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English•JHS Oral Language & Literature

Literary devices

Junior High 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What literary devices means

You learn how writers make language vivid by comparing things, giving human qualities to objects, or saying one thing is another. This helps you understand stories, poems, and passages more clearly in reading and literature work.

What you will practise

  • Spot words like as and like in comparisons.
  • Tell direct comparisons from simple descriptions.
  • Find human actions given to animals, objects, or ideas.
  • Choose the correct meaning from a short passage.

Before you start

You should already be able to read short sentences with understanding. It also helps if you know the meanings of common adjectives and action words.

Not confident yet? Work through Listening and speaking first.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

"Her smile was as bright as the sun" is an example of…

  • metaphor
  • simile
  • personification
  • alliteration
Answer: simile

Working: A simile compares two things using "as" or "like".

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Thinking every comparison is a metaphor. Check whether like or as is used.
  • Missing personification when an object does a human action. Look for words people usually do.
  • Choosing the first familiar answer without reading the whole sentence. Read carefully before deciding.
  • Confusing the description with the device. Focus on how the writer compares or gives human traits.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This usually appears in Junior High School English work on oral language and literature, where learners study how language creates meaning and interest. It also supports preparation for BECE-style reading and literature questions.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other JHS Oral Language & Literature skills in English, at the same point in the course.

Other English topics

Early Reading and WritingSHS English and LiteratureAcademic and Professional WritingGrammarVocabularyReading Comprehension

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Exams that assess literary devices

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the English topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.WASSCEWASSCE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the WASSCE practice page.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

Written by
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Practise literary devices

6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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