Which figure of speech is demonstrated by the sentence 'My teacher gave us a ton of homework'?

• A. Hyperbole
• B. Simile
• C. Analogy
• D. Metaphor

Answer: (A)

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggerated statements to emphasize a point and aren’t meant to be taken literally. In this sentence, saying there was “a ton of homework” is an overstatement meant to show how much work the speaker felt there was. It uses a common everyday exaggeration to convey the speaker’s frustration or overwhelm.

This isn’t a simile, which would compare two things using like or as (for example, “homework was like a mountain”). It isn’t an analogy, which is a broader, explanatory comparison between two different things. It isn’t a metaphor, which would directly state one thing is another (for instance, “Homework is a mountain”). The intended effect here is to exaggerate the amount of homework for emphasis, which makes hyperbole the best fit.