Satire is the use of humor, exaggeration, irony, or other similar techniques to criticize people, institutions, or society as a whole. The purpose of satire is to expose human flaws, often with the intent to inspire change.
Satire exampleSatirical news programs like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight use humor, irony, and exaggeration to engage viewers while providing a critical perspective on current affairs.
Satire can be found in various forms of artistic expression, including literature, film, and television shows.
Personification is the attribution of human qualities to nonhuman entities, such as animals, objects, or even abstract concepts. This technique is used to create more vivid and engaging descriptions, set the mood, or convey emotions.
Personification examplesMy phone died. (My phone ran out of battery.)
That piece of cake is calling my name. (That piece of cake looks delicious. I want to eat it.)
The flowers were begging for water. (The flowers needed water.)
The train sighed as it came to a halt. (The train braked as it came to a halt.)
Personification can be found in various forms of literature, including poetry, prose, and drama, as well as everyday language.
Litotes is a phrase that expresses an idea by negating its opposite. Examples include the common expressions “not half bad” to mean “good” and “not hard” to mean “easy.” Litotes is often used in everyday conversations and literature. It serves various purposes, such as conveying modesty, softening criticism, expressing irony, or subtly emphasizing a point.
Litotes examplesRunning a marathon in under two hours is no small accomplishment.