AP English Literature and Composition Flashcards: Metaphor, simile, conceit, and personification
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
In the line, "My love is like a red, red rose," what figurative device is used and what two things are being compared?
This is a simile, identifiable by the word "like." It compares the speaker's love to a vibrant red rose.
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In the line, "My love is like a red, red rose," what figurative device is used and what two things are being compared?
This is a simile, identifiable by the word "like." It compares the speaker's love to a vibrant red rose.
Identify the figurative device in the phrase: "The angry storm pounded on the roof."
This is an example of personification, as the inanimate storm is given the human quality of being "angry" and the human action of "pounding."
What distinguishes a conceit from a simple extended metaphor?
A conceit is distinguished by its highly imaginative, intellectual, and often surprising nature, drawing a complex parallel between two things that seem to have very little in common.
What is the primary function of figurative language like metaphors and similes in a literary text?
The primary function is to create imaginative connections and comparisons that can reveal or emphasize a subject's qualities, evoke emotions, and add layers of meaning beyond the literal.
What is a conceit?
A conceit is a form of extended metaphor, often found in poetry, that develops a complex, imaginative, and often surprising comparison between two very dissimilar things.
How does personification function as a specific type of metaphor?
Personification is a type of metaphor where a nonhuman object or concept is given human attributes or qualities, creating an implicit comparison between the object and a person.
In the line, "Juliet is the sun," what figurative device is used and what is its effect?
This is a direct metaphor. By equating Juliet with the sun, the speaker suggests she is the center of his world and brings light, warmth, and life.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using connecting words such as "like" or "as."
Explain the relationship between similes and metaphors.
Similes are considered a subcategory of metaphors. Both create comparisons, but similes are explicit, using "like" or "as," while metaphors are implicit, stating one thing *is* another.
What is a simile?
A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two different things using the words "like" or "as."