Do you ever pause after reading something and think, 'Wow, that was a really cool way to say that?' If you've ever had that thought, you might have come across figurative language. Figurative language is a special form of writing that makes interesting comparisons to allow the reader to think about a topic in a new way. Once you learn more about figurative language, you'll be able to recognize it in stories, poems, and even songs!

The first type of figurative language that we're going to look at is the simile, which is defined as a comparison of two things using the words 'like' or 'as.'

For example, let's take a look at this sentence:

Was the skin actually that red? No, it wasn't, but by comparing it to a tomato, the reader gets a strong visual image of the sunburn.

Here's another one:

What's the message here? Running a marathon is an incredibly challenging thing, even for trained athletes. So by comparing the short jog to a marathon, the message is that the jog was extremely difficult.

Another kind of figurative language is the metaphor, which is a comparison of two things without using the words 'like' or 'as.' Notice that while similes always use the words 'like' or 'as,' metaphors never do.

For example, take a look at the following sentence:

Of course, the child isn't actually a flaming ball of gas, so what could it mean? Since sunshine is always a treat, it warms us up and brightens our moods. If the child is being compared to the sun, the child makes us feel good and brightens days.

Another metaphor can be found in the sentence:

Do you think the brother walks around in clown shoes? Probably not! By comparing the brother to a clown, it's saying that he is the silliest family member. Let's move on.

When someone give human qualities to non-human things, we call it personification. This one's pretty easy to recognize. If the thing is doing something that it wouldn't be able to do in real life, it's probably personification.

For example: