1. Literal and Nonliteral Meanings
Read the sentences.
Decide if the underlined phrase has a literal or nonliteral meaning.
Hold up your response stick
OR write literal or nonliteral on your recording sheet.
Check your answer.

2. A college education costs an arm and a leg!1 1.
A college education costs an arm and a leg!
literal
nonliteral OR

3. 2 2.
When you are white water rafting, you need to go with the flow of the water.

4. 3 3.
Matt left his glasses in the architect’s office, so he had to go back to the drawing board to pick them up.

5. Mr. Monroe seems like he’s very mean, but he’s all bark and no bite.4 4.
Mr. Monroe seems like he’s very mean, but he’s all bark and no bite.

6. 5 5.
I think people should be direct and ask for what they want. They shouldn’t waste time and beat around the bush.

7. You need strong lungs to blow up that huge balloon.6 6.
You need strong lungs to blow up that huge balloon.

8. 7 7.
Julio’s idea for chocolate covered onions was not well received, so he had to go back to the drawing board.

9. 8.
Be careful when you are cleaning your aquarium. Don’t keep the fish out of water very long, because they can’t breathe.

10. 9.
The fancy hotel left a bad taste in my mouth, because we found a roach in our room.

11. Whenever I take my medicine, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
10.
Whenever I take my medicine, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

12. 11.
I’m really good at playing tennis, but I’m a fish out of water when I play basketball.

13. Abby got her umbrella, because it was raining cats and dogs!
12.
Abby got her umbrella, because it was raining cats and dogs!

14. Font and Clip Art Credits: