Example of Grammatical Figures

Grammatical figures are also called figures of rhetoric or literary devices, and are used by authors to increase the expression of their words, that is, to give more beauty to what what do they write.

The Grammatical figures are any type of resource or manipulation of language for rhetorical purposes. In the beginning, it was used a lot in oratory, today this continues to be done, however, the grammatical figures are currently more used in the literature or even within the most current media such as the advertising.

The Grammatical figures are also defined as a deviation from the normal use of language, with the intention of achieving an aesthetic and stylistic effect to the words. Some of the most common grammatical figures are hyperbole and metaphor, which are not only used in literature or in the media in general, but in life everyday.

The grammatical figures are 6:

1. Comparison: Comparison is used to express a similarity between two items. As a literary device, it is very similar to metaphor, and even these can be confused. However, the main difference between these is that in the comparison the comparative nexus "as" is always used, therefore, it gives a much clearer and more direct idea than the metaphor.

2. Metaphor: The metaphor is a grammatical figure in which a direct comparison is made between two things that are not similar or do not resemble each other. In this case, it is suggested that one thing IS another, so the comparative nexus “as” is not used. The metaphor is widely used in poetry.

3. Hyperbole: This is the rhetorical figure that consists of an intentional exaggeration that aims to make an impact on the reader or viewer.

4. Hyperbaton: This is a rhetorical figure that consists of altering the usual syntactic order of the words that make up a sentence, with an aesthetic intention.

5. Alliteration: Alliteration is a literary device in which different words of rapid succession are used, which belong to the same sound group, or that start with the same letter. These grammar figures are used to add or fun to writing.

6. Personification: The personification is a literary figure that consists of endowing human qualities or traits to all beings that are not. This applies to material or abstract objects.

21 examples of grammar figures explained:

Comparison:

1. Your eyes are big and bright like two great stars.
Explanation: In this example it is not said that his eyes are stars, but that they are similar to these because of their size and luminosity.

2. Our hero fights like a lion.
Explanation: It is not saying that the hero is a lion, but that the fierce way of fighting of him resembles that of the animal.

3. Carlos was running like lightning.
Explanation: In this case, the fast way of running of a person is being compared with the great speed of lightning.

More comparison examples.

Metaphor:

4. Your eyes are two stars
Explanation: In this case, it is being said that a person's eyes are two stars, which is impossible, However, this resource is used to express that his eyes are beautiful, large and luminous like two stars. In the metaphor, two elements are not compared, but rather that both elements are the same.

5. Life is a stage, and we are the actors.
Explanation: In this case, it is stated that life is a scenario, however this is not the case since it is not literally a scenario, through this metaphor it is sought to express that in life is where each person must take actions, unwind.

6. Your hair is oil black.
Explanation: When saying that a person's hair is oil, something totally impossible is proposed, however, through this metaphor it is tried express that the person's hair is black like oil, however a comparison is not made between the elements, but rather turns one into the other.

More metaphor examples.

Hyperbole:

7. I've asked you a million times not to interrupt me when I'm talking.
Explanation: In this case, it is not that the person has asked it literally a million times, these words are used to emphasize that it has been a repeated request.

8-. The talk lasted a thousand hours.
Explanation: In this case, it is not true that the talk lasted a thousand hours, only that figure of speech is used to indicate that it was a long talk.

9.- I'm starving.
Explanation: In this case, it is not true that the person is going to die of hunger, this figure is only used to emphasize that they have a great appetite.

More examples of hyperbole.

Hyperbaton:

10. This life is a game.
Explanation: The usual syntactic order is "This life is a game."

11. His green eyes are.
Explanation: The usual syntactic order is "His eyes are green."

12. The wind finds its own way.
Explanation: The usual syntactic order is "The wind finds its own way".

More examples of hyperbaton.

Alliteration:

13. Three sad tigers swallowed wheat in a wheat field.

14. Quickly the carts loaded with sugar run to the railroad.

15. My mom pampers me.

16. I know chemistry, rhetoric, botany.

17. The clear bugles suddenly raise their sounds.

18. The roar of the branch breaking.

More examples of alliteration.

Personification:

19. A little bird told me.
Explanation: It is impossible for a bird to have told a situation since animals do not speak, in this case the animal is being endowed with human faculties.

20. The leaves tell me about you.
Explanation: In this case, as in the previous one, it is known that the leaves of the trees do not have the ability to speak. However, to give the phrase aesthetic value, it is given a human faculty.

21. The fierce fire embraced our bodies.
Explanation: Fire is an inanimate entity that has no arms and is therefore incapable of hugging, however, in this sentence it seeks to give strength to language by saying that it hugged people. What this phrase seeks to imply is that the fire was very strong and was felt everywhere.

More examples of personification.