The car sputtered and coughed before starting.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: The sentence uses personification.
Explanation:
The sentence “The car sputtered and coughed before starting.” is an example of personification, which is a literary device where human characteristics are attributed to non-human objects, animals, or abstract ideas.
In this sentence, the car is described as sputtering and coughing, which are actions typically associated with living beings, especially humans. People sputter when struggling to speak or breathe, and they cough when something irritates their throat. A car, being a machine, cannot literally perform these actions in the human sense. However, the use of these words helps readers easily imagine the car struggling to start. This human-like portrayal of the car makes the description more vivid and relatable.
Writers often use personification to create stronger imagery and to help readers connect emotionally with non-living things. In this case, describing the car as if it were coughing or sputtering allows readers to visualize the sound and behavior of a faulty engine more clearly than if the sentence had used a technical description. It also adds a bit of drama or personality to the car’s behavior, which might even suggest that the car has a “mood” or “attitude,” as people often say with older vehicles.
This sentence does not use literal language. If the writer had said, “The car made a series of irregular noises before the engine turned on,” it would be accurate but less engaging. By choosing sputtered and coughed, the writer uses figurative language that enriches the sentence.
In summary, personification is used here to give the car human-like qualities, making the description more engaging and easier to imagine. It enhances the storytelling by turning a mechanical event into something that sounds almost alive.
