From the given options, select the figure of speech (poetic device) used in the expression:
"All three stood still to smile silently".
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Alliteration
"All three stood still to smile silently" has four words in a row beginning with the "s" sound, which gives it a soft, hushed effect.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Metaphor | A metaphor calls one thing another thing to show a likeness, without "like" or "as". Nothing is compared here. The line only tells us what the three did. | "Time is a thief" is a metaphor. |
| (2) Simile | A simile compares two things using "like" or "as". The line has no comparison and no "like" or "as". | "She is as busy as a bee" is a simile. |
| (3) Alliteration (answer) | Alliteration is the repetition of the same first consonant sound in words placed close together. It gives a line rhythm and a sound that matches its mood. | "Sally sells sea shells on the sea shore" uses alliteration. |
| (4) Personification | Personification gives human actions or feelings to a non-human thing. Standing and smiling are told of three beings in the ordinary way. No object or idea is treated as a person. The device that stands out is the run of "s" sounds. | "The wind whispered through the trees" is personification. |