注意英語詞彙的修辭作用能提高語言的表達效果，使文章生動而形象，從而吸引讀者的注意力。常用的修辭手段有：
(1)明喻(simile)
明喻是指本體和喻體都出現的比喻，本體和喻體之間常用“as”或“like”之類的喻詞連接起來。例如：
The flames，like a form of wildlife，crept as a lion creeps on its belly toward its prey.
(2)暗喻(metaphor)
暗喻也是一種本體和喻體都出現的比喻，但是沒有“as”或“like”之類的喻詞來進行連接。例如：
From the burning look in his eyes，I knew he was angry with me.
(3)擬人(personification)
擬人是把一般生物或無生命的東西、抽象事物當人來寫，賦予它人的動作行爲或思想感情。例如：
“Help，let me in，please let me in.”But the house was cold，closed，unfriendly...
(4)借代(metonymy)
借代指的是不直接說出某人或某物的本名，而用和這個人或這種事物有不可分割關係的名稱來代替。例如：When the war was over，he laid down thesword and took up the pen.
(5)誇張(hyperbole)
誇張指的是根據表達的需要，對客觀事物的某些方面故意鋪張，“言過其實”，加以適當的擴大。例如：
On hearing that he had been admitted to that famous university，he whisperedto himself，“I'm the luckiest man in the world.”
(6)轉類修飾語(transferred epithet)
轉類修飾語指的是將本應該用來修飾某一類名詞的修飾語用來修飾另一類名詞。例如：
She was so worried about her son that she spent several sleepless nights.