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Literal and figurative language - Wikipedia

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Literal usage confers meaning to words, in the sense of the meaning they have by themselves, outside any figure of speech. It maintains a consistent meaning regardless of the context, with the intended meaning corresponding exactly to the meaning of the individual words.

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To communicate clearly, students must be able to identify and correctly use figurative language.

Defining Figurative Language

Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are. Figurative language, in comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations to make a particular linguistic point.

Figurative language is very common in poetry, but is also used in prose and nonfiction writing.

There are many different types of figurative language, covering the use of a specific type of word or word meaning:

Metaphor: A metaphor is a comparison made between things which are essentially not alike. One example of a metaphor would be to say, "Nobody invites Edward to parties because he is a wet blanket."

Simile: A simile is a direct comparison and often uses the words like or as. One example of a simile would be to say, "Jamie runs as fast as the wind."

Personification: When something that is not human is given human-like qualities, this is known as personification. An example of personification would be to say, "The leaves danced in the wind on the cold October afternoon."

Hyperbole: Exaggerating, often in a humorous way, to make a point is known as hyperbole. One example of hyperbole would be to say, "My eyes widened at the sight of the mile-high sundaes we were having for dessert."

Symbolism: Symbolism occurs when something that has meaning in itself is used to represent something entirely different. One example of symbolism would be to use an image of the American flag to represent patriotism.

Figurative language also includes unusual constructions or combinations of words that provide a new perspective. For example:

Onomatopoeia: When the name of an action imitates the sound associated with it, this is known as onomatopoeia. One example of onomatopoeia would be to say, "The bees buzz angrily when their hive is disturbed."

Idiom: An idiom is an expression used by a particular group of people with a meaning that is only known through common use. One example of an idiom would be to say, "I'm waiting for him to kick the bucket." Many idioms that are frequently used are also considered clichés.

Synecdoche: A synecdoche is a figure of speech using a word or words that are a part to represent a whole. For example, referring to credit cards as "plastic" is a synecdoche.

Cliché: A cliché is a phrase that is often repeated and has become kind of meaningless. An example of a cliché is the expression "walk a mile in my shoes."

Assonance: When you repeat a vowel sound in a phrase is it assonance. For example, "True, I do like Sue."

Metonymy: A figure of speech where one thing is replaced with a word that is closely associated with it, such as using "Washington" to refer to the United States government.

Figurative Language Resources for Teachers

Teaching figurative language can be a challenge on many different levels. For example:

Small children find figurative language difficult because they lack the intellectual capacity to realize that words can have more than one meaning.

Those with disabilities such as autism have trouble in social settings because they prefer literal language over figurative expressions and have trouble identifying when a speaker is using literary devices such as hyperbole or metaphors.

People who are learning English as a second language find many types of figurative language to be challenging because of their vocabulary limitations.

Teachers in search of ideas for discussing the use of figurative language in the classroom can find a variety of materials online. If you're searching for free printable worksheets and lesson plans, YourDictionary recommends visiting the following helpful websites:

Ed Helper has worksheets for elementary and junior high students covering similes, metaphors, and idioms.

Boggles World has worksheets covering exaggerations, opposites, alliteration, metaphors, and similes.

TLS Books provides a printable worksheet that challenges students to rewrite sentences to eliminate figurative language and provide the correct literal meaning.

Read. Write. Think. has a lesson plan for students in grades 6-8 that uses The Phantom Tollbooth to introduce the concept of figurative language.

PULSE has a lesson suggestion for high school students that uses The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot to increase understanding of the correct use of figurative language.

Frost Friends: This website provides a look at the use of figurative language in the poetry of Robert Frost which could be used as the basis of a lesson plan for high school students.

For examples of figurative language for children, check out Metaphor Examples for Kids and Simile Examples for Kids.

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To communicate clearly, students must be able to identify and correctly use figurative language. Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are.

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Have you been bending over backwards trying to teach your students idioms? Are they left high and dry when idioms are used in their classrooms? Well I'm going to take the bull by the horns and knock your socks off with some fabulous activities for working on figurative language in speech therapy!

Click the player to listen to this information in audio format. Or, scroll down to keep reading:

What is Figurative Language?

