Figures of Speech Explained — Simile, Metaphor, Personification & Apostrophe (JAMB/WAEC)

A figure of speech is a creative use of language that goes beyond its literal meaning to create a stronger, more vivid effect, and it’s one of the most frequently tested concepts across both Literature-in-English and English Language papers. 

This lesson covers four of the most commonly confused figures of speech – simile, metaphor, personification, and apostrophe, with clear definitions and examples you can use to identify or construct them confidently in exams.

Quick takeaways

• A simile compares two different things directly using “like” or “as” (e.g., “brave as a lion”).
• A metaphor also compares two different things, but does so directly, without “like” or “as” (e.g., “he is a lion in battle”).
• Personification gives human qualities or actions to non-human things or abstract ideas (e.g., “the wind whispered”).
• Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone absent, dead, or something non-human as if it could respond (e.g., “O Death, where is thy sting?”).
• Exam questions almost always ask you to identify AND name the specific figure of speech used in a given line – practice spotting the difference between similar ones, especially simile vs metaphor.

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:00 Simile
• 2:40 Metaphor
• 4:08 Personification
• 7:53 Apostrophe
• 9:54 Hyperbole
• 13:20 Euphemism
• 15:41 Onomatopoeia
• 16:54 Oxymoron
• 18:59 Irony
• 20:26 Paradox

What is a simile?

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two clearly different things using the words “like” or “as” to highlight a shared quality between them. 

For example, in “Her smile was as bright as the sun,” the smile is compared to the sun using “as,” emphasizing its brightness. 

The presence of “like” or “as” is the clearest signal that you’re dealing with a simile rather than a metaphor.

What is a metaphor, and how is it different from a simile?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that also compares two different things, but does so directly, stating that one thing is another rather than using “like” or “as.” 

For example, “Time is a thief” directly equates time with a thief, implying that time steals moments away, without using a comparison word. 

The key distinction from a simile is structural: a metaphor makes a direct equation, while a simile makes an explicit comparison using “like” or “as.”

What is personification?

Personification is a figure of speech that gives human characteristics, emotions, or actions to non-human things, animals, or abstract ideas. 

For example, in “The wind whispered through the trees,” the wind is given the human ability to “whisper,” even though wind cannot literally speak. 

Personification is commonly used to make descriptions more vivid and emotionally engaging, especially in poetry and prose.

What is an apostrophe as a figure of speech?

Apostrophe (not to be confused with the punctuation mark) is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone who is absent, dead, or imaginary, or something non-human, as though it could hear and respond. 

A classic example is “O Death, where is thy sting?” where Death, an abstract concept, is spoken to directly. 

This figure of speech is often used to express strong emotion or to dramatize a moment in a poem or play.

How do you tell these figures of speech apart in an exam?

A reliable approach is to check for these specific signals:

1. Simile – look for “like” or “as” connecting two different things
2. Metaphor – look for a direct statement that one thing IS another, without “like” or “as”
3. Personification – check if a non-human thing is given a distinctly human action or quality
4. Apostrophe – check if the speaker is directly addressing someone absent, dead, or non-human as though they could respond

Common mistakes students make with figures of speech

• Confusing simile and metaphor simply because both involve comparison – the presence or absence of “like”/”as” is the deciding factor
• Mistaking personification for metaphor when a non-human thing performs a human action, rather than being directly equated with something else
• Confusing apostrophe (the figure of speech) with the punctuation mark of the same name
• Identifying a figure of speech correctly but failing to quote the exact line or explain why it fits that category, which often costs marks

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor? 

A simile compares two different things using “like” or “as,” while a metaphor makes a direct comparison by stating that one thing IS another, without using a comparison word.

Q: What is an example of personification? “

The wind whispered through the trees” is an example of personification, since wind is given the human ability to whisper.

Q: What is an apostrophe as a figure of speech? 

An apostrophe is when a speaker directly addresses someone absent, dead, or imaginary, or something non-human, as though it could hear and respond, such as saying “O Death, where is thy sting?”

Q: How can I quickly identify whether a line uses simile or metaphor?

Check for the words “like” or “as” – their presence signals a simile, while their absence in a direct comparative statement signals a metaphor.

This is one topic from our full JAMB & WAEC Literature-in-English course — see everything covered →