Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition Practice Exam

Which example illustrates a class of literary devices known for exaggeration?

1. Metaphor

2. Hyperbole

3. Analogy

4. Personification

The correct answer is: Hyperbole

The example that illustrates a class of literary devices known for exaggeration is hyperbole. Hyperbole is characterized by the use of extreme exaggeration for emphasis or effect. It is often employed in everyday language and literature to create strong impressions or to provoke laughter or enthusiasm. For instance, someone might say, "I've told you a million times," not to indicate a literal count, but to emphasize the frustration of having to repeat something repeatedly. While the other choices represent important literary devices, they do not focus on exaggeration. A metaphor creates a direct comparison between two unrelated things, an analogy serves to explain something by comparing it to something else, and personification attributes human characteristics to non-human entities. None of these inherently involve exaggeration to the extent that hyperbole does. Thus, hyperbole stands out as the device specifically associated with exaggerated expression.