Figurative Language
3.RL.4
3.RL.4
“The baby was as quiet as a mouse.” What type of figurative language is this?
Simile
It compares the baby to a mouse using the word “as.”
“I walked to school.”
Is this first person or third person?
First Person
assage: Mia saw a new student sitting alone. She invited him to play.
Question: Which word best describes Mia?
A. Selfish
B. Kind
C. Lazy
D. Shy
Why?
B. Kind
Mia invited the new student to play.
Passage: The Garden Surprise
Beginning: Mia planted sunflower seeds in her garden.
Next: She watered the seeds every day and noticed tiny green sprouts.
Ending: Tall sunflowers grew, and Mia collected seeds to plant next year.
Question: What happens in the middle part of the story?
A. Mia collects seeds for next year.
B. Mia plants the seeds.
C. Mia waters the seeds and sees sprouts.
D. Mia gives the flowers to a friend.
Why?
C. Mia waters the seeds and sees sprouts.
The middle connects planting the seeds to the growth of the sunflowers.
Passage: The Missing Mittens
Emma looked everywhere for her red mittens. She checked her backpack and her desk. Finally, she found them under the classroom bookshelf.
Question: Where did Emma find her mittens?
A. Inside her backpack
B. Under the bookshelf
C. On her desk
D. Outside the classroom
B. Under the bookshelf
Text evidence: “She found them under the classroom bookshelf.”
“The classroom was a zoo!” Is this literal or nonliteral language?
nonliteral
Why?
“Mia walked to school.” Is this first person or third person?
Third person
Passage: Ben studied hard for his spelling test. He smiled when he earned a perfect score.
Question: How does Ben feel at the end?
A. Angry
B. Worried
C. Proud
D. Sad
Why?
C. Proud
Ben smiled after earning a perfect score.
Passage: The Lost Dog
Chapter 1: Ben discovers a small dog near his mailbox. The dog has no collar.
Chapter 2: Ben asks his neighbors if they recognize the dog. One neighbor remembers seeing a missing-dog poster.
Question: How does Chapter 2 build on Chapter 1?
A. It explains how Ben lost his own dog.
B. It shows Ben taking steps to find the dog's owner.
C. It introduces a new dog that Ben wants to keep.
D. It explains why the dog ran away from home.
Why?
B. It shows Ben taking steps to find the dog's owner.
Chapter 1 introduces the problem, and Chapter 2 shows Ben trying to solve it.
Passage: A Rainy Recess
Dark clouds filled the sky. Soon, rain began to fall. Mrs. Lee told the class to stay inside and play board games during recess.
Question: Why did the class stay inside during recess?
A. The students had a test.
B. Mrs. Lee wanted to read a story.
C. It was raining.
D. The playground was closed for repairs.
C. It was raining.
Text evidence: “Soon, rain began to fall.”
“Her voice was as sweet as honey.” What type of figurative language is used?
B. Simile
Who tells the story?
Narrator
Passage: Lily practiced the piano every day because she wanted to play at the school concert.
Question: Why did Lily practice the piano?
A. She wanted to perform at the concert.
B. She wanted to go outside.
C. She wanted to teach her friend.
D. She wanted to finish her homework.
Why?
A. She wanted to perform at the concert
Her goal motivated her to practice.
Passage: The School Play
Scene 1: Lily forgets her lines during rehearsal. She worries that she will ruin the play.
Scene 2: Her friend practices the lines with her after school. Lily begins to remember them.
Scene 3: Lily performs confidently in front of the audience.
Question: How does Scene 2 help prepare the reader for Scene 3?
A. It explains why Lily does not want to be in the play.
B. It introduces a problem that cannot be solved.
C. It shows how Lily practices and becomes ready to perform.
D. It explains how the audience learns the lines.
Why?
C. It shows how Lily practices and becomes ready to perform.
Scene 2 shows the practice that helps Lily succeed in Scene 3.
Passage: The Helpful Neighbor
Mr. Ortiz saw Mrs. Green carrying heavy grocery bags. He walked over and carried two bags to her front door. Mrs. Green thanked him with a big smile.
Question: Which detail best shows that Mr. Ortiz was helpful?
A. He went to the grocery store.
B. He carried two bags to Mrs. Green’s front door.
C. Mrs. Green smiled.
D. He walked down the street.
B. He carried two bags to Mrs. Green’s front door.
Text evidence: “He walked over and carried two bags to her front door.”
“The classroom was a freezer.” What does this sentence mean?
It means the classroom was very cold
“We played outside.” Which point of view is used?
First Person
Passage: Sam forgot his lunch. He asked his teacher for help, and she called his family.
Question: What happened because Sam asked for help?
A. He missed recess.
B. His teacher called his family.
C. He went home.
D. He lost his backpack.
Why?
Answer: B. His teacher called his family.
Sam's action led to the teacher calling his family.
Poem: The Little Seed
Stanza 1
A tiny seed lies in the ground,
With quiet earth all wrapped around.
Stanza 2
The rain falls down, the sunshine glows,
And from the soil a green shoot grows.
Stanza 3
It reaches up into the sky,
With leaves and petals growing high.
Question: How does Stanza 2 build on Stanza 1?
A. It explains what helps the seed begin to grow.
B. It describes a flower that has already died.
C. It tells where the seed came from.
D. It explains why the seed cannot grow.
Why?
A. It explains what helps the seed begin to grow.
Stanza 1 introduces the seed, and Stanza 2 describes the rain and sunshine that help it grow.
Passage: The Science Project
Marcus planted two bean seeds in separate cups. He gave one plant water every day but did not water the other. After one week, the watered seedling had green leaves. The other seedling looked dry.
Question: What can Marcus learn from his experiment?
A. Plants need water to grow well.
B. Plants grow better in the dark.
C. Seeds do not need soil.
D. All plants grow at the same speed.
A. Plants need water to grow well.
Text evidence: “The watered seedling had green leaves. The other seedling looked dry.”
“Break a leg!” said the actor’s friend. What does this phrase mean?
The actor should perform well.
“Break a leg” is an idiom that means good luck.
What are key words to look for if the writing is in first person?
I, me, we
Passage: Carlos planted a seed. He watered it each day. Soon, a small plant began to grow.
Question: Which action helped the plant grow?
A. Carlos picked the seed up.
B. Carlos watered the seed each day.
C. Carlos put the seed away.
D. Carlos forgot about the seed.
Why?
Answer: B. Carlos watered the seed each day.
Water helped the seed grow into a plant.
Passage: The Science Fair
Part 1: Ava wants to enter the science fair but does not know what to study.
Part 2: She observes how quickly ice melts in sunny and shady places. She records her results.
Part 3: Ava creates a chart showing her results and explains what she learned to the judges.
Question: Why is Part 2 important to the story?
A. It explains why Ava decides to leave the science fair.
B. It introduces the judges before Ava begins her project.
C. It shows the investigation that gives Ava information for her final presentation.
D. It tells what Ava does after the science fair ends.
Why?
C. It shows the investigation that gives Ava information for her final presentation.
Part 2 develops Ava's project and prepares for the presentation in Part 3.
Passage: The Lost Puppy
When Sofia heard a puppy barking near the park gate, she looked around for its owner. The puppy had no collar. Sofia asked a nearby adult to help her. Together, they took the puppy to an animal shelter, where workers checked for its owner.
Question: Why did Sofia ask an adult for help?
A. She wanted to take the puppy to school.
B. She wanted to keep the puppy a secret.
C. She needed help finding a safe way to help the puppy.
D. She wanted to leave the puppy at the park.
C. She needed help finding a safe way to help the puppy.
Text evidence: “Sofia asked a nearby adult to help her.” They took the puppy to an animal shelter.