English Language

Literary Analysis and Poetry

3,923 Questions

Literary analysis and poetry involve understanding structural elements like meter, rhyme schemes, and verse forms. This topic focuses on identifying characteristics of sonnets, haikus, limericks, and free verse. It is essential for English language comprehension in competitive exams and language proficiency tests.

Poetic devices and rhymesSonnets and structureHaiku form and imageryElegies and toneFree verse characteristicsLimerick meter

Literary Analysis and Poetry Questions

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

The music of her laughter made us smile.

  1. Apostrophe

  2. Simile

  3. Metaphor

  4. Synecdoche
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the sound of the subject's laughter is compared to music due to how pleasant it sounds, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option C) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

The bird was a star shooting across the sky.

  1. Synecdoche

  2. Personification

  3. Simile

  4. Metaphor
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the bird has been likened to a shooting star due to how it flies through the sky, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option D) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

My mother's lap is a pillow.

  1. Synecdoche

  2. Personification

  3. Metaphor

  4. Simile
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the speaker's mother's lap has been compared to a pillow because of how comfortable it is to lay one's head on it, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option C) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

Books are her holiday.

  1. Simile

  2. Metaphor

  3. Personification

  4. Synecdoche
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, books have been compared to holidays due to how they take the woman away from the world around and relax her, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option B) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

What storms then shook the ocean of my sleep!

  1. Apostrophe

  2. Irony

  3. Simile

  4. Metaphor
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the speaker's sleep is compared to an ocean because of how calm and undisturbed it was; only to be interrupted suddenly - like how an ocean is aggravated during a storm, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option C) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:
He set sail on a sea of possibilities.

  1. Personification

  2. Simile

  3. Metaphor

  4. Irony
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the amount of options and opportunities the speaker sets out to get are compared to the vastness of a sea, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option C) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice metaphor vocabulary english

Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:

The candle flames were fireflies in the garden.

  1. Simile

  2. Metaphor

  3. Personification

  4. Irony
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Metaphor' is a literary device / figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is given / applied to an action, object or event where it is not literally applicable. In simpler terms, a metaphor is a comparison that is drawn between two completely unrelated things. In this case, the flames of the candle are likened to the glow of fireflies due to their size and motion, which cannot be literally true. Thus, the correct answer is Option B) - Metaphor. All the remaining options are also literary devices, but they have not been used in the given sentence.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Which of the words in the poem rhyme:

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, 
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. 

(The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)

  1. remember, ember

  2. bleak, each

  3. remember, December

  4. Ah, And
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A,C Correct answer
Explanation

Here, we can notice that "remember" and "ember" sound similar and are rhyming words. Similarly, "remember" and "December" too rhyme with each other. So, options A and C are the answers.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Which of the words in the poem rhyme:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, 
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

(The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)

  1. dreary, weary

  2. weak, weary

  3. pondered, lore

  4. Once, Over
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Rhyming words are those words that have the same last sound: some examples are cry - fry, able - table and so on. According to this, option A is the correct answer as 'deary' and 'weary' have the same last sound.

Options B, C and D are incorrect because they do not adhere to the above-mentioned rule.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Which of the words in the poem rhyme:

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, 
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

(The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)

  1. nodded, rapping

  2. nearly, napping

  3. napping, tapping, rapping

  4. nearly, gently
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C,D Correct answer
Explanation

In the given lines, we can notice that "napping", "tapping", and "rapping" rhyme with each other and "nearly" and "gently" rhyme with each other. These words are similar sounding and rhyme with each other.  So, C and D are the correct answers here

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Which of the words in the poem rhyme:

Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow 
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -

(The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)

  1. sought, morrow

  2. morrow, borrow

  3. sorrow, Lenore

  4. sought, lost
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B,D Correct answer
Explanation

A careful reading of the given lines reveal the rhyming words. Here, "morrow" and "borrow" rhyme and "sought" and "lost" rhyme. So, B and D are correct answers.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Identify the rhyming words from the list given:
seen, rain, been, scene, mean 

  1. rain, been

  2. rain, scene

  3. mean, scene

  4. seen, mean
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C,D Correct answer
Explanation

In the given list, "mean" best rhymes with "scene" and "seen' best rhymes with "mean" (as they sound similar and their phonetic transcription is identical). So, options C and D are correct answers.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Identify the rhyming words from the list given:
ajar, care, dart, mark, star

  1. dart, mark

  2. ajar, star

  3. care, star

  4. care, mark
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option A - Dart is pronounced as - da: rt. Whereas, 'Mark' ends with a 'k' sound. Thus option A is incorrect.

Option C - 'Care' is pronounced as 'cae-r', like air. Whereas, 'Star' is pronounced like 'are'. Thus option C is incorrect.
Option D - 'Care' is pronounced like 'air', whereas 'mark' ends with a 'k' sound. Thus option D is incorrect.
Option B - 'Ajar and star' both are pronounced like 'are'. Thus option B is the correct answer.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Identify the rhyme scheme of the following verses:

Better to see your cheek grown hollow,
Better to see your temple worn,
Than to forget to follow, follow,
After the sound of a silver horn.

Better to bind your brow with willow
And follow, follow until you die,
Than to sleep with your head on a golden pillow,
Nor lift it up when the hunt goes by.

  1. abab cdcd

  2. abba cddc

  3. abcd abcd

  4. adda cdcd
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The rhyme scheme can be identified through the final word of each line:

hollow-follow(a)
worn-horn(b)
willow-pillow(c)
die-by(d)
So, the rhyme scheme followed here is abab cdcd. So, the answer is A.

Multiple choice poetry reading comprehension english

Identify the rhyme scheme of the following verses:

Ye living lamps, by whose dear light
The nightingale does sit so late,
And studying all the summer night,
Her matchless songs does meditate;

Ye country comets, that portend
No war nor prince's funeral,
Shining unto no higher end
Than to presage the grass's fall;

  1. abba cddc

  2. abcd abcd

  3. abab cdcd

  4. abab cddc
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The rhyme scheme can be identified through the final word of each line:

light-night(a)
late-meditate(b)
portend-end(c)
funeral-fall(d)
So, the rhyme scheme is abab cdcd. Option C is the correct answer.