Choose the type of figurative language that best identifies the bolded portion of the sample sentence.

I covered my ears with my pillow while the alarm clocked yelled at me to get up.

Question

Choose the type of figurative language that best identifies the bolded portion of the sample sentence.

I covered my ears with my pillow while the alarm clocked yelled at me to get up.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

In this item, we’re asked to identify the figurative language used when an inanimate object is described as performing a human action.
Option 1: personification. The bolded phrase attributes the action of yelling to an alarm clock, which is an inanimate object. Giving it the human trait of yelling is classic personification, making the clock seem to speak like a person.
Option 2: simile. A simile would use a comparison word such as like or as (e.g., the alarm clock yelled like a coach). The sentence does not include any overt comparison, so this choice does not fit.
Option 3: metaphor. A metaphor states that something is something else (e.g., the alarm clock was a tyrant). Here, there is no direct equating of the clock to a person or object; it explicitly says the clock yelled, which is more about personified action than a direct metaphor.
Option 4: hyperbole. Hyperbole involves exaggerated statements for effect (e.g., the alarm clock shouted so loudly it could wake the dead). While yelling is an amplification, the key feature is attributing a human action to a non-human object, not merely exaggeration, so this option is less accurate than personification.
Overall, the most fitting label for attributing a human capability (yelling) to the alarm clock is personification, as it assigns human-like behavior to an inanimate object, without necessarily implying an extreme exaggeration. The other options either rely on comparisons, direct equivalences, or extreme exaggeration that doesn’t align with the described figure of speech in this sentence.

English 11 2025-26 5.5 HL Literary Devices Quiz (30 min)

Choose the type of figurative language that best identifies the bolded portion of the sample sentence. I covered my ears with my pillow while the alarm clocked yelled at me to get up.

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