Which term refers to language that cannot be taken literally and is used to create a special effect or feeling?

• A. Imagery
• B. Figurative language
• C. Repetition
• D. Alliteration

Answer: (B)

Figurative language is language that cannot be taken literally and is used to create a special effect or feeling. It stretches beyond literal meaning to make imagery, mood, or ideas more vivid. For example, saying “the class was a zoo” uses a metaphor to show that the room was noisy and wild, not that it was an actual zoo. Imagery describes sensory details to help you picture something and can be literal or descriptive, but it’s not defined by non-literal meaning. Repetition repeats words or phrases for emphasis or rhythm, and alliteration repeats initial sounds in nearby words; neither is about non-literal meaning. So the term that matches the description is figurative language.