What is a figure of speech?

• A. Literal statements with no figurative meaning
• B. A form of punctuation
• C. Verbal expressions with figurative meanings
• D. A historical term

Answer: (C)

A figure of speech uses language in a non-literal, imaginative way to convey meaning or emphasis. It’s about expressions whose meaning isn’t the exact, face-value meaning of the words, often to create vivid imagery or a special effect (like a metaphor, simile, or hyperbole). That’s why the best description is verbal expressions with figurative meanings—that captures how these phrases communicate something beyond the literal sense. By contrast, literal statements convey exact meaning with no figurative twist, punctuation is just the marks that guide reading, and a historical term is simply a label from the past, not a language device used for figurative effect.