wrong answers in figure-of-speech MCQs come from seven pairs. Learn the one-line difference and the quick test for each. When two devices both seem to fit, FBISE keys the more exact name for what the underlined words do.

The seven pairs FBISE tests most

The seven confusing pairs
Students confuse	The difference	Quick test	Example of each
Simile vs metaphor	Simile says A is like B; metaphor says A is B.	Is there like or as joining two unlike things? Yes: simile. No: metaphor.	Simile: "Her eyes sparkled like emeralds." Metaphor: "Life is a riddle."
Personification vs metaphor	Personification gives a non-human thing a human action or quality; metaphor calls anything (a person too) something it is not.	Is the subject non-human and doing something only people do? Personification. Is something simply called something else? Metaphor.	Personification: "Opportunity knocked at the door." Metaphor: "Our teacher is an encyclopedia."
Hyperbole vs metaphor	Hyperbole exaggerates amount, size or time; metaphor compares two things.	Can you replace it with very, very? Hyperbole. Is one thing called another? Metaphor.	Hyperbole: "I could sleep for a year." Metaphor: "Wasim Akram was a tiger on the field."
Oxymoron vs paradox vs antithesis	Oxymoron: two opposite words fused in one phrase. Paradox: a statement that seems impossible but is true. Antithesis: opposite ideas in two balanced parts of a sentence.	Two words? Oxymoron. A surprising truth? Paradox. Two parallel halves with opposite key words? Antithesis.	Oxymoron: "living dead". Paradox: "The more you learn, the less you know." Antithesis: "To err is human; to forgive, divine."
Euphemism vs understatement	Euphemism replaces a harsh word with a gentle one; understatement keeps the subject but makes it smaller.	Is an unpleasant word avoided? Euphemism. Is a big thing shown as small? Understatement.	Euphemism: "He passed away." Understatement: "It's just a scratch" (about a deep cut).
Alliteration vs assonance vs consonance	Alliteration: same first consonant sound. Assonance: same vowel sound inside words. Consonance: same consonant in the middle or end.	Say it aloud. Start of word, consonant: alliteration. Vowel: assonance. End of word, consonant: consonance.	Alliteration: "busy bees buzzed". Assonance: "go slow over the road". Consonance: "the ants crept past the tent".
Imagery vs personification	Imagery appeals to the senses and can be literal; personification needs a non-human thing acting like a person.	Remove the sense words: is a thing still acting like a person? Personification. Only vivid description? Imagery.	Imagery: "The soft glow of the candle illuminated the dark room." Personification: "The shadows crept silently across the room."

More pairs worth knowing

Students confuse	The difference	Example of each
Metonymy vs synecdoche	Metonymy uses an associated thing; synecdoche uses a part for the whole (or whole for part).	Metonymy: "The pen is mightier than the sword." Synecdoche: "All hands on deck."
Verbal irony vs sarcasm	Both say the opposite of what is meant; sarcasm mocks a person.	Verbal irony: "What lovely weather" (in a storm). Sarcasm: "Great innings, champ" (to a batsman out first ball).
Situational vs dramatic irony	Situational: the outcome is the opposite of the expected. Dramatic: the reader knows what a character does not.	Situational: a fire station burns down. Dramatic: we know Juliet is alive; Romeo does not.
Apostrophe vs personification	Apostrophe speaks to the thing; personification describes it as a person.	Apostrophe: "Death, be not proud." Personification: "Death kindly stopped for me."
Anaphora vs repetition vs refrain	Anaphora: same opening words of successive lines. Repetition: any repeated word. Refrain: a whole line at regular intervals.	Anaphora: "In every cry ... / In every voice". Repetition: "Work, work and work." Refrain: the last line of each stanza of the national anthem.
Symbolism vs metaphor	A symbol is a real object that suggests an idea; a metaphor states the comparison.	Symbol: the pearl in The Pearl. Metaphor: "Hope is the thing with feathers."
Transferred epithet vs personification	Transferred epithet: a person's feeling attached to a nearby object. Personification: the object itself acts like a person.	Transferred epithet: "a sleepless night". Personification: "The moon smiled."
Climax (device) vs climax (plot)	Device: rising order of words in a sentence. Plot: the turning point of a story.	Device: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Plot: the night fight at the cave in The Pearl, when Coyotito is killed.
Onomatopoeia vs alliteration	Onomatopoeia: a word that imitates a sound. Alliteration: repeated first consonant sounds.	Onomatopoeia: "sizzled". Alliteration: "Peter Piper picked".
Idiom vs figure of speech	An idiom is a fixed phrase; it is often built on a figure of speech.	"Under the weather" is an idiom that works as a euphemism; "around the clock" is an idiom that works as hyperbole.

