PERSONIFICATION
Human Characteristics
EXPLANATION
Sometimes a writer will give human
characteristics to nonhuman things.
Objects, ideas, places or animals
may be given human qualities. They
may perform human actions. This
type of figurative language is called
personification. It helps the writer
create an exciting picture in the
reader’s mind.
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Personification (figurative
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EXAMPLES:
• The sailboat danced gracefully
past us.
• The flames ate hungrily at the
burning house.
• The once-proud trees bent
meekly before the storm.
• The broad, flat rock lay sunning
itself by the stream.
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PRACTICE
•
•
Directions:
Read the sentence, think about the
meaning, notice how personification
creates a word picture. Identify the
personification in each sentence.
1. The fog crept silently into the valley.
2. The tree fought the wind with its branches
3. The computer devoured information all day
long.
4. The hikers left the meadow and were
swallowed by the forest.
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Personification (figurative
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REVIEW
• Sometimes a writer will give human
characteristics to nonhuman things.
• Objects, ideas, places, or animals
may be given human qualities.
• They may perform human actions.
• This type of figurative language is
called personification.
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USING
PERSONIFICATION
• Write three sentences that use
personification.
• Be sure to give some human quality
to some nonhuman thing.
• Choose one sentence and draw a
detailed picture that illustrates the
personification in the sentence.
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HELPFUL HINTS
• To recognize personification:
1. Read the sentence carefully.
2. Try to see the meaning of the
words in your mind.
3. Notice how personification
creates a word picture and
makes the sentence more
interesting.
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Personification (figurative
language)
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