Identify the figure of speech used in the given sentence:
"Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with tears"
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Hyperbole
No one can fill a dry river with tears. The speaker exaggerates to show the depth of his grief.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Simile | A simile compares two things using "like" or "as". The line makes no such comparison. | The baby's skin is as soft as silk. |
| (2) Personification | Personification gives human qualities to non-human things. The river is not given any human action. | The old house groaned in the storm. |
| (3) Metaphor | A metaphor says one thing is another. Nothing is called something else here. | Her smile was sunshine to the sick child. |
| (4) Hyperbole (answer) | Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally. It is used to stress a feeling or to make a strong impression. | This bag weighs a ton. |