How FBISE words the MCQsOften examined

Every figure-of-speech MCQ on the 2026 papers and the model paper followed one of three patterns. Know the pattern and you know the method.

Three patterns of FBISE figure-of-speech MCQs
Pattern	Real FBISE wording	Method
1. Find the sentence	"Choose the sentence that contains a simile" (model paper); "Which of the following expressions demonstrates personification?" (model paper); "Which phrase is an example of oxymoron?" (2026 Set B)	Test each option against the definition. Eliminate the three that fail. Beware options that contain a different device.
2. Name the device	"The sentence 'Life is a riddle' is an example of" (model paper); "Opportunity knocked at the door. The sentence shows the use of" (2026 Set A); "He has been under the weather. Underlined part is an example of" (2026 Set B); "We are working around the clock to ensure success. It is a/an" (2026 Set D)	Use the 10-second test below on the quoted or underlined words only.
3. Definition to name	"When an author describes something using the five senses, it is known as" (2026 Set A); "Which one involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words?" (old syllabus); "In poetry ______ means creating pictures in the reader's mind" (old syllabus)	Match the key phrase in the stem to the key-word table below.

The 10-second test (ask in this order)

Is there "like" or "as" joining two unlike things? Then simile.
Is a non-human thing (idea, object, animal, nature) doing or feeling something human? Then personification. Is it being spoken to? Then apostrophe.
Is one thing simply called another ("is", "was", or a borrowed noun or verb)? Then metaphor.
Is an amount, time or size impossibly large? Then hyperbole. Is something big made to sound small? Understatement ("not bad": litotes).
Is a harsh or sensitive fact said gently (death, illness, firing)? Then euphemism.
Are two opposite words side by side? Oxymoron. A surprising but true statement? Paradox. Balanced opposite halves? Antithesis.
Does it mean the opposite of what it says, or turn out the opposite of what was expected? Irony (mocking a person: sarcasm).
Is it about sound? First consonant sounds: alliteration. Vowel sounds: assonance. End consonants: consonance. A sound-word: onomatopoeia.
Is it vivid description for a sense? Imagery. A famous name? Allusion. An object standing for an idea? Symbolism.

Key-word table for definition MCQs

If the stem says	The answer is
compares using "like" or "as"	Simile
direct comparison without like or as; says one thing is another	Metaphor
human qualities given to non-human things, animals or ideas	Personification
addressing an absent person, a dead person, an object or an idea	Apostrophe
deliberate exaggeration	Hyperbole
making something seem less important than it is	Understatement
positive statement by denying the opposite (not bad)	Litotes
two contradictory words together	Oxymoron
a statement that seems contradictory but is true	Paradox
contrasting ideas in balanced phrases	Antithesis
mild or polite word for an unpleasant one	Euphemism
opposite of what is meant or expected	Irony
play on words; word with two meanings	Pun
repetition of initial consonant sounds	Alliteration
repetition of vowel sounds	Assonance
repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or at the end	Consonance
a word that imitates a sound	Onomatopoeia
appeals to the five senses; creates pictures in the reader's mind	Imagery
an object stands for an idea	Symbolism
reference to a famous person, event or text	Allusion
associated name used instead	Metonymy
part for the whole	Synecdoche
same words at the beginning of successive lines	Anaphora
question not meant to be answered	Rhetorical question
words in rising order of importance	Climax
sudden fall from important to trivial	Anticlimax
adjective moved from a person to a thing	Transferred epithet
sentence runs on to the next line without a pause	Enjambment
line repeated at the end of each stanza	Refrain

Explaining a device for 2 marks in Q3Often examined

In Q3 A one part (2 marks) asks about a poetic device. The 2026 wording was "Identify any poetic device used in the stanza and explain it" (Sets B and D). The model paper asked "What figure of speech is used in the phrase 'the Hunter of the East'? Explain its significance in the context of the poem" and "Explain the use of imagery in the above extract". The official marking gives marks for naming the device, showing it with the poet's words, and stating its effect.

The 3-step answer: Name, Quote, Effect

Name the device in the first sentence: "The poet uses a simile / personification / visual imagery ..."
Quote the exact words from the stanza in quotation marks, then say in plain words what is compared, addressed, repeated or described.
Effect: say what the device does for the poem: the picture it creates, the feeling or mood, or the idea it stresses. Use verbs like "shows", "stresses", "creates a ... mood", "makes the reader feel".

