Lumiere English Academy; A Basic Grammar - Lesson 18; Plural, Figures of Speech and Irregular Comparisons

Lumiere English academy

A Basic Grammar

Lesson 18
Plural, Figures of Speech and
Irregular Comparisons

PLURAL

In the present tense, this and that are followed by the singular,

and these and those by the plural, e.g.

This bird        -         these birds

That bird        -         those birds

This person    -         these people

That person   -          those people

FIGURES OF SPEECH

If an understanding of poems you would reach

Come to grips with the figures of speech

Figures of speech are employed by authors to enhance their

writings. When you learn to recognize these, you will have an

indication of the hidden meaning, also known as intention,

behind the words. Known as "interpretation", this does not simply

mean translation, but the determination to discover the author's

intention. Figures of speech include the following;

Alliteration

This is a repetition of consonant sounds,

e.g. "I totter towards the tomb" (Dorothy Sayers)

Anti-climax

From importance to unimportance.

I own a block of flats, three shopping centres and a bicycle.

Assonance

This is a repetition of vowel sounds,

shout aloud the sounds of drought

Cliché

A wornout expression,

e.g. "Laugh and the world laughs with you.

Cry and you cry alone."

Climax

From small introduction to impressive conclusion:

I came, I saw, I conquered.

Contrast

To show two opposing forces to establish a truth,

e.g. to err is human, to forgive divine.

Euphemism

A gentle expression for a harsh event,

e.g. the body was laid to rest.



Hyperbole

Exaggeration. "We baked hundreds of metres of bread."


Imagery

An image is a picture. Poetry provides pictures of nature:

"the town wears a blanket of snow."

Imagery is roughly divided up into metaphor and simile.


Malapropism

Using a word that sounds like the one you need but means

something different,  e.g. "Draw me a diaphragm of the

alimentary canal."


Metaphor

To call a person or object by the name of someone or something

who or which reflects a quality for which the person or object

is noted. A charitable person becomes a Mother Teresa.


Non sequitur

It does not follow but it raises a laugh and is therefore memorable

as when Bette Davis says in a movie:

"I can't kiss you. I just washed my hair".


Onomatopoeia

To give a word the sound it describes, the gurgle of a brook,

the cackle of hens, the splash of raindrops, the buzzing of bees.


Personification

To give human properties to nature, The sun's golden eye.

It adds a deeper dimension to the object described.


Repetition

To repeat stresses the intention of the writing, such as the hymn

in praise of God which runs:

"Praise Him, Praise Him,

Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the noontime . . ."


Simile

To compare a quality to a person to a person or object who or

which reflects that quality: he runs like fleetfooted Achilles.


Spoonerism

Muddling the first letters or syllables e.g. "Is the bean dizzy?"

instead of: "Is the dean busy?"


IRREGULAR COMPARISONS

Positive    Comparative     Superlative

Bad           Worse              Worst

Good         Better               Best

Little          Less                  Least

Many         More                 Most

Dr Luky Whittle