FINDING
FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
Bell-Ringers & Task Cards
METAPHOR & SIMILE
PERSONIFICATION
ONOMATOPOEIA
ALLITERATION
OXYMORON
1. The cell phone alarm on vibrate sounded like a jackhammer against Rachel’s wooden night stand. She
opened her eyes to see the sun peering into her bedroom through the opening in the curtains. Outside her
window, there was a dull roar as the plow cleared the streets from the storm that had attacked her town
through the night. She looked outside to see a blanket of snow laying on top of her back yard. Rachel
hoped that this meant she would be able to crawl back into her cozy, comfortable bed and curl up in the
covers. The radio’s buzzing sound died down as she tuned it to the local station. It was like music to her
ears when the radio announcer said, “All schools are closed.”
2. Like a detective, I searched the nursing home corridors until I saw him in a wheelchair by the open
window. His eyes were pools of blue staring out at the first rays of sunshine tiptoeing through the garden.
I brushed my fingers through his snow white hair and kissed his forehead. “Hi, Grandpa,” I said. There
was a deafening silence as there was every morning. Time ticked by as I talked to him and told him about
my week. It was a one-sided conversation. I often wished we had spoken more before he had poor health.
I held his hand and hoped that he knew I was there.
3. Richard drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair waiting for his name to be called. The whirring of
the drills increased his anxiety, but he held his head high with a sort of cowardly courage. Richard brushed
and flossed his teeth like clockwork to avoid the wrath of the dentist’s tools, so the news that he had four
cavities certainly took him by surprise. He looked over to see the receptionist’s poppy red hair peeking up
from the high desk. When her voice called out his name, he felt like he was sinking in quicksand. A polite,
sad smile came across his face as he stood up for his appointment.
4. The marker shook like a leaf as Angela wrote her name on the board in the front of the room. She had
spent a stressful yet successful year in school studying education, but this was her first day as a student
teacher. This school was not her first choice, but when the opportunity knocked at her door, she decided to
answer. The ding of the bell indicated the start of class, and her students were a pack of wolves when they
came into the room. She immediately knew this class was going to be a challenge, so her only choice
would be to use tough love. She introduced herself politely but laid down the rules immediately.
5. Holly put on the beautiful charcoal gown and placed the cap on her head like a crown. Her four years of
school had reached the final chapter, and she would be walking across the stage to receive her diploma
today. This was a bittersweet moment. While she would be celebrating her success as a star student, she
would also be saying so long to her friends.
She was honored to be selected as valedictorian. When she reached the podium, the words leapt off the
paper. Her voice cracked with emotion as she talked about how quickly time had flown by. She also
mentioned many of the marvelous memories they made as a class.I held his hand and hoped that he knew I
was there.
6. James locked up the store and started his walk home. Tonight, as he stepped onto the evil path, he was
unusually struck with fear. The harsh, wild winds whistling through the trees sent shivers down his spine.
While tonight was really no different than any other, the frightening thoughts continued to be stuck in the
prison of his mind. He imagined the living dead crawling out from the ground and ghosts and goblins
growling on the winding path. The night, as black as coal, was in stark contrast against the brilliance of his
cell phone, a comforting torch that was lighting his way.
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7. Mary and John nervously walked into the counselor's office for their appointment. They sat on the leafy
green couch awkwardly waiting for the other to speak. John spoke first. His thoughts and feelings soon
gushed out like water from a faucet. Mary’s icy stare showed her displeasure with his forthcoming nature, but
the counselor quickly calmed her by cutting him off. When the end of session alarm clock sprang to life and
began to buzz, Mary was ready to flee the scene of the investigation. With the anger boiling up inside her, she
knew that a fight would take place once they were alone together.
8. Jody woke from her sleep to a faint crackling sound outside her bedroom. Narrowing her eyes on the door,
she noticed smoke billowing in from the edges. As a panic response, she opened it to see a bright burning blaze
wrapping its arms around the hallway leading to her room. Jody let out a screech, hoping her parents would
hear her. Streams of water fell down her cheeks as the heat drew closer and closer. Though she was unable to
see from the smoke in the room, she heard a crash from the window. A fireman, her savior, scooped her up in
his arms and brought her down the ladder to safety.
9. Caleb rushed to the mailbox and grabbed the letter he had been waiting for. The loud rip from the paper was
like music to his ears. A Cheshire cat smile emerged as he pulled the letter out of the envelope. The words hit
him like a ton of bricks: “We regret to inform you that your application has been denied.” The skies of his
future began to darken. He was clearly confused since he had Einstein-like grades and had participated in lots
of extracurricular activities. How could they not accept him? The letter was taunting him, so he threw it to the
ground. After years of moving forward toward his goals, Caleb felt his life come to a screeching halt.