Worked answers on FBISE poems

FBISE 2026 Set D, Q3 A I (ii)

"The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon / Turns Ashes, or it prospers; and anon, / Like snow upon the Desert's dusty Face / Lighting a little Hour or two, is gone." Identify any poetic device used in the stanza and explain it. (2)

The poet uses a simile in "Like snow upon the Desert's dusty Face". Worldly hope is compared to snow falling on a hot desert, which melts within "a little Hour or two". The comparison shows that the hopes and successes people set their hearts on are short-lived, and it creates a sad, thoughtful mood about how quickly worldly joys vanish.

FBISE 2026 Set B, Q3 A I (ii)

"My heart be brave, and do not falter so, / Nor more that deep, utter despairing wail / Thy way is very dark and drear I know, / But do not let thy strength and courage fail;" Identify any poetic device used in the stanza and explain it. (2)

The poet uses apostrophe in "My heart be brave, and do not falter so". He speaks directly to his own heart as if it were a person who can hear and obey him. This makes the stanza personal and urgent, and shows his inner struggle to stay courageous even though "Thy way is very dark and drear".

FBISE model paper, Q3 A I (ii)

"Awake! For Morning in the Bowl of Night / Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight: / And Lo! The Hunter of the East has caught / The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light." What figure of speech is used in the phrase "the Hunter of the East"? Explain its significance in the context of the poem. (2)

"The Hunter of the East" is a metaphor for the rising sun. Like a hunter throwing a rope over its prey, the morning sun has caught "The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light", so the first sunlight seizes the top of the palace tower. The metaphor makes dawn seem powerful and active, and shows that night has been chased away.

FBISE 2026 Set A poem (practice)

"In every cry of every Man, / In Infants cry of fear, / In every voice: in every ban, / The mind-forg'd manacles I hear" Identify any poetic device used in the stanza and explain it. (2)

The poet uses anaphora: the first three lines all begin with "In", and two of them with "In every". This repetition stresses that suffering is everywhere in the city, in grown men, in frightened babies and in every voice. It also gives the stanza a heavy, hammering rhythm, which creates a dark and hopeless mood.

FBISE model paper, Q3 A II (i)

"Behold her, single in the field, / Yon solitary Highland Lass! / Reaping and singing by herself; / Stop here, or gently pass!" Explain the use of imagery in the above extract. (2)

The poet uses visual imagery in "Behold her, single in the field, / Yon solitary Highland Lass!" We see one girl alone in a wide field. "Reaping and singing by herself" adds kinaesthetic imagery of her cutting the crop and auditory imagery of her song. Together the images create a calm, lonely scene and make the reader stop and listen.

Key terms

Figurative language: Words used beyond their literal meaning to create a picture, feeling or emphasis.
Literal language: Words used in their plain, dictionary meaning.
Figure of speech: A named pattern of figurative language, such as simile or metaphor.
Poetic device: Any technique a poet uses for effect, including figures of speech, sound devices and structural devices.
Idiom: A fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from its words, such as "under the weather".
Simile: A comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as".
Metaphor: A comparison of two unlike things without "like" or "as", saying one thing is another.
Implied metaphor: A metaphor hidden in a verb or noun, as in "the captain barked orders".
Extended metaphor: A metaphor continued over several lines or a whole poem.
Personification: Giving human qualities, feelings or actions to a non-human thing, animal or idea.
Apostrophe: Addressing directly an absent or dead person, a thing or an idea, as if it could hear.
Hyperbole: Deliberate, obvious exaggeration for emphasis or humour.
Understatement: Presenting something as much smaller or less important than it really is.
Litotes: Understatement that affirms by denying the opposite, as in "not bad".
Euphemism: A mild or polite word used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one.
Oxymoron: Two words of opposite meaning placed side by side in one phrase.
Paradox: A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a truth.
Antithesis: Opposite ideas placed in balanced, parallel phrases or clauses.
Irony: A contrast between what is said and meant, expected and what happens, or what a character knows and what the reader knows.
Verbal irony: Words that mean the opposite of what they say.
Situational irony: An outcome that is the opposite of what was expected.
Dramatic irony: The reader or audience knows something that a character does not.
Sarcasm: Mocking verbal irony aimed at a person.
Pun: A play on a word with two meanings or on two words that sound alike.
Alliteration: Repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words.
Assonance: Repetition of the same vowel sound in nearby words.
Consonance: Repetition of the same consonant sound in the middle or at the end of nearby words.
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the sound it names.
Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates pictures in the reader's mind.
Visual imagery: Imagery of sight.
Auditory imagery: Imagery of sound.
Tactile imagery: Imagery of touch.
Olfactory imagery: Imagery of smell.
Gustatory imagery: Imagery of taste.
Kinaesthetic imagery: Imagery of movement and bodily action.
Symbolism: Using an object, colour, person or action to stand for a bigger idea.
Allusion: A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event or text.
Metonymy: Replacing a name with the name of something closely associated with it.
Synecdoche: A part standing for the whole, or the whole for a part.
Transferred epithet: An adjective moved from the person it describes to a nearby thing.
Anaphora: Repetition of the same words at the beginning of successive lines or clauses.
Repetition: Using the same word, phrase or line more than once for effect.
Refrain: A line or lines repeated at regular intervals in a poem or song.
Rhetorical question: A question asked for effect, not for an answer.
Climax (device): Words or ideas arranged in rising order of importance.
Anticlimax: A sudden drop from something serious to something trivial.
Enjambment: A sentence running on from one line of poetry to the next without a pause.
End-stopped line: A line of poetry that ends with a pause and completes its sense.
Caesura: A pause in the middle of a line of poetry.

