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Free, educational handouts for teachers and parents* Number 336

Types of Figurative Language LÞÊ iVŽÞÊ°Ê-«ˆÛiÞ]Ê° `° 7iÊÕÃiÊfigurative languageÊ̜Ê`iÃVÀˆLiÊ>˜ÊœLiVÌ]Ê«iÀܘ]ʜÀÊ ÃˆÌÕ>̈œ˜ÊLÞÊVœ“«>Àˆ˜}ʈÌÊ̜ʜÀÊ܈̅Êܓi̅ˆ˜}ÊiÃi°ÊœÀÊiÝ>“«i]Ê º-…iʈÃÊ>ÃÊ«ÀiÌÌÞÊ>ÃÊ>Ê«ˆVÌÕÀi»Ê`iÃVÀˆLiÃʜÀÊVœ“«>ÀiÃÊ>Ê«ÀiÌÌÞÊ}ˆÀÊ ̜Ê>ÊLi>ṎvՏʫˆiViʜvÊ>À̰ʈ}ÕÀ>̈Ûiʏ>˜}Õ>}iʈÃÊȓ«ÞÊ>ÊÜ>ÞÊÌœÊ >``ÊVœœÀÊ>˜`Ê`i«Ì…Ê̜Ê܅>ÌʈÃʜ̅iÀ܈ÃiÊ>ÊL>˜`ÊÃÌ>Ìi“i˜Ì]ʺ-…iÊ ˆÃÊ«ÀiÌÌÞ°»Ê-ÌÕ`i˜ÌÃÊ܅œÊ…>Ûiʏ>˜}Õ>}iÊ`ˆvwVՏ̈iÃʓ>ÞÊÃÌÀÕ}}iÊ ÌœÊVœ“«>ÀiʈÌi“ÃʜÀÊÈÌÕ>̈œ˜ÃÊ̅>Ìʅ>ÛiʘœÊÀi>ÊVœ˜˜iV̈œ˜ÊÌœÊ i>V…ʜ̅iÀÊ­i°}°]Ê}ˆÀÉ«ˆVÌÕÀi®°Ê-œ“iʜvÊ̅iÃiÊÃÌÕ`i˜ÌÃʓ>ÞÊiÛi˜Ê V…>i˜}iÊ̅iÊÃÌ>Ìi“i˜ÌÊ>˜`Ê>À}Õi]ʺ½ÛiÊÃii˜Ê>ÀÌÊ̅>ÌʈÃÊÕ}Þ°Ê -…iʈÃÊ«ÀœL>LÞÊÕ}Þt»

Figurative Language Definitions and Examples SimileÊqÊ
ÊȓˆiÊ­sim-uh‡ii®ÊÕÃiÃÊ̅iÊܜÀ`ÃÊ“like”ʜÀÊ“as”Ê̜ÊVœ“«>ÀiÊÌÜœÊ iÝ«ˆVˆÌÞÊ՘ˆŽiÊ̅ˆ˜}ÃÊ>ÃÊLiˆ˜}Êȓˆ>À°Ê/…iÊÃi˜Ìi˜Viʺœ“ʈÃÊas busy asÊ>ÊLii»Ê«>ˆ˜ÌÃÊ >ʓi˜Ì>Ê«ˆVÌÕÀiʜvÊœ“ÊÃÜ>À“ˆ˜}Ê>ÀœÕ˜` likeÊ>ÊLiiÊ܅i˜ÊÅi½ÃÊLÕÃްʺ"ÕÀʜ`ÊV>ÌÊ “œÛiÃÊ>ÀœÕ˜`Êlikeʓœ>ÃÃiÃʈ˜Ê܈˜ÌiÀ̈“i»Ê“i>˜ÃÊ̅>ÌÊ̅iÊV>ÌʓœÛiÃÊ>ÀœÕ˜`ʏˆŽiÊ̅ˆVŽ]ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ ÃœÜ‡“œÛˆ˜}ʓœ>ÃÃið MetaphorÊqÊ
ʓiÌ>«…œÀÊ­met-uh‡v>ÜÀ]ʇviÀ®ÊÃÕ}}iÃÌÃÊܓi̅ˆ˜}ʜÀÊܓiœ˜iÊ actually becomesʜÀÊisÊܓi̅ˆ˜}ÊiÃi°Êº >`Êis a bearÊ܅i˜Ê…i½Ãʓ>`°»Êº/…iÊV…ˆ`Ài˜Ê wereÊ>˜}ÀÞÊhornetsÊLivœÀiÊi>̈˜}ʏ՘V…°»ÊiÌ>«…œÀÃÊÕÃiʓœÀiÊëiVˆwVÊܜÀ`ÃʏˆŽiÊis, are, was,ʜÀÊwereÊ̜ʫ>ˆ˜ÌÊ>ʓi˜Ì>Ê«ˆVÌÕÀiʜvÊ >`Ê>VÌÕ>ÞÊLiˆ˜}Ê>ʓ>`ÊLi>À]Ê>˜`Ê̅iʅ՘}ÀÞÊ V…ˆ`Ài˜ÊLiˆ˜}Ê>˜}ÀÞʅœÀ˜iÌÃÊLivœÀiÊ}iÌ̈˜}Êܓi̅ˆ˜}Ê̜Êi>ÌtÊ/…iÀiʈÃʘœÊ“like”ʜÀÊ“as” ˆ˜ÊVœ“«>Àˆ˜}Ê̅iÊÌܜ° PersonificationÊqÊ*iÀܘˆwV>̈œ˜Ê­«iÀ‡Ãœ˜‡uh‡w‡kay-shuh-n®Ê}ˆÛiÃÊ>˜ˆ“>ÃʜÀÊ ˆ˜>˜ˆ“>ÌiʜLiVÌÃʅՓ>˜‡ˆŽiÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈Vðʺ/…iÊsoft voice of the waterfall serenaded “iÊ̜ÊÏii«°»Ê˜Ê̅ˆÃÊÃi˜Ìi˜Vi]Ê̅iÊÜ>ÌiÀv>Ê…>ÃÊLii˜Ê}ˆÛi˜Ê̅iʅՓ>˜ÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈VÊ œvʅ>ۈ˜}Ê>ʺÜvÌÊۜˆVi»Ê̅>ÌʺÃiÀi˜>`iûʜÀÊȘ}ÃÊ̅iÊÜÀˆÌiÀÊ̜ÊÏii«°Ê“My dog, Bitsy, counted the minutes ՘̈Ê…iÀʘiÝÌʓi>°»Ê/…ˆÃÊÃÕ}}iÃÌÃÊ̅>ÌÊ ˆÌÃÞʎ˜œÜÃʅœÜÊ̜ÊVœÕ˜ÌÊ ˆŽiÊ>ʅՓ>˜°Ê OnomatopoeiaÊqÊ"˜œ“>̜«œiˆ>Ê­œ˜‡uh-mat-uh-pee-uh®ÊˆÃÊ>ÊܜÀ`Ê̅>ÌÊ`iÃVÀˆLiÃÊ>Ê natural soundʜÀÊthe sound made by an object or a certain action.Ê >`ʏˆÌÊ̅iÊvÕÃi]Ê>˜`Ê º*"7t»Ê̅iÊwÀiVÀ>VŽiÀÊiÝ«œ`i`°Ê
ʅœÀÀˆLiʺ À>Åt»ÊÜ՘`i`Ê>ÃÊ̅iÊÛ>ÃiʅˆÌÊ̅iÊyœœÀ°Ê ,i“i“LiÀÊ̅iʺ<œœ“t»Êº<>«t»Êº*œÜt»Êœ˜Ê̅iʜ`Ê/6ÊŜÜöÊ/…iÃiÊ>Àiʜ˜œ“>̜«œiˆ>ð HyperboleÊqÊ
ʅޫiÀLœiÊ­…Þ‡pur-buh‡ii®ÊˆÃÊ>ÊÃÌ>Ìi“i˜ÌÊÜÊiÝ>}}iÀ>Ìi`Ê̅>ÌÊ ˜œÊœ˜iÊLiˆiÛiÃʈÌÊ̜ÊLiÊÌÀÕi°Êº >`Ê`À>˜ŽÊa million gallonsʜvÊÜ>ÌiÀÊ>vÌiÀʅˆÃÊÀ՘°»Ê7iÊ >ÊŽ˜œÜÊ̅>ÌÊ̅ˆÃʈÃʘœÌÊ«œÃÈLi°Ê/…iÊiÝ>}}iÀ>̈œ˜ÊœvÊ>ʓˆˆœ˜Ê}>œ˜ÃʈÃÊȓ«ÞÊvœÀÊ www.handyhandouts.comÊUÊ^ÊÓ䣣Ê-Õ«iÀÊ Õ«iÀ®Ê*ÕLˆV>̈œ˜ÃÊUÊÜÜÜ°ÃÕ«iÀ`Õ«iÀˆ˜V°Vœ“

i“«…>ÈÃÊ̜Ê`iÃVÀˆLiÊ̅iʏ>À}iʵÕ>˜ÌˆÌÞʜvÊÜ>ÌiÀÊ >`Ê>VÌÕ>ÞÊ`À>˜Ž°Êºʎ˜œÜÊÊV…>˜}i`Ê Ì…iÊL>LÞ½ÃÊ`ˆ>«iÀÊa thousand timesÊ̜`>޻ʈÃÊ>˜œÌ…iÀÊiÝ>“«iʜvÊ>Ê Àˆ`ˆVՏœÕÃÊiÝ>}}iÀ>̈œ˜° IdiomÊqÊ