Figurative language is a fun way to make the language we speak and write more exciting. You can use similes and metaphors to compare or describe things in an unusual way or you can use an idiom to say one thing but mean something else. Those are the three types of figurative language we will talk about today.

What is a Simile?

A simile is a comparison between two unlike things that uses the word "like" or "as". For example, you could say your Grandma is as friendly as a grizzly bear (meaning that she's not very friendly) or that your socks are as warm as a fireplace (meaning that they are very warm).

How to Teach Similes to Children:

Step One: On a piece of paper, write an adjective in the middle. On the left side of the paper, write objects that can be described by that adjective. On the right side of the paper, write objects that are not described by that adjective. You should have a list like this:

Step Two: Have the child choose two items from either side of the paper and create a simile for them. For example, you could use "this blanket is as rough as a kitten". You can also do this with a verb in the middle and the word "like" in the simile, such as "you jump like a kangaroo".

Step Three: Practice using some of the similes that the child created in written or spoken language. Come up with scenarios or situations where it would be appropriate to use those similes and either role play scenarios or write out paragraphs that include them.

What is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things but instead of using "like" or "as", you just replace one word with another word. For example, you might say that your child is a doll, or that your chocolate bar is heaven.

Literature is full of metaphors. Go through a pleasure-reading book with the child and pick out any metaphors that come up. Talk with the child about what the literal meaning of the metaphor would mean and ask if he thinks the author meant that. Then, decide on the figurative meaning that the author was going for. For example, if the author wrote, "Jason was a pig at dinner", ask your child if the author meant that he actually turned into a pig. No, probably not. Then help the child determine that the author really meant he ate sloppily like a pig would.

What is an Idiom?

An idiom is a type of figurative language that is a phrase that people say that is commonly accepted as having a different meaning that the individual words may lead you to believe. For example, stating that "it's raining cats and dogs" does not mean that there are literally cats and dogs falling from the sky. Instead, it means that it is raining heavily. Many of the idioms in English have roots back to older ways of saying things.

Idioms are a form of figurative language and are often not well-understood by children with language disorders. While there is no magical age by which children should understand idioms, it is reasonable to generalize that a 5-year-old knows very few idioms and an adult knows (and uses) a ton. Children should gradually get better at using idioms and should be able to use quite a few idioms in the middle school years and even more in the high school years.

How to Teach Idioms to Children:

Step One: Have the child read a passage (or read it aloud for him) that contains an idiom. Ask the child to guess the meaning of the idiom based on the context in which it is given.

Step Two: Have the child come up with a scenario in which that idiom might be used (aside from the example already given). Role play the scenario and have the child use the idiom.

Step Three: Give the child an assignment to use the idiom at an appropriate time sometime before your next session. Ask him to write down in a journal when he used it and what the context was. Review during the next session.

Step Four: During your next session, ask the child to tell you the true meaning of the idiom. For this, just say the idiom out loud, don't give it in context. If the child is unable to tell you the meaning, repeat the steps above.

Step Five: Repeat the steps above with a new idiom.

Passages with Idioms:

Here are a few examples to get you started. Each passage uses a different idiom and the idiom is written in bold and italic font. Use these with your students or download the multiple choice idiom worksheets using this button:

1. John was super busy. He was talking on the phone with his office while he stirred the soup that was cooking on the stove and starting to burn. His son Billy walked up to him and said "Dad, I need help with my homework". John replied with "Hang on!"

2. The children walked into the classroom and found their teacher, Ms. Donna waiting for them. All of the chairs were arranged in a circle around Ms. Donna. As they approached the circle of chairs, Ms. Donna said "Have a seat" and waved her hand toward the chairs.

3. Batson was clearly having a rough day. The children in her class were running around the classroom and screaming. There were toys and art supplies everywhere. Three children were pulling on her clothes and singing as loudly as they could. Mrs. Batson looked at the children and said "You're driving me up the wall!"

4. James was a very helpful child. He loved helping his mother and she really needed his help today. It was his brother's birthday party so all of their family would be coming to the house in 2 hours. James helped his mother by cleaning up the play room, sweeping the kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms, and organizing the bookshelves. James' mother told him how much she appreciated that he bent over backwards to help her get ready.

