Free printable worksheet
Class 9 · English · 10 Aug 2026
Which figure of speech consists of the use of a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal meaning, often for humorous or sarcastic effect?
[1 mark]Identify the figure of speech used in the line: 'The news spread like wildfire through the bustling lanes of Chandni Chowk.'
[1 mark]Identify the figure of speech used in the line: 'The silver moon smiled down on the sleepy streets of Varanasi.'
[1 mark]Match the visual effect of moonlight with its symbolic connotation.
[2 marks]| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Silvery sheen | a. Purity |
| 2. Deep shadows | b. Isolation |
| 3. Moonlit reflection | c. Tranquility |
| 4. Flickering light | d. Instability |
Answer: __________________________________________
Match the figure of speech with its definition:
[2 marks]| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Metaphor | a. An implied comparison without using like/as |
| 2. Hyperbole | b. An extreme exaggeration for emphasis |
| 3. Onomatopoeia | c. Words that imitate natural sounds |
| 4. Oxymoron | d. Contradictory terms appearing side-by-side |
Answer: __________________________________________
Match each poetic example from Indian English literature with its correct primary figure of speech.
[4 marks]| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Her face was as red as a ripe tomato | a. Simile |
| 2. Death lays his icy hands on kings | b. Personification |
| 3. O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! | c. Apostrophe |
| 4. He has a heart of stone | d. Metaphor |
Answer: __________________________________________
The poem 'Silver' opens with the moon walking __________ in her silver shoes.
[1 mark]When inanimate objects or abstract ideas are spoken of as if they were human beings, the figure of speech is called _____.
[1 mark]Define the term 'nocturnal imagery' as used in literary analysis.
[1 mark]Define 'Alliteration' with a suitable example derived from Indian nature imagery.
[2 marks]List two common adjectives used by poets to describe the quality of moonlight.
[2 marks]Identify and define the literary device used in the phrase 'The golden sun smiled at the lush fields of Punjab'.
[2 marks]Classify the tone of a poem based on the following selection: 'The streets of Kolkata lay silent under the monsoon rain, waiting for the dawn that refused to break.' Discuss the vocabulary choices that contribute to this tone.
[4 marks]Contrast Personification and Anthropomorphism within the context of a literary analysis of a fable. Use a relevant Indian folk-tale character example.
[4 marks]A poet describes a village scene at night. The 'silver light' covers an area of 50 sqm of the village pond, and the 'dark shadows' cover 150 sqm of the surrounding forest. Calculate the ratio of light to shadow area and explain how this ratio impacts the mood of the imagery.
[4 marks]Critically analyze this line from a modern novel: 'The bustling city of Bengaluru is a hungry beast that devours its own time.' Identify the two main figures of speech. How do they combine to create a negative critique of urbanization?
[4 marks]Label the following structure of a sonnet: [Line 1-4], [Line 5-8], [Line 9-12], [Line 13-14].
[4 marks]