Practice MCQs

Fifty new MCQs in FBISE style. Use the 10-second test: comparison, human action, exaggeration or softening, opposites, sound, senses.

11 mark

"The classroom was as silent as a graveyard during the exam." The sentence contains a:

AMetaphor
BPersonification
CSimileAnswer
DOxymoron

Why

The classroom is compared to a graveyard using "as ... as", and the two things are unlike. A comparison with like or as is a simile.

21 mark

Which sentence contains a metaphor?

ATime is a thief.Answer
BThe baby slept like a log.
CThe leaves danced in the wind.
DThe balloon went pop.

Why

"Time is a thief" says time IS a thief without like or as, so it is a metaphor. "Slept like a log" is a simile, "leaves danced" is personification and "pop" is onomatopoeia.

31 mark

"The stars winked at us from the night sky over Nathia Gali." The sentence shows:

ASimile
BPersonificationAnswer
CHyperbole
DAlliteration

Why

Winking is a human action given to stars, which are not human. That is personification.

41 mark

"I have a million assignments to finish tonight." This is an example of:

AUnderstatement
BEuphemism
CMetaphor
DHyperboleAnswer

Why

No student has a million assignments; the number is exaggerated to show how busy the speaker is. Deliberate exaggeration is hyperbole.

51 mark

"Sweet sorrow" is an example of:

AParadox
BAntithesis
COxymoronAnswer
DPun

Why

Sweet and sorrow have opposite feelings and are placed side by side in a two-word phrase. Two contradictory words together form an oxymoron.

61 mark

"Our neighbour's grandmother passed away last week." The underlined words are an example of:

AHyperbole
BMetaphor
CIrony
DEuphemismAnswer

Why

"Passed away" is a gentle, polite way of saying "died". A mild word used in place of a harsh one is a euphemism.

71 mark

"The pakoras sizzled in the hot oil." The underlined word is an example of:

AAlliteration
BAssonance
CSimile
DOnomatopoeiaAnswer

Why

"Sizzled" imitates the sound of food frying. A word that imitates the sound it names is onomatopoeia.

81 mark

Which sentence shows alliteration?

AThe cat sat on the mat.
BThe fire crackled.
CSaima sells sweet samosas on Saturdays.Answer
DShe is as brave as a lion.

Why

Saima, sells, sweet, samosas and Saturdays all begin with the /s/ sound. Repeated initial consonant sounds are alliteration.

91 mark

"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain." The sentence mainly shows:

AAssonanceAnswer
BAlliteration
COnomatopoeia
DConsonance

Why

The long a vowel sound repeats in rain, Spain, stays, mainly and plain. Repetition of a vowel sound inside nearby words is assonance.

101 mark

"Speech is silver, silence is golden." This is an example of:

AOxymoron
BSimile
COnomatopoeia
DAntithesisAnswer

Why

Opposite ideas (speech and silence) are placed in two balanced clauses of the same shape. That is antithesis, not oxymoron, because the opposites are not fused in one phrase.

111 mark

"The child is father of the man." The line is an example of:

AOxymoron
BSimile
CParadoxAnswer
DEuphemism

Why

The statement seems impossible, but it is true that childhood shapes the adult. A self-contradictory statement that hides a truth is a paradox.

121 mark

A fire station burns down. This is an example of:

AVerbal irony
BSituational ironyAnswer
CDramatic irony
DSarcasm

Why

A fire station is the last place expected to burn. When the outcome is the opposite of what is expected, it is situational irony.

