Metaphors
The teacher went around the room asking each student to read a paragraph in the book. I started to feel very nervous. Finally, it was my turn. I opened my mouth to speak, but my mouth was a sandy desert.
1. Identify the meaning
A. my mouth was hot
B. my mouth was dry
C. I had sand in my mouth
D. The class was in a desert
B. my mouth was dry
The math book is as heavy as an elephant! I'm going to leave it in my locker after class instead of carrying it in my backpack.
1. Identify the meaning of the simile
A. very heavy
B. very light
C. lives in a zoo
D. has a long trunk
A. very heavy
My friend and I finished the test quickly because it was a piece of cake.
1. Identify the meaning of the idiom
A. had sprinkles
B. delicious
C. easy
D. hard
C. easy
Jill's favorite season is winter! On December 1st, her town got a snow storm. Jill ran around her house yelling, "Our backyard is a blanket of snow!" Jill's dad screamed, "It's a refrigerator in here!" Jill's mom just wanted to sleep and said, "Silence is golden!"
1. Identify the 3 figurative language phrases
1. our backyard is a a blanket of snow
2. it's a refrigerator in here
3. silence is golden
Katy was so happy when she finally got a new bed! Her old bed was so hard but her new bed was a fluffy cloud.
1. Identify the metaphor
2. Identify the meaning
A. wet
B. round
C. soft
D. in the sky
1. her new bed was a fluffy cloud
2. soft
Quick as lightning, Mary finished her exam and raced out of the classroom to go home.
1. Identify the simile
2. Identify the meaning
A. slow
B. bright
C. there was a thunderstorm
D. fast
1. quick as lightning
2. fast
My mom read my mind and suggested we order pizza for dinner after soccer practice.
1. Identify the idiom
2. Identify the meaning of the idiom
A. ask a question
B. read a book
C. guess what someone is thinking
D. choose a restaurant
1. read my mind
2. C. guess what someone is thinking
Mindy just got a new job at a big company. She has been working like a dog! Her boss isn't very nice and yells at her almost every day. Last week, he told her she needed to redo a big project that took her 2 weeks to do. Mindy said, "That is the last straw!" and quit her job.
1. Identify all of the figurative language phrases in the story
1. she has been working like a dog
2. that is the last straw
My new puppy is teething and he keeps chewing on my fingers. His teeth are daggers! I have to give him a lot of chew toys so he doesn't hurt me.
1. Identify the metaphor
2. Identify what two things are being compared
3. Describe the meaning
1. his teeth are daggers
2. the puppy's teeth, daggers
3. his teeth are sharp
After soccer practice Chris was so tired that he slept like a log the whole night.
1. Identify the simile
2. Identify what two things are being compared
3. Describe the meaning
1. slept like a log
2. how Chris slept, what a log does/how it appears (stays still)
3. to sleep very well
Jamie wants to sign up for basketball, chess club, debate team, and the school newspaper for next year. Her mother said, "Make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew!"
1. Identify the idiom
2. Describe the meaning
1. don't bite off more than you can chew
2. try to do more than you are able to; take on an unachievable task
It is spring time. Yesterday, it was raining cats and dogs all night! My mom was so sleepy that she doesn't even remember the rain. She said her memory is a little cloudy. I was jumping for joy about the rain because I love stomping in all of the puddles!
1. Identify all the figurative language phrases
2. Choose one to explain the meaning
1. it was raining cats and dogs (raining a lot)
2. her memory is a little cloudy (she can't remember it well)
3. I was jumping for joy (I was excited)
"Your room is a pigsty! You are not going to Daniel's house until it's clean!" said Steven's mom.
1. Identify the metaphor
2. Identify what two things are being compared
3. Describe the meaning
4. Identify the context clues that helped you determine the meaning
1. your room is a pigsty
2. Steven's room, a pigsty
3. your room is messy/dirty
4. He can't leave until his room is clean (the opposite of how it is now)
Mia said, "I've been so busy this week, I can't wait to get out on Friday. I will be as free as a bird this weekend! It will be so nice to relax and to do whatever I want."
1. Identify the simile
2. Identify what two things are being compared
3. Describe the meaning
4. Identify the context clues that helped you determine the meaning
1. as free as a bird
2. Mia and a bird
3. carefree, not restrained by anything
4. During the week, Mia was very busy but this weekend she will be able to relax and do whatever she wants.
Sheldon heard from his sister that his mom was planning a surprise birthday party for him tomorrow. When he asked his mom about it, she said, "Who let the cat out of the bag?"
1. Identify the idiom
2. Describe the meaning
3. Identify what context clues helped you to determine the meaning
1. who let the cat out of the bag
2. to reveal a secret
3. It was a surprise party but Sheldon found out about it because his sister told him. His mom is upset and wants to know who told him.
Megan's sister just had a baby! She is going to go to meet the baby for the first time today. Megan's sister told her she needed to be as gentle as a lamb to keep the baby safe. When she arrived, Megan thought the baby was as cute as a button! She even got to feed the baby!
1. Identify all the figurative language phrases
2. Describe the meaning of all the figurative language
1. be as gentle as a lamb (be really gentle)
2. the baby was as cute as a button (really cute)