Which term describes an expression using words beyond their literal meaning?

• A. Apostrophe
• B. Assonance
• C. Figure of Speech
• D. Alliteration

Answer: (C)

Figurative language uses expressions that convey meaning beyond the literal sense of the words. A figure of speech is the broad name for these non-literal expressions, including metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, and idioms. So this option fits best because it specifically refers to language that isn’t meant to be taken literally, like saying someone has a heart of stone or that the world is a stage.

Other terms describe more specific or different ideas. An apostrophe is a direct address to someone or something absent or inanimate, a particular rhetorical move rather than a broad category of non-literal language. Alliteration and assonance are about sound patterns—repeating consonant or vowel sounds—rather than conveying meaning beyond literal sense.