Name______________________
Figurative Language Study/Review Guide
Simile:A figure of speech in which two unlike items are compared using like or as.
Target: I can explain the meaning of similes used in a sentence or as a phrase.
Examples:
 Blind as a bat: Can't see very well
 Brave as a lion: Having a lot of courage
 Clean as a whistle: Clean and shiny
 Flat as a pancake: Very flat
 Work like a dog: To work very hard
 Eat like a horse: Eating a lot of food
Metaphor:
A metaphor is when you use two nouns and compare or contrast them to one
another. Unlike a simile, you don't use "like" or "as" in the comparison.
Target: I can explain the meaning of metaphors used in a sentence or as a phrase.
Examples:
 My dad is a bear—Dad is grumpy
 You are the sunshine of my life—You make me very happy
 The team captain is a rock—He is steady and dependable
 The harvest moon is a great pumpkin in the sky—The moon is big, bright and
orange
Idiom:
An expression that means something other than the literal meaning of the
expression. It does not mean what is actually being said.
Target: I can recognize and explain the meaning of an idiom used in a sentence or
phrase.
Examples:
 A Chip On Your Shoulder: Being upset for something that happened in the
past.
 It's Raining Cats and Dogs: It is raining very hard outside.
 A Drop in the Bucket: A very small part of something big or whole.
 A Piece of Cake: A task that can be accomplished very easily.
 A Taste Of Your Own Medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you
mistreat others.
 Hit The Sack: Go to bed or go to sleep.
Adage:
An adage is an old, short saying that is generally accepted to have some truth to it.
Target: I can recognize and explain the meaning of an adage used in a sentence or
phrase.
Examples:
 Look before you leap—Think before you act
 Two wrongs don't make a right—Make the right choice even if someone else
doesn't
 Don't judge a book by its cover—Get to know someone or something before
you make a decision about it
 Stop and smell the roses—Slow down and enjoy life
 You can't have your cake and eat it too—You can't always get everything you
ask for
 Two heads are better than one—Work together for better results
 When it rains, it pours—when something bad happens, it can get worse
Proverb:
Proverbs are wise sayings.
Target: I can recognize and explain the meaning of an proverb used in a sentence
or phrase
Examples:
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Haste makes waste—Do not rush
Birds of a feather flock together—People or things that are the same hang out in
groups
Don't cry over spilt milk—Do not worry over something you can't change
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar—You get
further being kind then mean
Antonyms:
A word that is opposite in meaning to another word.
Target: When given a word, I can identify and use words that are antonyms.
Examples:
 Sunny:Cloudy
 Hot:Cold
 Happy:Sad
Synonyms:
A word that is similar in meaning to another word.
Target: When given a word I can identify and use words that are synonyms.
Examples:
Cold:Freezing
Happy:Joyful
Cloudy:Overcast