What is hyperbole?
Hyperbole is a figure of speech that is a complete exaggeration and which denotes extremes. So to say, ‘I laughed so much I nearly died’ is an example of hyperbole. It denotes that something was very funny and that someone laughed a lot, but it is extremely unlikely that someone laughed so much that they almost died. However, the phrase gives us a sense of just how funny something was.
Hyperbole is very common in both everyday speech and in written English. In written English, it tends to be used within informal settings or for literary effect. It is not, for example, regarded as good practice to use hyperbole within business English; it could be regarded as unprofessional.
You would not use phrases such as, ‘bursting with rage’ with a client. You would instead, express your disappointment and frustration. However, if you were writing a story, a poem, or a simple informal email, then the use of hyperbole is perfectly acceptable and is actually a way of giving added depth and quality to your writing.
Hyperbole is therefore a literary tool or a very informal tool and it should not be used in formal settings. Be careful when using hyperbole that you use it in context and that it is not offensive. For example, do not use hyperbole to extremes, when someone may be offended by your graphic use of language. To check the use of hyperbole, run an online punctuation application just to check if you have used an appropriate phrase.
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