˜Êˆ`ˆœ“Ê­id‡ii‡uh‡“®ÊˆÃÊ>˜ÊiÝ«ÀiÃȜ˜Ê܅œÃiʓi>˜ˆ˜}Ê ˆÃʘœÌÊ«Ài`ˆVÌ>LiÊvÀœ“Ê̅iÊÕÃÕ>Ê“i>˜ˆ˜}ÃʜvÊ̅iÊܜÀ`ÃÊ̅>Ìʓ>ŽiÊ ˆÌÊÕ«]Ê>Ãʈ˜Ê“He’s a couch potato,”ʜÀÊ“Hold your horses.”ÊÊ`ˆœ“ÃÊ`œÊ ˜œÌÊ«ÀiÃi˜ÌʺˆŽi»ÊV…>À>VÌiÀˆÃ̈VÃÊ̜ʜ̅iÀÊ̅ˆ˜}ÃÊ>Ãʈ˜ÊœÌ…iÀÊvœÀ“ÃʜvÊ w}ÕÀ>̈Ûiʏ>˜}Õ>}i°Ê"˜iʘii`ÃÊ̅iÊVœ˜ÌiÝÌʜvÊ̅iÊÃi˜Ìi˜ViÊ̜ʅi«Ê ՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`Ê̅iʈ`ˆœ“°Ê ClichésÊqÊ ˆV…jÃÊ>ÀiÊÃÌ>Ìi“i˜ÌÃÊ̅>Ìʅ>ÛiÊLii˜Ê…i>À`ÊÜʜvÌi˜Ê̅>ÌÊ̅iˆÀʜ˜ViÊ VœœÀvՏʫ>Þʜ˜ÊܜÀ`Ãʅ>ÃÊLiVœ“iÊiÝ«iVÌi`Ê>˜`ÊÃÌ>i°ÊœÀÊiÝ>“«i]ʺ ˆÀ`ÃʜvÊ>Êvi>̅iÀÊ yœVŽÊ̜}i̅iÀ°»Êº
ÊÀœˆ˜}ÊÃ̜˜iÊ}>̅iÀÃʘœÊ“œÃð»Êº ÛiÀÞÊVœÕ`ʅ>ÃÊ>ÊȏÛiÀʏˆ˜ˆ˜}°»Ê º>˜Þʅ>˜`Ãʓ>Žiʏˆ}…ÌÊܜÀŽ°»Ê>˜ÞÊ̈“iÃÊޜÕÊ܈Ê…i>À]ʺ7i]ÊޜÕʎ˜œÜÊ܅>ÌÊ̅iÞÊ Ã>Þo»Ê܅ˆV…Ê܈ÊÕÃÕ>ÞÊLiÊvœœÜi`ÊLÞÊ>ÊVˆV…jʏˆŽiÊ̅iʜ˜iÃʏˆÃÌi`Ê>LœÛi°Ê/…i˜Ê̅iÊ «iÀܘÊ̜Ê܅œ“Ê̅iÊVˆV…jÊÜ>ÃÊ`ˆÀiVÌi`ʓ>ÞÊvœœÜÊÕ«Ê܈̅Ê̅iʵÕiÃ̈œ˜Ã]ʺ7…œÊ>ÀiÊ “they”Ê>˜ÞÜ>Þ¶Ê7…>ÌÊ`œÊtheyʎ˜œÜ¶» ˆ}ÕÀ>̈Ûiʏ>˜}Õ>}iʈÃÊȓ«ÞÊ>ÊVœœÀvՏÊÜ>ÞÊ̜ÊiÝ«ÀiÃÃÊ>˜ÊœÌ…iÀ܈ÃiÊLœÀˆ˜}Ê ÃÌ>Ìi“i˜Ì°Ê9œÕÊV>˜ÊÃiiʅœÜÊÛiÀÞÊޜ՘}ÊV…ˆ`Ài˜]ÊV…ˆ`Ài˜Ê܈̅ÊëiVˆ>Ê˜ii`ÃʜÀʏ>˜}Õ>}iÊ `iwVˆÌÃ]ʜÀÊ -Ê­ ˜}ˆÃ…Ê>ÃÊ>Ê-iVœ˜`Ê>˜}Õ>}i®ÊÃÌÕ`i˜ÌÃʓ>Þʅ>ÛiÊÌÀœÕLiÊ՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`ˆ˜}Ê Ì…iÃiÊÌÞ«iÃʜvÊiÝ«ÀiÃȜ˜Ã°Ê7…i˜ÊޜÕÀÊV…ˆ`ʅ>ÃÊÌÀœÕLiÊ՘`iÀÃÌ>˜`ˆ˜}Êfigurative language,ʅi«ÊޜÕÀÊV…ˆ`ÊÃiiÊ̅iÊVœ“«>ÀˆÃœ˜ÃʜÀÊ`iÃVÀˆ«Ìˆœ˜ÃʜvÊobjects, people, or ideas presented as being like or taking on the characteristics of something that is completely different. For more Handy Handouts®, go to www.handyhandouts.com.

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