FIGURATI

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NGUAGE

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FIGURATIVE AND LITERAL LANGUAGELiterally: 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 personificationhyperboleunderstatement

2

Knowledge is a kingdom and all who learn are kings and

queens.Is it…

simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

3

Can I see you for a second?

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

4

The sun was beating down on me.

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

5

The flag flies like a kite in the sky.

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

6

I'd rather take bathswith 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 personificationhyperboleunderstatement

7

Ravenous and savagefrom its longpolar journey,

the North Wind

is searchingfor food—

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

8

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from

time to time with the blood of patriots and

tyrants.

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

9

Can I have one of your chips?

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

10

In a house the size of a postage stamplived a man as big as a barge.His mouth could drink the entire riverYou could say it was rather largeFor dinner he would eat a trillion beansAnd a silo full of grain,Washed it down with a tanker of milkAs if he were a drain.

Is it…simile metaphor personificationhyperboleunderstatement

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 bathswith 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 savagefrom its longpolar journey,

the North Wind

is searchingfor food—

It is…

personification

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

In a house the size of a postage stamplived a man as big as a barge.His mouth could drink the entire riverYou could say it was rather largeFor dinner he would eat a trillion beansAnd a silo full of grain,Washed it down with a tanker of milkAs if he were a drain.

It is…

hyperbole

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.)