What is hyperbole?

Study for the QTS Literacy Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Hyperbole is defined as an exaggerated statement that is not intended to be taken literally. It is a form of expression used to create emphasis or to convey strong feelings or impressions. For example, saying "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" is a hyperbolic statement that exaggerates the speaker's hunger for dramatic effect.

This type of figurative language is commonly used in everyday language, poetry, and literature to help convey emotions and to make descriptions more vivid and impactful. By amplifying certain qualities or situations, hyperbole can add humor or emphasis to a point being made, making it an effective rhetorical device.

Other answer choices describe concepts that do not align with the defining characteristics of hyperbole. Factual statements are meant to be taken literally, quiet expressions refer to restraint rather than exaggeration, and while metaphors involve comparisons, they do not specifically include exaggerated statements.

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