Recognize Figurative Language
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What you will learn
- 1Explain the difference between literal and figurative language
- 2Identify similes, metaphors, and idioms in sentences
- 3Sort example phrases correctly as literal or figurative
Mini Lesson
Language can be literal — meaning exactly what the words say — or figurative — meaning something different from the exact words. Good readers recognize when a writer is using figurative language to create pictures, emotions, or humor.
Literal Language
- Literal language says exactly what it means.
- Example: It is raining hard outside.
- Example: The cat is sitting on the mat.
- Literal language is used in instructions, reports, and factual writing.
Figurative Language
- Figurative language creates a vivid picture or expresses an idea in a creative way.
- Simile — compares two things using "like" or "as": The ice was as slippery as glass.
- Metaphor — says one thing IS another: The playroom was a zoo at lunchtime.
- Idiom — a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal words: It is raining cats and dogs (= raining very heavily).
- Personification — gives human qualities to non-human things: The wind whispered through the trees.
How to Spot Figurative Language
- Ask: could this sentence be literally true? If not, it is figurative.
- Look for "like" or "as" — probably a simile.
- Does it compare one thing to something completely different? — probably a metaphor.
- Does the meaning not match the words? — probably an idiom.
Words to know
Literal
Using words with their exact, everyday meaning — nothing extra or creative
e.g. The dog ran across the garden.
Figurative
Using words in a creative, non-literal way to express an idea or create an image
e.g. He was a lion on the soccer field.
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as"
e.g. Her voice was as sweet as honey.
Metaphor
A comparison that says one thing IS another (without using "like" or "as")
e.g. Life is a roller coaster.
Idiom
A phrase whose meaning is different from the individual words
e.g. "Break a leg" means good luck.
Writers use figurative language to make their writing more vivid and interesting. When you read it, picture what the words would look like if they were literally true — that usually makes the comparison clear.
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