Identify the figure of speech used in the following sentence:
Rohini has made all of us so proud with her accomplishments that she is the star of our family in a true sense.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Metaphor
Metaphor:
- A metaphor says that one thing is another, without "like" or "as", to bring out a quality they share.
- Rohini is called "the star of our family": like a star, she shines brightest and makes the family proud. She is not said to be like a star; she is said to be the star.
Example: The classroom was a zoo when the teacher left.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Hyperbole — Incorrect. Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally; being proud of someone's achievements is no exaggeration, and the device at work is calling her a star.
Example: I have told you a thousand times to close the door.
Option 2: Simile — Incorrect. A simile compares two things using "like" or "as"; the sentence uses neither.
Example: She sings like a nightingale.
Option 4: Irony — Incorrect. Irony means saying the opposite of what one means, or a result opposite to what is expected; the praise for Rohini is sincere.
Example: "What lovely weather!" he said, as the rain poured down.
Contrast: a metaphor says that one thing is another ("she is the star"); a simile compares with "like" or "as".