131 mark

In a play, the audience knows the thief is hiding behind the curtain, but the shopkeeper does not. This is:

ADramatic ironyAnswer
BSituational irony
CVerbal irony
DParadox

Why

The audience knows something important that a character does not. That is dramatic irony.

141 mark

After Ali dropped three catches, the captain said, "Brilliant fielding, Ali." The captain's remark is an example of:

AHyperbole
BSarcasmAnswer
CEuphemism
DLitotes

Why

The captain praises Ali in order to mock him for poor fielding. Verbal irony used to mock a person is sarcasm.

151 mark

"I used to be a banker, but I lost interest." The sentence contains a:

AParadox
BMetaphor
CSimile
DPunAnswer

Why

"Interest" means both money earned on savings and attention. A play on a word with two meanings is a pun.

161 mark

"O wind, carry my message to my mother in Lahore." The speaker uses:

AOnomatopoeia
BAlliteration
CApostropheAnswer
DSimile

Why

The speaker addresses the wind directly as if it could hear and obey. Speaking to a thing or an absent person is apostrophe.

171 mark

"He is no fool." This is an example of:

AHyperbole
BOxymoron
CSimile
DLitotesAnswer

Why

The sentence says "he is clever" by denying the opposite ("no fool"). A positive statement made by denying its opposite is litotes, a kind of understatement.

181 mark

"The pen is mightier than the sword." The words "pen" and "sword" are examples of:

AMetonymyAnswer
BSynecdoche
CSimile
DPersonification

Why

Pen stands for writing and ideas, sword for war and force. They are things associated with these ideas, not parts of them, so this is metonymy.

191 mark

"All hands on deck!" The word "hands" is an example of:

AMetonymy
BOxymoron
CHyperbole
DSynecdocheAnswer

Why

Hands are a part of the sailors, and the part stands for the whole person. Part for whole is synecdoche.

201 mark

"He is the Hatim Tai of our mohalla." The sentence contains:

AOnomatopoeia
BAllusionAnswer
CLitotes
DAntithesis

Why

Hatim Tai is a famous figure known for generosity. A brief reference to a well-known person or story is an allusion.

211 mark

In The Pearl, the pearl stands first for hope and later for greed and evil. This use of the pearl is called:

AAllusion
BSymbolismAnswer
CHyperbole
DPun

Why

A real object in the story that stands for bigger ideas (hope, greed) is a symbol. Its use is symbolism.

221 mark

"The smell of fresh naan drifted from the tandoor." The imagery used is:

AOlfactoryAnswer
BVisual
CAuditory
DGustatory

Why

The line appeals to the sense of smell. Imagery of smell is olfactory imagery.

231 mark

"The mango was sweet and juicy." The line contains:

AGustatory imageryAnswer
BTactile imagery
CVisual imagery
DAuditory imagery

Why

Sweet and juicy appeal to the sense of taste. Imagery of taste is gustatory imagery.

241 mark

"The rough bark scraped my palm." The imagery in the sentence is:

AOlfactory
BGustatory
CTactileAnswer
DKinaesthetic

Why

Rough and scraped appeal to the sense of touch. Imagery of touch is tactile imagery.

251 mark

Imagery that appeals to the sense of movement and bodily action is called:

AAuditory imagery
BKinaesthetic imageryAnswer
CVisual imagery
DOlfactory imagery

Why

Kinaesthetic imagery makes the reader feel movement and physical effort, as in "the bowler sprinted, leapt and hurled the ball".

261 mark

"Who does not want to pass the exam?" is an example of a:

ARhetorical questionAnswer
BSimile
CParadox
DRefrain

Why

The question expects no answer because the answer is obvious: everyone wants to pass. A question asked for effect is a rhetorical question.

271 mark

"I came, I saw, I conquered." The arrangement of the ideas is an example of:

AClimaxAnswer
BAnticlimax
CAntithesis
DOxymoron

Why

The three actions rise in importance to the greatest one, conquering. Words arranged in rising order of importance form a climax.

281 mark

"He lost his wife, his job and his pen." This is an example of:

AClimax
BHyperbole
CMetonymy
DAnticlimaxAnswer

Why

After two serious losses the sentence drops suddenly to a trivial one, a pen. A sudden fall from serious to trivial is anticlimax.

291 mark

"She spent a sleepless night before the result." The underlined phrase is an example of:

ATransferred epithetAnswer
BOxymoron
CPersonification
DEuphemism

Why

The girl is sleepless, not the night; her state has been transferred to the night. That is a transferred epithet, not personification, because the night does nothing human.

