What term refers to expressive language used in literature?

• A. Figure of Speech
• B. Irony
• C. Alliteration
• D. Hyperbole

Answer: (A)

Expressive language used in literature is called a figure of speech. This broad term covers devices that convey meaning beyond the literal sense, adding vividness, emphasis, or emotional effect. Examples include metaphors and similes, which make comparisons; personification, which gives human traits to nonhuman things; and many other devices. Irony, while it relates to meaning and contrast, describes a situational or verbal twist rather than the overall category of expressive language. Alliteration focuses on repeating initial sounds for rhythm, not on conveying meaning beyond the literal words. Hyperbole is a specific exaggeration used for emphasis, which is itself a kind of figure of speech, but the general term for such language choices is figure of speech.