FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
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Mr. Miranda, ELA 7
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Simile
Metaphor
Idioms
Personification
Hyperbole
Alliteration
Assonance
Onomatopoeia
NOTE: There are other types of figurative language
but we will only focus on these 8 types.
Types of Figurative Language
A simile is a figure of speech that makes a
comparison showing similarities between
two different things with the help of the
words “like” or “as”.
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John is as slow as a snail
Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
Her cheeks are red like a rose.
The water well was as dry as a bone.
He is as cunning as a fox.
SIMILE
Metaphor is a figure of speech which makes an
implicit, implied or hidden comparison
between two things or objects that are poles
apart from each other but have some
characteristics common between them.
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My brother was boiling mad.
The assignment was a breeze.
It is going to be clear skies from now on.
The skies of his future began to darken.
Her voice is music to his ears.
METAPHOR
An idiom is a phrase understood to mean
something quite different from what individual
words of the phrase would imply.
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Piece of cake
A chip on your shoulder
Out of the blue
See eye to eye
Give it a shot
Cost an arm and a leg
IDIOM
What is “literal” meaning?
language means exactly what it says
What is “figurative” meaning?
uses similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, etc. to
describe something often through comparison with something
different
“That test was a piece of cake”
Literal meaning – The test was a slice of cake made of
dough and icing
Figurative meaning – The test was easy.
LITERAL v. FIGURATIVE
You will create an idiom poster on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of
white paper.
MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. One idiom written in large print
2. Write the figurative meaning below the idiom (what
does it really mean?)
3. A drawing in color that represents literal meaning
IDIOM Homework
Personification is a figure of speech in which a
thing, an idea or an animal is given human
attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed in
such a way that we feel they have the ability to act
like human beings.
 Look at my car. She is a beauty, isn’t she?
 The wind whispered through dry grass.
 The sky wept all night.
 The flowers danced in the gentle breeze.
 Time and tide waits for none.
 The fire swallowed the entire forest.
PERSONIFICATION
Hyperbole, derived from a Greek word meaning
“over-casting” is a figure of speech, which
involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of
emphasis. It is a device that we employ in our dayto-day speech.
 I’ve seen that movie about a million times.
 Your suitcase weighs a ton!
 Turn off the air conditioner in here. I’m
freezing to death!
 I am dying of shame.
 Mom is trying to solve a billion of issues.
HYPERBOLE
Alliteration is derived from Latin’s “Latira”. It means
“letters of alphabet”. It is a stylistic device in which a
number of words, having the same first consonant
sound, occur close together in a series.
 But a better butter makes a batter better.
 A big bully beats a brawny boy.
 She sells sea shells by the sea shore.
We can also find alliteration in company names:
Coca Cola, Best Buy, Dunkin’ Donuts, American
Apparel, Bed Bath & Beyond, Krispy Kreme
ALLITERATION
Assonance takes place when two or more words
close to one another repeat the same vowel sound
but start with different consonant sounds.
Men sell the wedding bells.
 I feel depressed and restless.
 Johnny went here and there and everywhere.
 The engineer held the steering to steer the
vehicle.
 I feel the need, the need for speed.
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ASSONANCE
Write three sentences using ALLITERATION
 Write three sentences using ASSONANCE
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EXIT TICKET
Onomatopoeia is defined as a word, which imitates the
natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that
mimics the thing described, making the description
more expressive and interesting.
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The gushing stream flows in the forest
The buzzing bee flew away.
The sack fell into the river with a splash.
The books fell on the table with a loud thump.
The rustling leaves kept me awake.
ONOMATOPOEIA