5. When Cody walked into his house he immediately knew that something fishy was going on. All of the lights in the house were off even though he knew his mom and brothers were home. The house was also incredibly quiet, which was rare since his youngest brother was usually VERY loud. He could also smell birthday cake. Suddenly, all of his friends and family jumped out from behind the couch and yelled "Surprise!"

6. Jacob was in the school talent show. He practiced for weeks to perfect his juggling act. When the big day came, he got up on stage and juggled 3 flaming sticks and didn't even miss a single one. Everyone cheered when he finished. When he walked off stage, his dad said "Wow, you really knocked my socks off!"

7. Molly ran into the house and told her mother that she had just seen a huge beanstalk growing from their garden. She told her mother that the beanstalk was so tall that it reached the sky and that she, Molly, had climbed that beanstalk and met a giant! Molly's mother looked at her skeptically and said "you're pulling my leg".

8. The kids at the pool were running around and splashing each other with water. They were shooting each other with water guns and jumping from the side of the pool to do cannonballs. Then, their swim teacher showed up and told them to quit horsing around. It was time to work.

9. Julie was planning a surprise party for Tom. Julie was careful not to tell Tom anything that may let him know that they were planning a big surprise. But, the morning before the party was planned, Tom walked in and said "Hey, are you planning a surprise party for me?" Julie frowned and said "who let the cat out of the bag?"

10. The Sanderson family was going on vacation to Disney World. Papa Sanderson wanted to plan out everything that the family would do. He wanted a schedule of exactly what time they would get up, eat breakfast, and get to the park. Then, he wanted to put the rides in the order that they would ride them. However, everyone else in the family wanted to take things a little easier. Mama Sanderson said, "Why don't we just play it by ear?"

11. Larry walked up to a game at the carnival. He watched another child play the game. The child grabbed a big hammer and swung it and hit a metal circle as hard as he could. When he did, a metal piece flew up so high that it hit a bell at the top of the game. The carnival worker saw Larry looking at it and handed him the hammer. "Give it a shot," he said.

12. Gibson handed out the tests to the children. Lucy was very worried that she wouldn't know the answers. However, she was happy to find that she knew every answer and finished the test quickly. When she handed back her test, she said "that was a piece of cake!"

13. Rebecca's mom picked her up from school on Tuesday. They were headed to her girl scout meeting. Rebecca asked her mom "Did you remember to bring my girl scout uniform?" Rebecca's mom said "Oh no! It totally slipped my mind!"

14. Ronald was playing baseball inside his mom's house. His friend threw him the ball and he hit it with his bat. The ball went flying across the room and broke his mother's favorite lamp. "You're in hot water now!" his friend said.

15. Barry was in line for the biggest and fastest ride at the amusement park. It was his first roller coaster ever and he was super excited to go on it. However, when he got to the front of the line, he saw the roller coaster soar over the edge of the drop and fly downward toward the ground. He started to get nervous. When his friends asked him what was wrong, Barry said, "I'm having second thoughts about doing this."

16. A group of kids were talking about the star wars movie they had watched last night. They were all talking about their favorite scenes and their favorite characters. Then, Billy walked up and said "I like hot dogs!". One of the other kids said, "Well that was out of the blue."

17. Johnny had a problem and needed someone to talk to. He went up to his teacher, Mr. Kool. Johnny said, "Mr. Kool, I have a problem and I need some help." Kool immediately put down what he was doing, turned his body toward Johnny and said "I'm all ears."

18. Billy was disappointed with his grade on the math test. He got an "F". What bothered him the most though was that his teacher was making him stay after school to work on it. Billy told his friend Eric why he was upset and Eric said, "Don't worry man, I'm in the same boat. I have to stay after, too."

19. Jamie really wanted to go to the park but his sister really wanted to go to the pool. Jamie's mother told them that they would have to agree on one place to go because she wasn't going to drive them to two different places. "But Mom," Jamie said, "We just don't see eye to eye on where to go!"

20. June had been working on math problems for what seemed like hours. Her eyes were hurting, her hand was cramping, and she didn't think her brain could calculate one more equation. Finally, she looked at her mom and said "Can we just call it a day?"

