Read the following lines and identify the figure of speech used:
To shut those dark glowing eyes,
Violet fringed with golden amber.
It is the tail that has to blink
For eyes that are always open.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Imagery
The lines paint the eyes in colour and light: "dark glowing eyes", "violet fringed with golden amber". These words create a clear picture in the reader's mind.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Metonymy | calling something by the name of something closely linked with it. No such substitute name is used in these lines. | In "the Crown has approved the law", the Crown is a metonymy for the king or queen. |
| (2) Imagery (answer) | Imagery is the use of vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the senses, so that the reader can see, hear or feel what is described. | The poem's imagery of golden fields and blue skies brings the village to life. |
| (3) Pun | a play on words that uses two meanings of a word, or two words that sound alike, usually for humour. No word in these lines carries a double meaning. | The joke about the baker who kneads dough because he needs money is a pun. |
| (4) Simile | A simile compares two different things using "like" or "as". Neither word is used in these lines. | The soldier fought like a lion. |