Onomatopoeia

Definition: Onomatopoeia are words that sound like the objects they name or the sounds those objects make.

Zip goes the jacket.

“Zip” is an onomatopoeia word because it sounds like a jacket being zipped up.

When you zip a zipper, “zip” is the sound it makes.

Can you find it?

• The burning wood crackled and hissed; now and again an owl hooted somewhere in the darkness.

• The car creaked forward once the old engine began to wheeze reluctantly.

• The burning wood crackled and hissed; now and again an owl hooted somewhere in the darkness.

• The car creaked forward once the old engine began to wheeze reluctantly.

Mechanical Onomatopoeia

• Buzz• Beep• Whirr• Click

• Clack• Clunk• Clatter• Clink

Fast Motion Onomatopoeia

• Boing• Varoom• Vroom• Whoosh• Swish

• Swoosh• Zap• Zing• Zip• Zoom

Musical Onomatopoeia

• Twang• Oompah• Plunk• Ting• Ding• Ring• Ping

• Clang• Bong• Jingle• Jangle• Honk• Toot• Rap

• Tap• Boom• Rattle• Plunk• Hum• Clap• Snap

Food and Eating Onomatopoeia

• Food may crackle or sizzle and oil may splatter.

• When we pour something to drink, it may go splash, kerplunk, or gush, but hopefully it won’t drip.

• When we open a soft drink, it will probably fizz.

• When it’s time to eat, we’re likely to nibble, munch, gobble, and crunch.

Action Onomatopoeia

• Pow• Bif• Bam• Whomp• Thump

• Smash• Zowie• Bang• Wham

Animal Onomatopoeia

• meow (cat)• moo (cow)• neigh/whinny (horse)• bark/woof/bow-wow

(dog)• oink (pig)

• roar (lion)• tweet (bird)• cluck (hen)• peep (chick)• cock-a-doodle-doo

(rooster)

Match the following sentences to the onomatopoeia that describes them.

1. A plate being dropped on the floor.2. A balloon being burst.3. A gun being shot.4. Someone eating Rice crisps. 5. A light being switched on. 6. A fierce dog. 7. A small bell being rung.

A. TINKLEB. BANGC. SMASHD. GROWLE. POPF. CRUNCHG. CLICK

Match the following sentences to the onomatopoeia that describes them.

• A plate being dropped on the floor.• A balloon being burst.• A gun being shot.• Someone eating Rice crisps. • A light being switched on. • A fierce dog. • A small bell being rung.

• SMASH• POP• BANG• CRUNCH • CLICK• GROWL• TINKLE

How do we use Onomatopoeia in Poetry?

The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe Hear the sledges with the bells--

Silver bells!

What a world of merriment their

melody foretells!

How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,

In the icy air of night!

While the stars that

oversprinkle

All the heavens, seem to twinkle

With a crystalline delight;

Keeping time, time, time,

In a sort of Runic rhyme,

To the tintinnabulation that so

musically wells

From the bells, bells, bells,

bells,

Bells, bells, bells--

From the jingling and the

tinkling of the bells.

Hear the mellow wedding bells

Golden bells!

What a world of happiness their

harmony foretells!

Through the balmy air of night

How they ring out their delight!

From the molten-golden

notes,

And all in tune,

What a liquid ditty floats

To the turtle-dove that listens,

while she gloats

On the moon!

To the rhyming and the chiming of

the bells!

Oh, from out the sounding cells,

What a gush of euphony

voluminously wells!

How it swells!

How it dwells

On the Future! how it tells

Of the rapture that impels

To the swinging and the ringing

Of the bells, bells, bells,

Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,

Bells, bells, bells--

Write down each word in the following poem that could be considered “onomatopoeia.”

Marching Bandboom! boom!bang the drumta-diddy-ta!here they come

pah! pah!trombone grandbright silver soundin marching band

ting! ting!triangle ringsharp and highsound in sky

wrreee! wrree!whistle blowMajoretteleads the row

wah! wah!bagpipes moanwheel aroundand head for home

Marching Bandboom! boom!bang the drumta-diddy-ta!here they come

pah! pah!trombone grandbright silver soundin marching band

ting! ting!triangle ringsharp and highsound in sky

wrreee! wrree!whistle blowMajoretteleads the row

wah! wah!bagpipes moanwheel aroundand head for home

Cafeteria

Boom!Went the foodtrays. Clap! Clap!Goes the teacher.Rip! Went the plastic bag.Munch! Munch!Go the students.

Slurp!!!Went the straws.WhisperIs what half the kidsin the roomare doing.Crunch! Crunch!gothe candy bars.

Cafeteria

Boom!Went the foodtrays. Clap! Clap!Goes the teacher.Rip! Went the plastic bag.Munch! Munch!Go the students.

Slurp!!!Went the straws.WhisperIs what half the kidsin the roomare doing.Crunch! Crunch!gothe candy bars.

Your Turn!

• Write a 3 stanza poem using onomatopoeia. You may choose one of the following topics or create your own:

• A day at the amusement park• A day at the zoo• The gymnasium• Watching a parade• Caught in a rain storm• The traffic downtown