Figurative
Language
R 1.2 Identify and interpret
figurative language
What is figurative
language?
• Figurative language doesn’t mean
exactly what it says
Common kinds of figurative
language you should have
learned about
• Metaphors- compare two things
(The winds were ocean waves,
thrashing against the tree limbs)
• Similes- compare two things using
like or as (She is as pretty as a rose)
Today we’re going to look
at idioms
• Idioms do not literally mean what
they say
Examples
• “Break a leg” does not literally mean
that you hope the person breaks
their leg. It means that you hope
that they do well when they are
performing.
• “You are the apple of my eye” does
not literally mean that the person is
an apple inside someone’s eye. It
means that you are very special to
them.
Can you think of some
examples?
• Share one with your neighbor. Tell
them what it really means
Let’s give it a try…
For example:
“Sally earned brownie
points by helping out her
classmate.”
This means that:
Sally has done something
good.
Sally will be getting a
brownie soon.
“Joe Smoe’s experiment
did not work so he
had to go back to
square one.”
Does this mean:
Joe Smoe will be going to
the first square.
Joe Smoe has to start from
the begining.
After listening to him
grumble all morning,
Jake’s mother wanted
to know if he had
gotten up on the
wrong side of bed.
This means…
His mom wants to know if he
got out of bed on the left
side instead of the right side.
His mom wants to know why
he is so grumpy.
When I told Mom about
my really bad day, she
told me to keep my chin
up.
This means…
Her mom wants her to try not
to let what happened upset
her.
Her chin is too low. She
needs to tilt her head back so
that it is pointing up.
Now you are going to think of an
idiom. On a piece of paper you
will write down the idiom, a
sentence using the idiom, what
the idiom doesn’t mean (with a
picture) and what it does mean
(with a picture). You will turn
these in to me when you finish.
Here is an example…
“In the bag”
I had studied so hard that I knew I had the
test in the bag.
It does mean
It doesn’t mean
that I think I will
that I have it
do very well.
inside of the
bag.
Now you complete your own.
Here are some idioms to help you
if you can not think of one.
“You’re a chicken!”
“Cut it out!”
“Hit the hay”
“Put your best foot
forward.”
“Rule of thumb”
“Raincheck”
“Blind leading the blind”
“Raining cats and
“Face the music”
dogs.
“Off the record”
“Tie the knot”