Figurative Language How can I identify and interpret figurative language?

Simile That bug is as dead as a doornail. His back felt stiff as a board. Jason felt like a fish out of water. Ethan was like a bull in a china shop. A simile is a comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as”.

Famous similes “Your love is like a rollercoaster, baby.” “When I’m gone, I’ll miss you like a child misses her blanket.” “I love you like fat kid loves cake.”

Metaphor These biscuits are rocks. Raymond is a bear when he’s tired. After the hurricane, Jason was a wreck. A metaphor is a figure of speech that expresses an idea through comparison with another object, but metaphors do NOT use like or as.

Metaphor These biscuits are rocks. Raymond is a bear when he’s tired. After the hurricane, Jason was a wreck. Generally, metaphors use a form of the verb “to be.” See underlined examples above!

Famous metaphors “We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year.” –Pink Floyd “You be the prince and I’ll be the princess. It’s a love story, baby, just say yes.” –Taylor Swift http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esuQIMr8nNw&feature=related Generally, metaphors use a form of the verb “to be.” See underlined examples above!

Hyperbole “Strong as 10 regular men, definitely.” –Aladdin “You know I’d walk 1,000 miles if I could just see you tonight.” –Vanessa Carlton “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” Hyperbole is an exaggeration for emphasis or effect. Like other figurative language, hyperbole is used to create a certain image or idea, and is not meant to be taken literally.

I have said that about 50 times today. My fish is as big as a cat. I have a ton of video games. My fish has to be a million years old because I have had him for so long. My dog steals like a thief. I told you a million times not to run around the house. My grandpa is as old as dirt. I’m so hot, I think I might die! I’m roasting in this jacket. I think I ate so much that my stomach might explode.

Personification Have you ever noticed what cheerful things brooks are? They’re always laughing. Even in winter-time I’ve heard them under the ice. When we give human characteristics to a non-human object or idea, it is called personification.

Personification Have you ever noticed what cheerful things brooks are? They’re always laughing. Even in winter-time I’ve heard them under the ice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKexdSZNiLc&feature=related Obviously, we know brooks don’t laugh. However, by personifying the brooks, the author allows the reader to imagine the sound of the running water flowing in the brook.

Idioms “Yeah, that will happen when pigs fly!” “Break a leg!” An idiom is a phrase which people use in everyday language. It means something completely different than what the actual words mean.

onomatopoeia An onomatopoeia demonstrates a sound. The noisy chicken clucked her head off! The little kid slurped his soup. The bees buzzed into their hives. An onomatopoeia demonstrates a sound. They imitate the sound they sound like.

Alliteration The skunk sat on a stump. The sixth sheep is sick. Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or a group of sounds in a series of words.

Proverb/Adage Proverbs are popular sayings which contain advice Good things come to those who wait. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Proverbs are popular sayings which contain advice or state a generally accepted truth. It is old.

Adages and proverbs offer advice and observations about life Adages and proverbs offer advice and observations about life. You can build your knowledge of adages and proverbs by asking someone what they mean or by looking them up online. Read these examples of adages and proverbs. A watched pot never boils … means … Things you look forward to seem to take a long time to happen. You live, you learn … means … Mistakes can teach useful lessons. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you … means … Don’t hurt those who take care of you, or they may not want to take care of you anymore. Nothing ventured, nothing gained … means … You can’t expect to achieve something if you never even try to do it. The early bird catches the worm … means… If you start something early, you have a better chance of succeeding at it.

Tone Tone – The author’s implied attitude towards Never Never Disagree Never, never disagree with a shark beneath the sea, Least you feel a sudden crunch and discover you are lunch. -Jack Prelutsky . Tone – The author’s implied attitude towards the subject and audience ex: informal or formal, bitter, playful, serious

Word Splash Tone

Line: text consisting of a row of words written. Lines Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Line: text consisting of a row of words written.

Rhyme Scheme-patterns of rhyme between the lines of a poem. Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. Rhyme Scheme-patterns of rhyme between the lines of a poem.

A stanza is a set of lines in a poem. Poetry paragraph. Who Has Seen the Wind? Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by. A stanza is a set of lines in a poem. Poetry paragraph.