Hyperbole: The Most Fantastic Thing on Earth
Has your mother ever screamed at you:
– I’ve told you a thousand times not to do that!
The above sentence is an example of hyperbole.
Hyperbole is when you exaggerate something to make a point and is not meant to be taken literally. In the example above it is very unlikely that you were told not to do it 1000 times. Maybe a lot of times but not a thousand.
– That man is the most boring person in the world!
Does that mean that the person who said the above has done a survey of everyone on earth and found the most boring person? Of course not, they are just exaggerating to make a point – the man is extremely boring. Superlatives are often used in Hyperbole.
Think about:
- He’s got tons of money
- I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!
- You’re always doing that!
What do they mean? When would you use them?
When have you used hyperbole before?
