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Number 336
Types of Figurative Language
LÞÊiVŽÞÊ°Ê-«ˆÛiÞ]Ê°`°
7iÊÕÃiÊfigurative languageÊ̜Ê`iÃVÀˆLiÊ>˜ÊœLiVÌ]Ê«iÀܘ]ʜÀÊ
ÈÌÕ>̈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>ÞÊ̜Ê
>``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
̜ÊVœ“«>ÀiʈÌi“ÃʜÀÊÈÌÕ>̈œ˜ÃÊ̅>Ìʅ>ÛiʘœÊÀi>ÊVœ˜˜iV̈œ˜Ê̜Ê
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
SimileÊqÊÊȓˆiÊ­sim-uh‡ii®ÊÕÃiÃÊ̅iÊܜÀ`ÃÊ“like”ʜÀÊ“as”Ê̜ÊVœ“«>ÀiÊÌܜÊ
iÝ«ˆVˆÌÞÊ՘ˆŽiÊ̅ˆ˜}ÃÊ>ÃÊLiˆ˜}Êȓˆ>À°Ê/…iÊÃi˜Ìi˜Viʺœ“ʈÃÊas busy asÊ>ÊLii»Ê«>ˆ˜ÌÃÊ
>ʓi˜Ì>Ê«ˆVÌÕÀiʜvʜ“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
Ϝ܇“œÛˆ˜}ʓœ>ÃÃið
MetaphorÊqÊʓiÌ>«…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>ÌʈÌÃÞʎ˜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`°ÊʅœÀÀˆL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
HyperboleÊqÊʅޫiÀLœ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«iÀÊÕ«iÀ®Ê*ÕLˆV>̈œ˜ÃÊUÊÜÜÜ°ÃÕ«iÀ`Õ«iÀˆ˜V°Vœ“
i“«…>ÈÃÊ̜Ê`iÃVÀˆLiÊ̅iʏ>À}iʵÕ>˜ÌˆÌÞʜvÊÜ>ÌiÀÊ>`Ê>VÌÕ>ÞÊ`À>˜Ž°ÊºÊŽ˜œÜÊÊV…>˜}i`Ê
̅iÊL>LÞ½ÃÊ`ˆ>«iÀÊa thousand timesÊ̜`>޻ʈÃÊ>˜œÌ…iÀÊiÝ>“«iʜvÊ>Ê
Àˆ`ˆVՏœÕÃÊiÝ>}}iÀ>̈œ˜°
IdiomÊqʘʈ`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]ʺˆÀ`ÃʜvÊ>Êvi>̅iÀÊ
yœVŽÊ̜}i̅iÀ°»ÊºÊÀœˆ˜}ÊÃ̜˜iÊ}>̅iÀÃʘœÊ“œÃð»ÊºÛiÀÞÊV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
̅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.
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