10. Drops of water sizzled on the burner as Martha dropped each potato into the pot. This was her first time
cooking a feast for Fredrick’s family, and she wanted it to be delicious. She was concerned the turkey she
bought months early would be freezer burnt, but she was pleasantly surprised that it looked so fresh. The smell
of the turkey wafted in her direction and lingered for a while. She flew around the kitchen like a busy bee until
everything was perfect. Right on queue, she heard a ding dong; her guests had arrived! She took a deep breath
and opened the door.
11. Sam moved the window cover up revealing the wing of the plane cutting through the marshmallow clouds
with lightning speed. He flew for his job often, so the routine felt like clockwork until he heard a few creaks
and bangs from underneath his seat. The pilot’s nervously calm voice came over the intercom indicating that
we would be making an emergency landing in Montreal. Sam could see the plane was suffering as it was
sputtering every few seconds. The passengers, like frightened children, began to panic while they the
descended. The crash landing sent Sam flying in his seat. He was thankful to be alive!
12. Sadie sat down at the computer, opened a browser, and typed in the web address. Shopping online had
recently become a sport for her. She loved eBay and took great pleasure in outbidding an opponent for a
desired item. She had her eye on a blood red blanket that would be beautiful in her basement living room. As
the auction clock ticked down, her finger waited, like a poisonous snake, ready to strike. Just as she submitted
the bid, her computer threw a fit and shut the browser completely down. “Good grief!” she exclaimed.
13. The egg cracked open on the edge of the forest green dish, and the contents sizzled when they hit the redhot pan. George wanted to show Bonnie how much he loved her with breakfast in bed on her birthday. He slid
the spatula under the pancake on the other burner and flicked his wrist like he was waving a wand. The
pancake flew up and landed raw side down. Shortly after, the bagel jumped up out of the toaster, and he moved
the larger half quickly over to the plate as if he were holding a hot ember. The sweet bitter cranberry juice
poured into a glass was the finaltouch. George was no chef, but he thought it looked awfully good.
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14. The girls found a spot on the couch in front of the TV to watch the horror flick. Sarah was not terribly
pleased by the film selection since she was a self-proclaimed scaredy-cat. She spent the majority of the
film with her head in a pillow letting out silent screams. The sinister and spooky storyline sent chills down
Sarah’s spine. At one point in the film, a jet black cat let out an evil hiss, and Sarah’s popcorn leapt out of
her bowl. The film was like a ticking time bomb exploding with every new twist and turn. Sarah decided
that next time she would pass on movie night.
15. Eating healthy was like a chore for Katie. Although she knew her eating habits were far from nutritious,
she was prone to devouring delectable foods that were disgustingly delicious. When it came to sweets, in
particular, she was a moth to a flame. Although she hoped to start making smart eating decisions, the
chocolate cake in the fridge was calling her name. She couldn’t help but grab a fork, plunge it into the
middle, and chomp away until it magically disappeared. Soon after, she filled a glass with ghost white milk
and gulped it down in one go. “Maybe the diet will start tomorrow,” Katie thought.
16. When Jerry’s boss left him a voicemail asking him to relocate to Chicago, the decision was not a piece
of cake. He had already begun putting down roots in Cleveland, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to uproot his
life again. With his new promotion, work already seemed to swallow up so much of his spare time. He
sometimes felt like a chicken with its head cut off, running around aimlessly for something he really didn’t
care about. He picked up the phone to return the call, still absolutely unsure of what he was going to do.
The ring of the phone in his ear only served to heighten his anxiety.
17. When Joan woke up to the sun staring in her window, she knew her only choice was to go to the beach
for the day. She grabbed her sky blue beach bag and barreled out the door. When she arrived, her car
screeched to a halt in the parking lot, and she was ready for a day of relaxation.
The warm, fine sand felt like powder under her feet. She laid her towel out and adjusted the sand beneath
her until she found a spot to rest. The sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds, but even in the shade
the air was warm and comforting. Even the caws of the seagulls overheard were like lullabies putting her to
sleep.
18. Megan stared amazed by the mountainous skyscrapers and wondered why she had never visited New
York before. The yellow and black cabs lined the streets like bees searching for honey. She eagerly jumped
in one, clicked the door shut, and headed to Broadway. The cab driver made a rolling stop, and Megan
exited the vehicle in what she considered the heart of New York City. The luminous lights and larger than
life billboards gave her a rollercoaster of emotions. She knew now, more than ever, that NYC is truly the
city that never sleeps.
19. Mark always seemed to be trying to outwit our parents, but this last stunt was his crowning achievement.
Mark secretly snuck down the stairway at night and out of the house to go to the start of the school year
party. When he arrived home the next morning, he climbed the tree by this window and tumbled in like an
acrobat. When he went downstairs for breakfast, he attempted to act naturally, but failed miserably. When
Mom and Dad started asking me questions, I knew they were fishing for information. Mark knew if he was
caught, he could kiss his weekends goodbye!
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20. The annual community picnic was an event not to be missed. This year, the sun stretched its shining
arms around the park, and the sunflowers danced from side to side. The picnic table was packed with
palatable snacks and delicious pop in plastic glasses. Frisbees made a whizzing sound as they flew from
person to person, and loud splashes came from the kiddie pool. The relay race was taken very seriously.
Some thought it was as competitive as the Olympic games. The only difference was that none of the
competitors were very good, so they had even odds of winning. All in all, it was a great event this year.
21. Ray knew that the entertainment industry was known for chewing people up and spitting them out, but
he ignored this fact and decided to follow his dreams. He packed up his pick up and pulled out of his
parking lot with the destination of Nashville on his GPS. Although his dusty brown guitar was pretty ugly,
the melodic twang sound it made when he plucked the strings made up for its appearance. Ray also used
his own experiences when writing his lyrics. He had his heart broken into a million pieces and felt very
blue for a long time. He put these emotions into his songs, and it made his music stronger.
22. My uncle’s wedding was fit for a king. The stained glass windows in the church let the sun peer in at
the beautiful bride. The whistle of the flutes as she walked down the aisle sounded like morning birds.
When the couple said, “I do” and were announced as man and wife, the crowd erupted in a volcano of
cheers.
The reception was rich with royal reds and blues, and a tinkling chandelier hung from the ceiling. The
appetizers featured scallops, lobster, and jumbo shrimp. The reception died down at about 1:00 a.m. It was
a night to remember.
23. Diane couldn’t wait for Christmas morning. She had hoped her hand held tablet would be waiting
under the tree to be opened. They flew so quickly off the shelves when they went on sale last week, but
she didn’t get there in time. When she asked her parents if they bought it, they teased, “definitely maybe.”
On Christmas morning, Diane’s parents handed her the first gift. She ripped the paper open like a
misbehaving puppy. She screamed, “Ahhh!” when she saw the tablet peek out from the wrapping paper.
24. Ben passed his money to the ticket lady. He had never experienced virtual reality before, so he was
shaking like a leaf with excitement. He sat down, put the helmet on, and was immediately transported to
the Jurassic Period. He heard the crunch of leaves beneath his feet and the wind whispering and whistling
as he walked. He turned his head, and to his surprise, a boiling mad T-Rex was staring at him as if he was
a tasty meal. The dinosaur towered over Ben. He ran like the wind, but the dinosaur was right on his heels
gliding like a ballerina. Just as he was about to attack, the helmet shut off! The experience came to an
end.
25. When Rick broke the bad news, my world started spinning around. It felt as if he had stabbed me in the
back. He turned towards the table, took his keys and wallet, and said, “Have a good life.” The angry door
banged shut. Any love I had for him walked out with him when he left.
Months later, I saw him in a coffee shop. I attempted to appear invisible, so he wouldn’t come over to talk
to me, but I was unsuccessful. When they came face to face, an awkward silence crept up between us. I
waited for an apology, but like a heartless monster, he pretended as if nothing happened.
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26. My drive to work is usually quite uneventful, but today was a totally different story. I was driving on
Coverdale Road, when, out of nowhere, a ruby red Cadillac jumped out in front of me. Although I thought I
was driving at a snail’s pace, it was clear the car was in some distress. The loud crash rang in my ears for a few
minutes afterwards. I didn’t think I was hurt too badly, but when a small crowd began to gather, and I heard
concerned whispers, I wasn’t so sure. When I put my hand to my bloody head and it hurt, I was horrified. A
paramedic pulled me from my Pontiac and placed me on a gurney.
27. By the third inning, the home team was in a fine mess. They were down by two runs, but they knew their
savior came up to bat next. Antonio held the bat like it was an extension of himself. His laser eyes stared at
the pitcher. The first pitch whizzed as it flew past home plate, and the umpire screamed, “Strike!” Antonio
stood staring at second base wondering if Steven would steal. The pitcher readied himself for the second pitch.
When it flew in, the crack of the bat sounded like lightning, and the ball screamed as it flew into the stands.
28. Nancy picked up her book, pressed her nose against the cover, and inhaled a long sniff. She absolutely
loved the smell of books. According to her English teacher, this one was a new classic, so she treated the book
like a precious treasure. Sitting down on her puffy, cloud chair, she opened to the first page. The words flew
off the page, and it didn’t take long until they started to tug at her heart strings. Nancy always cared about the
characters; she even cried when they cried! The tears rolled down her cheeks like rain, and she knew this was
going to be an awfully good book.
29. A dark light from the alleyway glanced around the corner as Samantha made her way home from class. This
was the first time she had walked home alone, and with the hissing and creaking sounds of the neighborhood,
she regretted it immediately. Like a race horse, Samantha quickened her pace as she walked on. The few stars
in the tar black sky stared down at her menacingly as she approached the gloomy path leading to her front
stoop. The snake-like trail sneered as Samantha as she strode in the direction of home. Her gate welcomed
her, and she finally felt that she was safe.
30. Holly’s acting career skyrocketed a few years ago after her role in a film with Hollywood’s leading man.
This left her with a truckload of money and a prominent spot on the front page of every magazine.
After some time, Holly was old news and getting an acting job seemed impossible. She realized that she had
become an unpopular celebrity, and her days being subjected to the clicking cameras of paparazzi were over.
Like a spoiled child, Holly threw a tantrum to her agent. Her agent said that new jobs were simply not
knocking, and there was nothing he could do.
31. Amy heard her Bassett Hound’s booming bark before barely touching the door knob. When she finally got
the door open, the dog’s paws, two solid bricks, landed square in her belly causing her to keel over. She and
Sparky had a bit of a love-hate relationship.
Sparky danced around the kitchen waiting for his daily treat. Like a circus clown, he performed all of the tricks
he knew before Amy even gave a command. Although he was a full-time job, Amy loved her puppy.
32. The palm trees bowing their heads in the salty, tropical breeze and the crash of the waves on the sand
brought a smile to Jennifer’s face. Although she was happy to be enjoying the perks of Hawaii, this was still
very much a working holiday.
Her days were spent imprisoned in a conference room with the rest of her inmate colleagues. Listening to
presentations on bookkeeping and bonds with the beautiful beach outside was truly a burden. When the day
ended, Jennifer left the building like an animal breaking free from its crate.
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33. Jimmy’s chair felt like a jail cell in the front of the classroom. Although the class was only 60 minutes, to
him it seemed to last for an endless hour. Mrs. Peters had put him in the front to prevent his predictable
misbehaviors. Jimmy took the pencils off the front desk and began breaking them in half. Each time Mrs.
Peters heard the snapping sound, her anger would grow. She was completely fed up with him, and she was
about to volcanically erupt. Her eyes, raging with fury, were like daggers staring at the back of his head. It
was clear that Jimmy would be spending time at the principal’s office in the near future.
34. A tattered paper clung desperately to the telephone pole by two staples. The poster read, “Found
Missing: Golden Retriever.” Josh looked closely at the photo as his mind attempted to retrieve the memory
of where he saw this dog from the files in his brain. The memory was like a bolt of lightning. “Ah ha!” he
roared when he remembered regularly seeing him on his route home at a neighbor’s house. There was a
quick rip sound as he tore the number from the bottom of the page. Josh felt like a detective solving a
mystery as he began inputting the number in his phone.
35. The door creaked as Missy and Wendy opened it to reveal their apartment. It was no mansion, but it was
all they could afford to sublet. The walls, lined in a random patterned wallpaper, looked completely
depressed. Cobwebs embraced the light fixtures, and the dirt brown floors were in a great deal of distress.
The landlord, like a prison guard, showed them to the cells that were their bedrooms. Wendy exhaled a deep
sigh as she realized her apartment was a black hole. While it would only be a few weeks, Wendy couldn’t
wait until she would be back home with her parents.
36. Patrick sat down at the kitchen table and took his math homework out of his book bag. Math was a
puzzle to Patrick. During class, he felt like a mathematician understanding the entire lesson with ease.
However, when he attempted the practice questions at home, it showed that he clearly misunderstood the
teacher’s instructions. Patrick’s pencil could always be heard scratching away at his work, but his eraser
was definitely getting tired from constant correction. His cell phone calculator was working overtime this
week in preparation for the end of unit test. Patrick prayed he would pass, but was pessimistic about the
prospect of getting a 60%.
37. Fred clicked his seatbelt in, checked his mirrors, and put the car into drive. The car was a furnace in the
hot sun, so he turned on the air conditioning. Although it was Fred’s first time driving, he said that he was
considered an advanced beginner. After all, his father had already let him drive around a parking lot the
week before. His father’s face looked fearful as Fred took his foot off the petal and began to move forward.
The car grumbled as he began to press the gas. Even going at this slow pace made Fred feel like a
professional race car driver. Joy and happiness showed in his face as the car gained speed.
38. Nick collection of comic books had begun to tower over the rest of his belongings. He pulled his new
print from its packaging and placed it on the table. Time seemed to run away when he was reading comics.
It felt like he was transported to a different world with each flip of the page. His mother creaked the door
open and told him it was time for dinner. Although his stomach was begging for food, he desperately
wanted to finish his reading. Nick dreamed of one day owning an original copy of Batman VS Lex Luthor,
but he knew he would need to have the riches of a king to buy something like that. He closed his comic
book, and headed downstairs for dinner.
39. Silence crept into the room as Carla was wheeled closer to the operating table. When she learned she
would be having open heart surgery, she knew that she would be an anxious patient. The clinking of the
instruments against the metal tray only served to heighten her anxiety. The nurse was like a loving parent,
comforting Carla with kind, calming reassurances. Doctor Cliff came in with complete confidence. He saw
himself somewhat of a God of medicine when it came to this procedure. He had done it over 500 times in
his career with no fatalities.
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40. Peering out her front window, Sara watched her little monkeys playing in the tree house their father had
built. Her two children were jumping around, smiling, and showing their bubbly personalities. Her children’s
laughter was completely infectious. Whenever she heard that giggling sound, she couldn’t help but laugh
herself. Sara opened the screen and screamed for supper. The wafting smell of pot roast called to them as
well. They climbed down from the tree house and ran like the wind to the door. The children felt awfully
lucky to have such a great mom.
41. Soccer had always been Joe’s one true love. He took his position on the field and waited for the tweet of
the referee’s whistle. The ball was thrown in, and he did a head butt pass to his teammate. The ball was
passed back to him, and he ran straight for the net. As he approached, the goal keeper, frozen like ice, stared
at him trying to guess where he was going to aim. Joe kicked the ball, and it flew toward the net like a
rocket. The ball zoomed as it flew over the goaltender’s head. Joe jumped for joy and joined his teammates
in celebration.
42. Karen’s twin girls were a headache to deal with. They would constantly quarrel with each other and
question Karen’s demands. Although she loved them dearly, she always felt like she was dealing with a
minor crisis. Their rambunctious nature always led to bangs and crashes around the house. Sometimes, she
felt like she was a judge, always forced to rule in favor of one child or the other. Night was the only time she
would get a little peace and quiet. The bed would groan as she sank down into her marshmallow duvet. She
hoped tomorrow would be a better day.
43. Life was always a walk in the park for Lisa. She spent her days modeling for the biggest agency in New
York, and the camera absolutely loved her. The photographers would always discuss her outstanding beauty
as they clicked their cameras in her direction The only problem was that Lisa thought she was a beautiful
flower amongst weeds, and she made sure everyone knew it. Her lack of humility and humbleness was
horrible. Although her life was like a Hollywood movie, she often complained, so her friends sarcastically
said she was a poor little rich girl.
44. The teacher vs student basketball game was like an all out civil war. It was clear that the students were far
more prepared because, most of the teachers were wheezing like dying cars. One of the students was a bolt
of lightning as he ran past Mr. Jones to make a three-point shot. It didn’t take long for Mr. Jones and the rest
of the teachers to realize they just could not keep up. Even the ball was exhausted from being run up and
down the court. As the clock ticked down, the student spectators screamed so loud that the earth quaked.
This was a game they would always remember.
45. Fran was a beautiful flower when she danced. Ballet showed her grace and elegance, but she was ready
to try something new. She hung up her ballet slippers in exchange for hip hop dance gear which included
sneakers, a sweatshirt, and loose tights. Fumbling through the new dance moves, Fran was like a child at
their first dance class, and her legs were confused by the new found moves. The rocky winds of this music
felt strange as she was used to the smooth air of ballet. The bang and clang would take some getting used to.
Fran focused and followed the footsteps as best as she could knowing that practice makes perfect.
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