Similes & Metaphors
“As busy as a bee” – What type of figurative language is this?
What is Simile
What is personification?
Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.
What does “hit the hay” mean?
To go to sleep.
Define hyperbole.
An extreme exaggeration used for effect.
Name one type of figurative language.
Simile, metaphor, personification, idiom, or hyperbole.
What type of figurative language is this: “The classroom was a zoo.”
What is metaphor
Identify the personification: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
The wind can’t whisper — it’s given a human action.
Explain the meaning of “break the ice.”
To start a conversation or make people feel more comfortable.
Identify the hyperbole: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”
“I could eat a horse.”
Identify this: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”
Simile
Explain what this metaphor means: “My brother is a night owl.”
He stays up late or prefers being awake at night.
Explain what this means: “The sun smiled down on us.”
It means it was bright and warm outside.
What does “piece of cake” mean?
Something very easy to do.
Explain why this is an exaggeration.
No one could really eat a horse; it’s used to show extreme hunger.
“The flowers danced in the breeze.” What type of figurative language is this?
Personification
Create your own simile about school.
Student-created response (uses “like” or “as”).
Create your own sentence using personification.
Student-created response (object doing human action).
Use an idiom correctly in a sentence.
Student-created response.
Write your own hyperbole about homework
Student-created response.
Identify the figurative language type: “He’s a shining star.”
Metaphor
Explain how similes and metaphors are different.
Similes use “like” or “as,” metaphors do not.
Why might an author use personification?
To make writing more vivid or expressive.
Why can idioms be confusing to English learners?
They don’t mean what the words literally say.
How does hyperbole make writing more interesting?
It adds humor, drama, and emphasis.
Challenge: Write one sentence that includes two types of figurative language.
Student-created (e.g., “My heart is a drum beating like thunder.”)