301 mark

"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields." The device is:

AOnomatopoeia
BOxymoron
CAnaphoraAnswer
DMetonymy

Why

The same words, "we shall fight", begin each clause. Repetition at the beginning of successive clauses is anaphora.

311 mark

A line repeated at the end of each stanza of a poem or song is called a:

ARefrainAnswer
BRhyme
CCaesura
DMetaphor

Why

A whole line that returns at regular places, usually the end of each stanza, is a refrain.

321 mark

When a sentence runs on from one line of poetry to the next without a pause, it is called:

ACaesura
BEnjambmentAnswer
CRefrain
DConsonance

Why

The running on of sense from one line to the next without punctuation at the line end is enjambment. A caesura is a pause in the middle of a line.

331 mark

"The ants crept past the tent." The repeated /t/ sound at the end of the words is an example of:

AAlliteration
BAssonance
CConsonanceAnswer
DOnomatopoeia

Why

The same consonant sound is repeated at the end of nearby words. Repeated middle or final consonant sounds are consonance; alliteration would need the sound at the start.

341 mark

Which phrase is NOT an oxymoron?

AOpen secret
BBright sunAnswer
CDeafening silence
DCruel kindness

Why

Bright and sun agree with each other, so there is no contradiction. The other three pair words of opposite meaning.

351 mark

"Our physics teacher is a walking dictionary." The sentence contains a:

APersonification
BMetaphorAnswer
CSimile
DOnomatopoeia

Why

The teacher is called a dictionary without like or as. Because the subject is a person, it cannot be personification; it is a metaphor.

361 mark

"The candle's soft yellow light filled the small room." The line mainly uses:

APersonification
BOnomatopoeia
CHyperbole
DVisual imageryAnswer

Why

The line describes colour and light, which appeal to sight. Light really does fill a room, so no human action is given to the candle: it is visual imagery, not personification.

371 mark

"The company let him go last month." The underlined words are an example of:

AUnderstatement
BHyperbole
CEuphemismAnswer
DIrony

Why

"Let him go" replaces the harsh word "fired". Replacing an unpleasant word with a gentle one is euphemism.

381 mark

After a storm tore the roof off their house, Hamid said, "We had a bit of wind last night." This is an example of:

AHyperbole
BEuphemism
CUnderstatementAnswer
DSimile

Why

A destructive storm is described as "a bit of wind". Making something much smaller than it really is is understatement. No harsh word is being replaced, so it is not euphemism.

391 mark

The figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using like or as is:

ASimile
BAlliteration
CMetaphorAnswer
DPun

Why

A metaphor says one thing is another. A simile uses like or as.

401 mark

A figure of speech in which a non-human thing is given human qualities is called:

AHyperbole
BIrony
CSynecdoche
DPersonificationAnswer

Why

Giving human qualities, feelings or actions to objects, animals or ideas is personification.

411 mark

"Work, work and work." (Quaid-e-Azam) The device used is:

AAntithesis
BOxymoron
CRepetitionAnswer
DOnomatopoeia

Why

The same word is used three times for emphasis. That is repetition.

421 mark

"Waiting for the result, every minute felt like an hour." The sentence contains a:

AMetaphor
BSimileAnswer
COxymoron
DEuphemism

Why

A minute is compared to an hour with the word like. A comparison with like or as is a simile.

431 mark

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are." The speaker talking to the star is an example of:

AIrony
BMetonymy
CClimax
DApostropheAnswer

Why

The speaker addresses a star directly, as if it could hear. Addressing a thing that cannot reply is apostrophe.

441 mark

"Life is a journey: every day is a new road; some roads are smooth, some are full of stones, but each one leads us home." This is an example of:

AExtended metaphorAnswer
BSimile
COnomatopoeia
DOxymoron

Why

Life is compared to a journey, and the comparison continues with roads, smooth and stony paths, and home. A metaphor continued over several details is an extended metaphor.

451 mark

"Man proposes, God disposes." This is an example of:

AOnomatopoeia
BAntithesisAnswer
CEuphemism
DHyperbole

Why

Two balanced clauses of the same shape contrast what man plans with what God decides. Contrast in parallel structure is antithesis.

461 mark

"Our team met its Waterloo in the final." The underlined word is an example of:

AAllusionAnswer
BPun
COxymoron
DPersonification

Why

Waterloo refers to Napoleon's final defeat. A reference to a well-known historical event is an allusion.

471 mark

"Islamabad has announced new rules for the board exams." The underlined word is an example of:

ASynecdoche
BMetonymyAnswer
CSimile
DAllusion

Why

Islamabad stands for the federal government, which is associated with the capital. Using an associated name in place of the real one is metonymy.

