Similes & Metaphors
This type of figurative language compares two things using the words 'like' or 'as.'
What is a simile?
This type of figurative language uses extreme exaggeration to make a point.
What is hyperbole?
This type of figurative language repeats the same beginning consonant sound in a series of words.
What is alliteration?
This type of figurative language gives human qualities or actions to animals, objects, or things in nature.
What is personification?
This type of figurative language places two opposite or contradictory words together, such as 'deafening silence.'
What is an oxymoron?
This type of figurative language compares two things without using 'like' or 'as.'
What is a metaphor?
Identify the hyperbole in this sentence: 'My backpack weighs a ton.'
What is 'weighs a ton'?
Identify the alliteration in this sentence: 'Silly snakes slither slowly.'
What is 'Silly snakes slither slowly'? The beginning /s/ sound repeats.
Identify the personification in this sentence: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'
What is 'the wind whispered'? The wind is given the human action of whispering.
This type of figurative language uses words that imitate sounds, such as 'buzz,' 'bang,' and 'crash.'
What is onomatopoeia?
Identify the figurative language: 'Her smile is like sunshine.'
What is a simile?
Identify the figurative language: 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!'
What is hyperbole?
Which sentence contains alliteration?
A. The dog ran outside.
B. Peter picked purple peppers.
C. The sun is hot.
What is B. 'Peter picked purple peppers'? The beginning /p/ sound repeats.
Which sentence contains personification?
A. The sun was hot.
B. The flowers danced in the breeze.
C. The flowers were colorful.
What is B. 'The flowers danced in the breeze'? Flowers are given the human action of dancing.
Identify the oxymoron in this sentence: 'After the argument, there was a deafening silence in the room.'
What is 'deafening silence'? The words contradict each other because deafening suggests an extremely loud sound, while silence means no sound.
Identify the figurative language: 'The classroom was a zoo.' Explain why.
What is a metaphor? It directly compares a classroom to a zoo without using 'like' or 'as.'
Explain what this hyperbole really means: 'I've told you a million times to clean your room!'
The speaker has repeated the request many times, but not literally a million times.
Identify the repeated beginning sound in this sentence: 'Busy bees buzzed beside the barn.' Explain how you know.
What is the /b/ sound? The words busy, bees, buzzed, beside, and barn all begin with the same consonant sound.
Explain the personification in this sentence: 'The alarm clock screamed at me to wake up.'
The alarm clock is given the human action of screaming. This emphasizes how loud or unpleasant the alarm sounds.
Identify TWO examples of onomatopoeia in this sentence: 'The bees buzzed outside as the rain went pitter-patter against the window.'
What are 'buzzed' and 'pitter-patter'? Both words imitate sounds.
Identify the figurative language and explain its meaning: 'My brother is a walking encyclopedia.'
What is a metaphor? It means his brother knows a lot of information.
Create your own example of hyperbole about being tired. Explain why it is a hyperbole.
Answers will vary. Example: 'I'm so tired I could sleep for a hundred years!' It exaggerates how tired the person feels.
Create your own sentence using alliteration with at least FOUR words that begin with the same consonant sound.
Answers will vary. Example: 'Five funny frogs found fresh fruit.' The beginning /f/ sound repeats.
Create your own example of personification using the moon. Explain what human quality or action you gave it.
Answers will vary. Example: 'The moon watched over the sleeping town.' The moon is given the human action of watching.
CHALLENGE: Identify BOTH types of figurative language in this sentence and explain each one:
'The room fell into deafening silence until the door slammed with a BANG!'
What are oxymoron and onomatopoeia?
'Deafening silence' is an oxymoron because the words contradict each other.
'BANG' is onomatopoeia because it imitates the sound of the door slamming.