Figurative Language

Examples of Figurative Language

Similes Metaphors Personification Idioms

Similes

A comparison of 2 things that have some quality in common

Uses the words: likeasthan

Similes

Example:

“That night the moon was round and white as my Sunday hat.”

What two things are being compared? Answer: Moon and Sunday Hat

Similes The coin is as bright as the sun.

coin and sun My brother eats like a voracious pig.

brother and pig Her eyes are like the midnight sky.

eyes and sky The child is as sly as a fox.

child and fox His temper is as explosive as a computer.

temper and computer

More Fun with Similes“Dream Deferred”

What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore--

And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sagslike a heavy load.

Or does it explode?Examples of Similes: Dream deferred-raisin in the sun; a festering sore;

rotten meat; a syrupy sweet; a heavy load

Similes

Complete the following similes:

1. Tom is very hungry. He is as hungry as a….2. I love school. It is like…3. I hate school. It is like…4. Chocolate is so delicious. It is as good as…5. The plants smell horrible. They smell like…6. You saved my life. You are as brave as…7. I am as busy as a…8. Life is like a…

Metaphor

A metaphor is a comparison of 2 things that have some quality in common

Does not use the words: likeasthan

Metaphor

Example: Chocolate is heaven in a wrapper.

chocolate and heaven“The branches of the old tree were long

fingers scratching at the window.branches and long fingers

You have a heart of stone. heart and stone

You are the sun in my life. sun and life

“There is a fluttering forest of feathers.”forest and birds

More Fun with Metaphors At night my bedroom is a real icebox.

bedroom and icebox She is a regular adding machine.

she and adding machine Tom’s brain is an encyclopedia of

knowledge. brain and encyclopedia

Metaphors

Complete the following metaphors: Chocolate is…There is so much homework to complete. It is…School is a….The lunchroom is a…

Rewrite the following sentence using a metaphor:

It is cold outside.

Idioms A way of speaking beyond the dictionary

definition of a word

Example: It is raining cats and dogs outside.

Dictionary Definition (DD): Cats and dogs are falling from the sky.

Figurative Language Definition (FLD): It is raining hard outside.

IdiomsLunch is on the house. DD: My plate of a cheeseburger and fries are

resting on the top of my home. FD: Lunch is free…Yeah!!!

My mom has a green thumb. DD: My mother’s thumb is the color of green. FD: My mom is good with planting.

My dad has lost his marbles. DD: My dad cannot find his marbles. FD: My dad has gone crazy.

More Fun with Idioms

I am going to hit the books tonight.

DD: I will pound my fist into my math, science, and social studies books.

FD: I am going to study very hard tonight.