Answer Key:

1. Hang on = Wait a moment

2. Have a seat = Sit down

3. You're driving me up the wall = you're annoying me

4. Bend over backwards = Do everything you can

5. Fishy = Weird or Odd

6. Knocked my socks off = Impressed me very much

7. Pulling my leg = Kidding me, making a joke

8. Horsing around = messing around, playing

9. Let the cat out of the bag = Told the secret or let someone know something they weren't supposed to know

10. Play it by ear = Improvise or make it up as you go

11. Give it a shot = Try to do it

12. That was a piece of cake = That was easy

13. Slipped my mind = I forgot

14. In hot water = In trouble

15. Having second thoughts = Changed your mind

16. Out of the blue = Random or unexpected

17. I'm all ears = I'm listening

18. In the same boat = In the same situation

19. Don't see eye to eye = Don't agree

20. Call it a day = Quit doing something for now

Download the Idioms Worksheets

I have created worksheets using these twenty passages and included multiple choice answers for each passage about the true meaning of the idiom. Click the button below to download:

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Figurative Language and Idiom Activities for Speech Therapy

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Have you been bending over backwards trying to teach your students idioms? Are they left high and dry when idioms are used in their classrooms? Well I'm going to take the bull by the horns and knock your socks off with some fabulous activities for working on figurative language in speech therapy!

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Activity to Teach Kids How to Understand Figurative Language

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The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts specify that students should be knowledgeable in using figurative language to make their writing interesting for the reader. As early as grade 3, the standards call for students to "determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, ...

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What is figurative language?

Language can be literal (obvious, plainly stated, communicates exactly what is meant) and figurative (suggests and infers meaning, rather than simply stating it).

Literal language is a feature of non-fiction texts; figurative language is more commonly used in fiction and poetry.
Figurative language uses figures of speech to give a text more richness and depth, often comparing things to other things to create an image in the reader's mind.
Figurative language in primary school

There are many different forms of figurative language; in Key Stage 2 English your child is likely to be introduced to the following:

Simile
A simile is a comparison phrase which finds similar characteristics in two objects and compares them, always by using the words 'like' or 'as'. For example:
The pond was like a shiny, round coin. He ran as fast as a high-speed train.
Metaphor
A metaphor is a comparison which is not literally true. It suggests what something is like by comparing it with something else with similar characteristics. It is like a simile, but instead of using 'like' or 'as' it compares by suggesting that somethig is something else. For example:

He was putty in her hands. (Meaning: he could be easily manipulated by her.)

You are the light of my life. (Meaning: you give me hope and happiness.)

Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language which gives an object human characteristics (emotions, sensations, speech, physical movements).For example:
The branches of the tree danced in the wind. She was swallowed by the waves in an instant.
The warm sun smiled down on us.
Onomatopoeia
This is when a word makes the sound of the thing it describes (for example: boom, honk, pop, crack, cuckoo, crack, splat, tweet, zoom, sizzle, whizz, buzz, hiss, rip).

Hyperbole
This is when exaggeration is used for effect. For example:

I had to read a book that was about a million pages long.
The children were so excited they were bouncing off the walls.

Figurative language teaching in KS2

The 2014 literacy national curriculum states the following as objectives for Years 5 and 6:

Pupils should be taught to discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.

Pupils should plan their writing by... considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what pupils have read, listened to or seen performed.

This means that in Year 5 and Year 6 teachers will draw children's attention to the various types of figurative language explained above. They will then encourage children to use these forms of language in their own writing.

Teachers often introduce children to simile and onomatopoeia in Year 3 or 4 and then may introduce metaphor, personification and hyperbole in Year 5 or 6.

It is usually best for children to work for some time on one particular form of figurative language. When learning about similes, for example, classroom activities might include the following:

The teacher might spend one or two lessons encouraging children to find similes in the poetry they are reading.

The children might then spend another two lessons writing their own similes.

The teacher might encourage them to improve their similes by adding extra information. For example, if a child wrote: 'The girl's hair as yellow as the sun' they might be encouraged to add extra adjectives, such as: 'The girl's hair was as bright yellow as the shining sun.'

Primary-school literacy terminology

For more EYFS, KS1 and KS2 English concepts consult out primary literacy glossary, a list of everything your child will learn in literacy lessons, explained in plain English for parents.

