F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE

R ECOGNIZING F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE “I sauntered gracefully down the hall—a bird flittering above the chaos of my classmates—and was the first to be seated in the classroom: ready to start the day.” “I walked into class this morning.”

W HAT ’ S THE D IFFERENCE ? “I walked into class this morning.” “I sauntered gracefully down the hall—a bird flittering above the chaos of my classmates—and was the first to be seated in the classroom: ready to start the day.”  Write down what you notice. Be ready to share.

F IGURATIVE VS. L ITERAL Literal language: It is plain fact. It means only and exactly what it says. Figurative language: It is used to compare or represent, to enhance and give depth to understanding; it is used to help “paint a picture” in the reader or listener’s mind. Figurative language means there is more than what’s on the surface. *Even this is figurative language—What does it really mean? (There is a deeper level; a level that is not obvious from the exact words being used.) Figurative language is very common in poetry.

D IFFERENT K INDS OF F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE Simile Metaphor Imagery Personification Hyperbole Onomatopoeia Idioms Alliteration

S IMILE A comparison of two unlike things, using like or as. My snoopy little sister is as curious as a cat!

I MAGERY Using thoroughly descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell). I walked into the kitchen and was immediately bombarded by the delicious aroma of Italian herbs mixed with the scent of warmed olive oil, and hot yeast: I knew mom was making her famous breadsticks.

M ETAPHOR A comparison that does not use like or as; it implies that one thing is the other. The hungry animal in my hand devoured the blankness of the paper in front of me as I eagerly recorded my story. I wrote my story with excitement.

P ERSONIFICATION Giving human characteristics to non-human entities or objects. My math test stared up at me, almost sneering, as sweat rolled down my anxious back; I knew I should have studied.

H YPERBOLE Using exaggeration to create effect. After the long trip, Julia was hungrier than an army of men…who ran out of rations two days ago. None of us wanted to get in her way.

O NOMATOPOEIA A word whose spelling reflects its sound. Hm… Crack! Pow! drip Woof!

I DIOMS A group of otherwise unrelated words that, when used together, have taken on a completely new meaning. It creates an image that metaphorically represents a situation or emotion. “I am sure your little sibling has gotten on your nerves before.”

A LLITERATION Using words close together that begin with the same sound. Stop sticking stubby stamps to my stomach! st

N OW W HAT ? Tell me what you know. Write it down (on the sheet I gave you), and remember: Complete thoughts Explanations Be thorough Be specific Examples Put it in your own words

P ICTURES TAKEN FROM html Others from Google images + clip art