1. F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE It’s NOT Greek!

2. U NDERSTANDING THE C ONCEPT Language used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways; painting pictures with words. Figurative language can be found in poetry where the writing appeals to the senses. It compares two things in such a way that you find the comparison interesting or even a bit surprising. Painting a picture with WORDS!

3. C ATEGORIES OF F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE Imagery Metaphor Simile Analogy Irony Alliteration Personification Onomatopoeia Hyperbole Euphemism Oxymoron Idioms

4. I MAGERY Language used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways.

5. M ETAPHOR Figure of speech that uses one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. When you use a metaphor, you make a statement that doesn’t make sense literally, like “time is a thief”. Examples include: the world is my oyster you are a couch potato time is money he has a heart of stone I am a WALKING DICTIONARY; you’re a COUCH POTATO!

6. S IMILE A simile compares two things using the words “like” and “as.” Examples include: busy as a bee clean as a whistle they fought like cats and dogs sleep like a log

7. A NALOGY Comparable to metaphor and simile in that it shows how two different things are similar, but it’s a bit more complex. Show two things are alike in several ways.

8. I RONY The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Effect is usually humorous or emphatic.

9. A LLITERATION Alliteration is a repetition of the first consonant sounds in several words. Examples: I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop. Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.

10. P ERSONIFICATION Personification gives human characteristics to lifeless objects, animals, or ideas. Examples include: opportunity knocked on the door the sun greeted me this morning the sky was full of dancing stars the sun played hide and seek with the clouds

11. O NOMATOPOEIA Onomatopoeia is the use of words that sound like their meaning, or mimic sounds. They add a level of fun and reality to writing. Examples: beep, whirr, click, whoosh, swish, zap, zing, ping, clang, bong, hum, boom, munch, gobble, crunch, pow, smash, wham, quack, meow, oink, tweet

12. H YPERBOLE Outrageous exaggeration that emphasizes a point, and can be ridiculous or funny. Hyperboles can be added to fiction to add color and depth to a character. Examples are: You snore louder than a freight train. You could have knocked me over with a feather. The man is so angry, he has smoke coming out of his ears! The man is so hungry, he can eat a horse! The man’s nose is three feet long!

13. E UPHEMISM The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit. Examples: big-boned (fat) passed on (died) pre-owned car (used) restroom (toilet)

14. O XYMORON A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side. Examples: almost exactly blind eye business ethics first deadline just war make haste slowly

15. I DIOMS An expression having a special meaning different from the usual meanings of the words. Examples: fair weather friend something fishy two heads are better than one up the creek without a paddle

16. F IGURATIVE L ANGUAGE : R EVIEW Imagery Metaphor Simile Analogy Irony Alliteration Personification Onomatopoeia Hyperbole Euphemism Oxymoron Idioms