Comparisons
She was as busy as a bee during the class project
A simile — it compares her to a bee using “as.”
The wind whispered through the trees.
Personification - Wind cannot whisper.
“It’s raining cats and dogs.”
It means it’s raining very hard — not that animals are falling from the sky!
I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! What type of figurative language is this, and what does it mean?
Hyperbole — an exaggeration meaning the person is very hungry.
BOOM! The thunder shook the house.
Onomatopoeia. "Boom" imitates the sound of the thunder
The classroom was an oven by the end of the day
The classroom is being compared to an oven; it’s a metaphor because it doesn’t use like or as.
The alarm clock screamed at me to wake up. What figurative language is being used and what is this suggesting?
Personification - the alarm clock is given the trait of screaming which they cannot do. This sentence is saying that the alarm clock is loud and annoying
“Don’t cry over spilled milk.”
It means don’t get upset about something that can’t be changed.
This backpack weighs a ton. What type of figurative language is this, and what does it mean?
Hyperbole — an exaggeration meaning the backpack is heavy
The city never sleeps. What type of figurative language is used here, and what does it suggest?
Personification — the city is given the human quality of “never sleeping,” meaning it’s always busy and active
His smile was like sunshine breaking through the clouds
His smile and sunshine are compared (simile). It means his smile made people feel happy or brightened their day.
The flowers danced in the sunlight. What figurative language is being used and what is it suggesting?
Personification. This is saying that the flowers are moving gently in the breeze, described as dancing, a human action
“He really let the cat out of the bag.”
It means he revealed a secret — something that was supposed to stay hidden
I nearly died of embarrassment when I tripped in front of everyone. What type of figurative language is this, and what does it mean?
This is a hyperbole. It is an exaggeration to show how embarrassed the person was after tripping.
The test was a beast, but I fought through it and won.
Metaphor — the test is compared to a beast, showing it was difficult but he was able to power through.
The test was a mountain he had to climb
A metaphor — it suggests the test was challenging and required effort, like climbing a mountain.
The car coughed and sputtered before finally starting. What is the figurative language shown and what two human actions are used? What is the sentence saying?
Coughed and sputtered — both personify the car, showing it’s struggling to start.
“You’re skating on thin ice.”
It means you’re taking a risk or close to getting in trouble.
The two siblings had a love-hate relationship. What kind of figurative language is used, and what does it mean?
This is an example of an oxymoron. The sentence combines opposite ideas — love and hate. The two siblings annoy each other but still care for one another deeply
The old floorboards creaked under his feet as he tiptoed through the dark hallway.
Onomatopoeia: “Creaked.” The word imitates the actual sound of old wood bending when you walk.
Her voice was music, soft and full of color
A metaphor — her voice is compared to music, meaning it’s pleasant, soothing, or beautiful to hear.
Time marched forward, refusing to slow down for anyone. Identify the type of figurative language being shown and the meaning.
Personification. Time marched forward — time is given human action, meaning life moves on no matter what.
“When it comes to video games, she’s a walking encyclopedia.”
It means she knows a lot about video games — she’s extremely knowledgeable.
That dog was pretty ugly. What type of figurative language is this and why?
This is an oxymoron because the words pretty and ugly are opposite. The words contradict one another to create humor
After losing his phone, he was really in hot water. What is the figurative language being used and what does it mean?
This is an idiom and it means that he is in big trouble