Which term attributes human characteristics to nonhuman things?

• A. Pun
• B. Metaphor
• C. Irony
• D. Personification

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is assigning human traits to something that isn’t human. When a writer describes wind as if it can whisper, or the sun as if it smiles, they’re using personification—the human qualities are given to nonhuman things to create a vivid image or mood.

That’s why this term fits best. A pun is wordplay that relies on double meanings or sound similarities, not on making nonhuman things seem human. A metaphor makes a direct comparison between two unlike things but doesn’t necessarily animate the thing with human attributes. Irony centers on a contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, not on attributing human traits to nonhuman things.

So the expression that attributes human characteristics to nonhuman things is personification.