FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
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The term Figurative (figure of speech) means a
word or group of words mean something more
than their ordinary meaning.
Example:
When you call your little brother a “pig,” you
don’t really mean he’s a pig. Do you?
When your mom says your room looks like a “pig
sty,” she’s using figurative language. Your room
might be really messy, but it’s not a pig sty. Is it?
LITERAL
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The term literal means the word or group of
words has its normal definition.
Example:
When your teacher asks you to “draw a
conclusion,” she doesn’t mean she wants you to
draw a picture. If that’s what you think, you’re
being too literal. Drawing a conclusion means to
make sense of something or to form an opinion.
SIMILE
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A Simile is figure of speech that compares two
unlike things, using the words “like” or “as.”
Examples:
The soles of his bare feet looked as black as
barbecue coals.
The girl had jaws like a wolverine.
The dinner gathering was as quiet as a chess
match.
SIMILE
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Questions to consider when reading a simile:

What is being compared?
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Why are these two things being compared?
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What is the effect or meaning of the comparison?
THE SOLES OF HIS BARE FEET LOOKED AS
BLACK AS BARBECUE COALS.
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What is being compared?

Why are these two things being compared?

What is the effect or meaning of the comparison?
THE GIRL HAD JAWS LIKE A WOLVERINE.

What is being compared?

Why are these two things being compared?

What is the effect or meaning of the comparison?
THE DINNER GATHERING WAS AS QUIET AS
A CHESS MATCH.
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What is being compared?

Why are these two things being compared?

What is the effect or meaning of the comparison?
METAPHOR
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A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike
things without using the words “like” or “as.”
Many times metaphors will use “to be” verbs to
make the comparison:
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Is
Am
Are
Was
Were
METAPHOR
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Examples:
I am a shark when it
comes to poker.
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He’s a book worm.
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They are peas in a pod.
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The sea was a smooth
sheet of glass.
Her legs were rubber,
and her arms were
noodles.
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What is being
compared?
Why are these two
things being compared?
What is the effect or
meaning of the
comparison?
EXTENDED METAPHOR
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When an author
continues the
metaphor beyond
one sentence, it is
called an extended
metaphor.
What is being compared
throughout the poem
“Fog”?
Fog
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
--Carl Sandburg
PERSONIFICATION
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Another type of
metaphor is
personification.
Personification is when
a lifeless object, an
animal or an idea is
made to act like a
person.
What human qualities
are given to the wind in
this poem?
The Wind
The wind stood up and gave a shout.
He whistled on his fingers and
Kicked the withered leaves about
And thumped the branches with his hand
And said that he'd kill and kill,
And so he will and so he will.
- James Stephens
HYPERBOLE
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An exaggeration for
special, often
humorous, effect
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"I was helpless. I did
not know what in the
world to do. I was
quaking from head to
foot, and could have
hung my hat on my
eyes, they stuck out so
far."
-Mark Twain, from "Old Times on the
Mississippi”
ALLUSION
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A reference to a wellknown person, place,
thing, or event.
Barack Obama alludes to
both Jesus and Superman
in this quote.
Many popular allusions
come from The Bible,
Shakespeare, and
Greek/Roman mythology.
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Barack Obama's Humorous
Allusion
"I was not born in a
manger. I was actually
born on Krypton and
sent here by my father,
Jorel, to save the
Planet Earth."
IDIOMS
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An idiom or an idiomatic expression is a word,
group of words, or saying that has figurative
meaning.
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Examples:
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Shoot off one’s mouth
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Let the cat out of the bag
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Stick out one’s neck
PUNS
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A pun is a “play on words” that has two
meanings—one that is literal and the other that
is figurative.
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Examples:
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Writing with a broken pencil is pointless.
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I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger.
Then it hit me.
REVIEW
What is the difference between figurative and
literal language?
 How is a simile the same and different from a
metaphor?
 How can you tell if a metaphor is an extended
metaphor?
 What is personification?
 What are some examples of hyperbole?
 What is an allusion?
 Why would idioms make learning English
difficult?
 What is a pun?
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