JAMB UTME Prep•13 Sept 2026• 4 min read

Literary Devices for WAEC Literature-in-English – Full Guide

Understand the literary devices tested in WAEC Literature-in-English, with clear definitions and examples from prose, drama, and poetry.

A literary device is a technique writers use to convey meaning, create effect, or enhance their storytelling — and WAEC Literature-in-English tests these consistently across the prose, drama, and poetry sections. Here's a full breakdown of the ones that come up most.

What Are Literary Devices?

Literary devices are the tools authors use beyond plain narration — things like imagery, symbolism, and structure — to add depth and meaning to a text. In WAEC, you're expected to identify these devices in your prescribed texts and explain their effect on the reader.

How WAEC Tests This

Expect questions that:

Identify a device used in a given passage or quotation
Explain the effect of a device on the reader or the text's meaning
Discuss a device across a whole text (e.g., "Discuss the use of symbolism in [prescribed text]")

The Most Commonly Tested Literary Devices

1. Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses, helping the reader visualize or feel a scene. Example: A description of "the damp, musty smell of the forgotten room" creates a vivid sensory picture.

2. Symbolism

Using an object, character, or event to represent a deeper meaning beyond its literal sense. Example: A caged bird in a story might symbolize a character's lack of freedom.

3. Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story. Example: A character mentioning a storm approaching before a major conflict occurs.

4. Irony

A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is said and what is meant. Example: A fire station burning down is an example of situational irony.

5. Characterization

The methods a writer uses to reveal a character's personality — through their actions, speech, thoughts, or how other characters react to them. Example: A character who constantly interrupts others might be characterized as impatient or arrogant through dialogue alone.

6. Setting

The time and place in which a story occurs, which often shapes mood and theme. Example: A story set in a war-torn village immediately establishes tension and hardship as themes.

7. Theme

The central idea or underlying message of a text. Example: A story about a character overcoming poverty through education might carry the theme of resilience.

8. Flashback

A scene that interrupts the present narrative to show an event from the past. Example: A character suddenly remembering their childhood in the middle of a present-day scene.

9. Soliloquy (in drama)

A speech a character delivers alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts to the audience. Example: A character speaking their private doubts aloud while no other character is present.

10. Dramatic Irony (in drama)

When the audience knows something that the characters in the play do not. Example: The audience knowing a character is in danger while the character themselves remains unaware.

Worked Example: Identifying a Literary Device

Question: "The old house stood like a skeleton against the grey sky." What literary device is used here, and what effect does it create?

Answer: Simile (and imagery). The house is compared to "a skeleton" using "like," which is a simile. This creates a vivid, eerie image (imagery) that suggests decay, death, or abandonment, setting a bleak mood for the reader.

Try It Yourself

A character in a play speaks their true feelings aloud while alone on stage. What device is this?
What is it called when an author gives early hints about a future plot event?
What device is being used when an object represents a deeper, non-literal meaning?

Answers:

Soliloquy
Foreshadowing
Symbolism

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Naming a device without explaining its effect — WAEC consistently rewards analysis, not just identification
Confusing irony's three types (situational, dramatic, verbal) — know which one applies to which example
Forgetting that devices from prose and poetry (imagery, symbolism, theme) also apply to drama, not just the drama-specific devices like soliloquy

Continue practicing with our WAEC Literature-in-English past questions or explore common mistakes students make in WAEC essay writing. For the full subject breakdown, visit the Literature-in-English guide.