481 mark

"Pakistan won the Champions Trophy in 2017." The underlined word stands for the cricket team. This is an example of:

ASimile
BSynecdocheAnswer
CHyperbole
DOnomatopoeia

Why

The whole country stands for a part of it, the team. Whole for part (or part for whole) is synecdoche.

491 mark

When the power went off just as she sat down to study, Hina said, "Oh, great. Just what I needed." Her words are an example of:

ADramatic irony
BSituational irony
CEuphemism
DVerbal ironyAnswer

Why

Hina says "great" but means the opposite. When words mean the opposite of what they say, it is verbal irony. She is not mocking a person, so it is not sarcasm.

501 mark

Which sentence contains personification?

AThe moon smiled down on the sleeping village.Answer
BThe moon is a silver coin.
CThe moon is as bright as a lamp.
DThe moon rose at seven.

Why

The poet uses apostrophe in "On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!" He speaks directly to the sea as if it could hear him, and orders its waves to "Break, break, break". The poet is grieving for a dead friend, and he can only talk to the lifeless sea because he cannot put his sorrow into words. This creates a lonely, mournful mood.

Why it scores 2 out of 2

Mark	What earns it
1	Names apostrophe and quotes "O Sea!".
1	Explains who is addressed and why, and states the effect (a lonely, grieving mood).

FBISE paper questions

Questions from the FBISE HSSC-II 2026 (1st Annual) papers, the old-syllabus paper and FBISE model papers that belong to this unit, answered the way an examiner expects.

2026 Annual I, Set B, Q.1 (16)1 mark

"He has been under the weather." Underlined part of is an example of:

AHyperbole
BOxymoron
CSimile
DEuphemismAnswer

Why

D, Euphemism. "Under the weather" means slightly ill. It is a mild, polite way of saying "he has been sick", and a gentle word used in place of an unpleasant one is a euphemism.

"Under the weather" is also an idiom: a fixed phrase whose meaning (ill) cannot be worked out from its words. "Idiom" is not among the options, so the question asks what the idiom does, and it softens the fact of illness. The other options fail: there is no exaggeration (hyperbole), no pair of opposite words (oxymoron) and no comparison with like or as (simile).

Note. The phrase is best known as an idiom; FBISE keyed it as a euphemism because it is a softened way of saying ill. The paper prints "Underlined part of is"; the word "of" is a misprint.

2026 Annual I, Set B, Q.1 (17)1 mark

Which phrase is an example of oxymoron?

ALiving deadAnswer
BBeautiful flower
CQuiet room
DDark night

Why

A, Living dead. An oxymoron puts two words of opposite meaning side by side. Living and dead are opposites. In "beautiful flower", "quiet room" and "dark night" the adjective agrees with the noun, so there is no contradiction.

2026 Annual I, Set D, Q.1 (16)1 mark

"And when the night wind roars" is an example of:

APersonificationAnswer
BSimile
CMetaphor
DAlliteration

Why

A, Personification. Roaring (a loud, angry cry) is given to the wind, which is not a living being, so the wind is treated like a raging person. There is no like or as (not simile), and the wind is not called something else (not metaphor).

Note. Personification is the answer examiners will have keyed. Some teachers call "roars" an implied metaphor (the wind compared to a lion), and the w sound in "when" and "wind" is weak alliteration, but personification is the clearest fit because the wind is given a living creature's angry action.

2026 Annual I, Set D, Q.1 (17)1 mark

We are working around the clock to ensure success. It is a/an:

APun
BHyperboleAnswer
CAlliteration
DOnomatopoeia

Why

B, Hyperbole. "Around the clock" means all day and all night without stopping, which no one can literally do. The exaggeration stresses how hard the team is working, and deliberate exaggeration for emphasis is hyperbole. There is no double meaning (pun), no repeated first sound (alliteration) and no sound-word (onomatopoeia).

Note. "Around the clock" is also an idiom; among the options, the device it uses is hyperbole.

2026 Annual I, Set A, Q.1 (8)1 mark

I'm so tired, I could sleep for a year. The sentence is a/an example of:

ASimile
BHyperboleAnswer
COnomatopoeia
DMetaphor

Why

B, Hyperbole. Nobody can sleep for a year; the speaker exaggerates to show how very tired he is. There is no like or as (simile), no comparison of one thing to another (metaphor) and no sound-word (onomatopoeia).

2026 Annual I, Set A, Q.1 (10)1 mark

When an author describes something using the five senses; it is known as:

AAssonance
BEuphemism
CImageryAnswer
DOnomatopoeia

Why

C, Imagery. Imagery is descriptive language that appeals to the senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Assonance is repeated vowel sounds, euphemism a mild word for a harsh one, and onomatopoeia a word that imitates a sound.

