FIGURATIVE AND LITERAL LANGUAGE
Literally: words function exactly as defined
The car is blue.
He caught the football.
Figuratively: figure out what it means
I’ve got your back.
It’s raining cats and dogs.
SIMILE
Comparison of two things using “like” or “as.”
Examples:
The metal twisted like a pretzel.
She is as sweet as candy.
He eats like a pig.
IMPORTANT!
Using “like” or “as” doesn’t make a simile.
A comparison must be made.
Not a Simile: I like pizza.
Simile: The moon is like a pizza.
METAPHOR
Two things are compared without using “like” or
“as.”
Examples:
All the world is a stage.
My brother is a pig.
She has a stone heart.
PERSONIFICATION
Giving human traits to objects or ideas.
Examples:
The sunlight danced.
Water on the lake shivers.
The streets are calling me.
HYPERBOLE
Exaggerating to show strong feeling or effect.
Examples:
This class is taking forever.
My house is a million miles from here.
She’d kill me.
UNDERSTATEMENT
Making something seem smaller or less significant.
The opposite of hyperbole.
EXAMPLES:
I’ll be there in one second.
I kind of forgot my homework.
This won’t hurt a bit.
QUIZ
On a separate sheet of paper…
1.
Write your NAME and CLASS (i.e. 6A)
2.
I will give an example.
3.
You will write what type of figurative language it is.
(i.e. simile)
*Spelling counts.
4. You MAY use your notes.
1
He drew a line as straight as an arrow.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
2
Knowledge is a kingdom and all who learn
are kings and queens.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
3
Can I see you for a second?
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
4
The sun was beating down on me.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
5
The flag flies like a kite in the sky.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
6
I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
7
Ravenous and savage
from its long
polar journey,
the North Wind
is searching
for food—
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
8
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time with the blood of patriots and
tyrants.
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
9
Can I have one of your chips?
Is it…
simile
metaphor
personification
hyperbole
understatement
10
In a house the size of a postage stamp lived
a man as
Is it…
big as a barge. His mouth could drink thesimile
entire
river You could say it was rather large Formetaphor
dinner he
would eat a trillion beans And a silo full ofpersonification
grain, Washed it down with a tanker of milk
As if he
hyperbole
were a drain.
understatement
LET’S REVIEW
Correct any answers you got wrong.
1
He drew a line as straight as an arrow.
It is…
simile
Define
2
Knowledge is a kingdom and all who learn
are kings and queens.
It is…
metaphor
Define
3
Can I see you for a second?
It is…
understatement
Define
4
The sun was beating down on me.
It is…
personification
Define
5
The flag flies like a kite in the sky.
It is…
simile
Define
6
I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.
It is…
hyperbole
Define
7
Ravenous and savage
from its long
polar journey,
the North Wind
It is…
personification
is searching
for food—
Define
8
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time with the blood of patriots and
tyrants.
It is…
metaphor
Define
9
Can I have one of your chips?
It is…
understatement
Define
10
It is…
In a house the size of a postage stamp lived
a man as
big as a barge. His mouth could drink the entire
hyperbole
river You could say it was rather large For dinner he
would eat a trillion beans And a silo full of
grain, Washed it down with a tanker of milk As if he
were a drain.
Define
PRACTICE ACTIVITY
With a partner, you will create two of each of the
five types of figurative language.
* You will be sharing one of each with the class.
* They can be phrases you have heard before, but they
can’t be ones we used as examples when we were
learning about them.
REMINDERS
Simile: Comparison using “like” or “as”
Metaphor: Comparison WITHOUT “like” or “as”
Personification: Giving human traits to objects or ideas.
Hyperbole: Using exaggeration to express strong emotion.
Understatement: Making something seem smaller or
less significant. (Opposite of Hyperbole.)