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What is figurative language? Language can be literal (obvious, plainly stated, communicates exactly what is meant) and figurative (suggests and infers meaning, rather than simply stating it). Literal language is a feature of non-fiction texts; figurative language is more commonly used in fiction and poetry.

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Figurative language is present in literature and even in everyday speech; it is used to embellish and transform language. Therefore, students need to become familiar with figurative language to better communicate with others as well as to further understand literary text. Figurative language can be part of reading, writing, comprehension, and vocabulary instruction. Grade-level teachers include similes, metaphors, personification, idioms, and hyperbole in their lesson plans. Lessons on figurative language concepts are particularly difficult for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs), as they may not understand the nuances of the language.

K-12 teachers can find figurative language learning objectives, as they relate to reading comprehension, in the ELA Common Core State Standards for reading under the Craft and Structure strand. Starting in third grade, students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of literal and nonliteral (i.e. figurative) language. Objectives become substantially more rigorous, since by 11th and 12th grade, students are expected to analyze and interpret figures of speech, like hyperbole and paradox.

Word Lists

VocabularySpellingCity provides K-12 teachers with free figurative language resources. Ready-made figurative language word lists range from elementary to high school. Word lists can be used with interactive learning games, engaging activities, and printable figurative language worksheets to reinforce understanding of figurative language.

Students can play WhichWord? Sentences with a similes word list to learn how these figures of speech are used in practice. A Sentence Writing Practice activity would then allow students to try their hand at using each example of figurative language in a sentence. The MatchIt Definitions learning game will help students learn the definitions of the figures of speech. VocabularySpellingCity also recognizes the importance of student collaboration, and has created fun printable figurative language worksheets and activities that students can work on together.

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Figurative language is present in literature and even in everyday speech; it is used to embellish and transform language. Therefore, students need to become familiar with figurative language to better communicate with others as well as to further understand literary text. Figurative language can be part of reading, writing, comprehension, and vocabulary instruction.

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample

Figurative language is when you use a word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning. Writers can use figurative language to make their work more interesting or more dramatic than literal language which simply states facts.

There are a few different ways to use figurative language, including metaphors, similes, personification and hyperbole. See the table below for some figurative language examples and definitions.

As well as the above, there are also a number of literary devices which can be used in figurative language as well. These include mood, irony, paradox, oxymoron, allusion, and euphemism.

Figurative Language Worksheets

This bundle contains 15 ready-to-use figurative language worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about and identify the seven common types of figurative language: simile, metaphor, idioms, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration and hyperbole.

Students will also learn about homographs, homophones, antonyms, synonyms, adages and proverbs. Each type of figurative language includes wall chart worksheets with a definition and examples that can be printed out. Also included are activities and quizzes for students to practice their figurative language knowledge with.

Included figurative language worksheets:

Hooked on Homographs
Using context clues, the student will work through the example sentences and circle the correct meaning of the homograph underlined.

After completing these worksheets students will be able to:

Interpret figurative language using similes & metaphors

Define and identify similes and metaphor's within a text

Recognize when an author is using idioms, adages, and proverbs and determine his/her intended meaning

Explain the difference between synonyms and antonyms

Use knowledge of synonyms and antonyms to demonstrate understanding of words

Define and identify homographs and homophones

Correctly use synonyms, antonyms, homographs, homophones in writing and reading

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Link will appear as Figurative Language Worksheets & Examples: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 4, 2019
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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Figurative Language Worksheets | Definition & Examples

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Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample Figurative language is when you use a word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning. Writers can use figurative language to make their work more interesting or more dramatic than literal language which simply states facts.

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Peter Piper | Mother Goose Club Playhouse Kids Video

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How many pecks will "Peter Piper" pick? Find out when you watch our new video! Check out more Mother Goose Club Nursery Rhymes on our channel. Watch "Elves in Santa's Workshop!" http://bit.ly/1SXeM4o Buy our songs on Amazon! http://amzn.to/X2WQJc Visit our website! http://mothergooseclub.com Looking for lyrics? Turn on closed captions to sing along!

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Alliteration Song, Alliteration for Kids Song, Alliteration for Children by Melissa