2026 Annual I, Set A, Q.1 (19)1 mark

Opportunity knocked at the door. The sentence shows the use of:

AMetaphor
BOxymoron
CSimile
DPersonificationAnswer

Why

D, Personification. Opportunity is an idea, not a person, yet it is given a human action: knocking at a door like a visitor. Giving human actions to a non-human thing is personification. There is no like or as (simile) and no pair of opposite words (oxymoron).

Note. Metaphor is the tempting distractor, because opportunity is quietly compared to a visitor. FBISE keys personification, the more exact name, whenever a non-human subject does a human action.

2026 Annual I, Old syllabus (Curriculum 2006), Q.1 (3), old syllabus1 mark

Which one involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words?

AMetaphor
BSimile
CAlliterationAnswer
DPersonification

Why

C, Alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning (initial position) of nearby words, as in "busy bees buzzed". The other three are comparison devices, not sound devices.

2026 Annual I, Old syllabus (Curriculum 2006), Q.1 (8), old syllabus1 mark

In poetry ______ means creating pictures in the reader's mind.

APersonification
BImageryAnswer
CSymbolism
DMetaphor

Why

B, Imagery. Imagery uses vivid, sense-based description so that the reader can picture the scene. Symbolism makes an object stand for an idea, and personification and metaphor are comparisons.

Model paper, Q.1 (xvi)1 mark

Choose the sentence that contains a simile:

ALife is a rollercoaster of emotions.
BBusy bees buzzed around the blooming blossoms.
CThe green grass felt soft and dewy underfoot.
DHer eyes sparkled like emeralds.Answer

Why

D. "Her eyes sparkled like emeralds" compares eyes to emeralds using "like", which makes it a simile. Option A is a metaphor (life IS a rollercoaster), B is alliteration (with the sound-word "buzzed"), and C is tactile imagery.

Model paper, Q.1 (xvii)1 mark

Which of the following expressions demonstrates personification?

AOur teacher is an encyclopedia.
BThe shadows crept silently across the room.Answer
CHer velvet dress shimmered like moonlight on water.
DThe soft glow of the candle illuminated the dark room.

Why

B. Shadows cannot creep; creeping silently is a human action, so the shadows are personified. Option A is a metaphor with a human subject, C is a simile (like moonlight), and D is literal visual imagery because light really does illuminate a room.

Model paper, Q.1 (xviii)1 mark

The sentence "Life is a riddle" is an example of:

Asimile
BmetaphorAnswer
Cpersonification
Dalliteration

Why

B, metaphor. Life is said to BE a riddle, with no like or as, because both are puzzling and hard to solve. Life is not given a human action (not personification), and there is no repeated first sound (not alliteration).

Exam focus

Which sentence contains a simile? (like/as against metaphor, alliteration and imagery options) (mcq)
Asked in the model paper; the four options are four different devices, so it tests the whole unit.
Go to answer
Name the device in a sentence where an idea or object acts like a person (Opportunity knocked at the door; the night wind roars). (mcq)
Personification appeared in 2026 Sets A and D and in the model paper.
Go to answer
Is it a metaphor or personification? (Our teacher is an encyclopedia / The shadows crept) (mcq)
The most common trap in FBISE options.
Go to answer
Identify euphemism and understatement (under the weather, passed away, just a scratch). (mcq)
Euphemism is named in the FBISE curriculum SLO and was tested in 2026 Set B.
Go to answer
Pick the oxymoron from four adjective + noun phrases. (mcq)
Oxymoron is the other device named in the SLO; tested in 2026 Set B.
Go to answer
Recognise hyperbole in everyday exaggerations (sleep for a year, around the clock). (mcq)
Tested twice in 2026 (Sets A and D).
Go to answer
Define imagery and name its kinds (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, kinaesthetic). (mcq)
Definition MCQ in 2026 Set A and the old-syllabus paper; also a Q3 question type.
Go to answer
Alliteration, assonance or consonance: which sound device is it? (mcq)
Definition-to-name MCQs use these three as options for each other.
Go to answer
Identify any poetic device used in the stanza and explain it. (2 marks) (short)
Asked in Q3 A of 2026 Sets B and D; the model paper asked about a metaphor and about imagery.
Go to answer
Name the three kinds of irony and give an example of each from The Pearl or After Twenty Years. (short)
Tested as MCQs and useful for Q3 B answers on climax and resolution.
Go to answer