Poetry & its Devices

Words and phrases have meanings beyond their dictionary definitions - connotative and figurative meanings.

​

​Figurative

Language

• Connotative - a word or phrase is the feeling it tends to produce (positive, negative, or neutral).

  When describing a big city:

  Positive - lively

  Negative - crammed

  Neutral - busy

• Figurative - descriptive language that has deeper and abstract language to make writing more interesting and impactful.

​helps to convey the feeling the author wants to share

Positive - bright, lovely, patient, open

Negative - crammed, wicked, scowl