Literary Devices

Writers use literary devices — special techniques — to make their writing more vivid, powerful, and interesting. In the SET Stage 1 English paper, you will be asked to identify these devices and understand the effect they have on the reader.

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Why Do Writers Use Literary Devices?

Literary devices help writers to:

• Create pictures in the reader's mind (imagery)
• Make descriptions more vivid and memorable
• Build atmosphere and mood
• Emphasise important ideas
• Make the reader feel emotions more strongly

In the SET exam, you may be asked to name a device, explain its effect, or choose the best description of what a particular phrase does.

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The Key Literary Devices

1. Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as".

Example: "The moon hung like a lantern in the sky."

Effect: This creates a visual image — the moon is bright and round, casting light just like a lantern.

2. Metaphor

A comparison that says something IS something else (without "like" or "as").

Example: "Her eyes were diamonds, sparkling in the light."