Idioms
An idiom is an example of a type of figurative language that authors use to make their writing
more exciting. The intended meaning of an idiom is not the same as the literal meaning of the
words. You have to memorize the meanings of idioms or figure out their meanings by using
context clues.
Examples:
"Under the weather" is a common idiom or idiomatic expression. You might miss a day of
school because you feel "under the weather." The meaning of the expression has nothing to do
with the weather. It means you feel ill.
"You got up on the wrong side of bed" is another example. It doesn't really mean there is a
wrong side of bed. It means that you woke up cranky or angry.
SAMPLE STORY
That morning, Margie talked Pam into going on a hike with her. She told her it would be fun.
Three hours later, Pam was running out of steam. She had pebbles and rocks inside her shoes.
She was hot and sweaty, her legs ached, and they still had another two hours of hiking to go. The
other people in their group lagged behind. Some of them quit.
"Keep your chin up!" Margie said. "We're almost there, Pam!"
Pam tried to fool Margie into thinking that she was having a good time, but the hike was too
hard.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1.What does the idiom running out of steam mean in this passage?
1.
2.
3.
4.
running out of water
feeling great anger
almost out of energy
in an excited mood
Explanation: The sentences that appear after the idiom show the reader that Pam feels
uncomfortable and tired. She can't wait until the hike is over. Like an engine, "running out of
steam," Pam is almost out of energy. The correct answer is C.
2.When Margie says, "Keep your chin up," she is telling Pam to
1.
2.
3.
4.
remain happy in a tough situation.
look straight ahead at all times.
lift her legs as high as possible.
ignore all the people behind her.
Explanation: The sentence that appears after the idiom shows the reader that Margie is still
feeling good about the hike. She says, "We're almost there, Pam!" Also, Pam answers by trying
"to fool Margie into thinking that she [is] having a good time." It makes sense that Margie is
telling Pam to remain happy in a tough situation. The correct answer is A.
Allusions
An allusion is a reference to a real or fictitious person, event, place, work of art, or another work
of literature within writing.
In order for an allusion to be effective, the reader must be familiar with the original work. In the
example below, the reader must be familiar with the fairy tale Cinderella.
example:
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People hardly recognized Kayla when she arrived to the prom in a limo and wore her
mother's beautiful gown. Kayla was the Cinderella of the senior class.
Readers who know that Cinderella is a character who was given a magical evening know what
the author means by this statement.
You can commonly find allusions to well-known works:
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Roman/Greek mythology
the Bible
Shakespearean plays
fairy tales
examples:
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I can tell by your silly smile that you've been struck by Cupid's arrow.
That old woman is fighting a David and Goliath court battle with the huge corporation.
Time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty. You have to get ready for school.
Meter
Words can do many amazing things! They can make you feel a certain way. They can even help
you understand something you've never seen, heard, or experienced. Below is a list of ways that
words can work their magic.
Meter
Meter is a pattern of sounds that makes a poem sound musical. Words in rap songs have a certain
beat or "flow" very similar to the words in poems. The number of syllables in each line of a
stanza can determine the meter.
Simile, Metaphor, and Personification
Figurative language is a tool that an author uses to help the reader see what is happening in a
story or poem. Some common types of figurative language are simile, metaphor, and
personification.
A simile is a comparison between two unlike objects using the words "like" or "as."
examples:
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That mare shot out from underneath us like a cannonball.
(This compares the mare's speed to a cannonball's.)
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The crater was as wide as a football field.
(This compares the crater to a football field.)
A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike objects. A metaphor doesn't use the words
"like" or "as."
examples:
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The river was a winding snake in the forest.
(This compares the river to a snake by stating that it is a snake.)
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The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day.
(This compares the pillow to a cloud by stating that the pillow is a cloud.)
Personification occurs when animals or inanimate (nonliving) objects are given human qualities
or characteristics.
examples:
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The thunder boomed angrily in the midnight sky.
(This sentence personifies thunder by giving it emotion.)
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The moon smiled upon the sleeping forest.
(This sentence personifies the moon by describing it as "smiling.")
Simile and Metaphor
Similes and metaphors are used in figurative language to compare and contrast different objects
or ideas. They are formed when words are put together so skillfully they bring up pictures in
your mind.
Simile
A simile is when two things are directly compared because they share a common feature. The
word AS or LIKE is used to compare the two words.
examples:

The phone shook against the desk LIKE a fish out of water.
The phone isn't really a fish, but the movement it makes as it shakes and rings looks
similar to a fish that is writhing out of water.

The buses circled around the school AS close AS sharks circling a sick whale.
The buses aren't really sharks, but their movements may remind the reader of the way a
shark stalks its prey.
Metaphor
A metaphor also compares two things, but it does so more directly WITHOUT using "as" or
"like."
Analogies
An analogy is a comparison between two pairs of words. It shows a relationship between the
words that are being compared. Analogies can use different types of relationships to compare
words. Review the following examples.
Part/Whole
Dallas is to Texas as Chicago is to Illinois.
Peel is to banana as shell is to almond.
Item/Purpose
iPod is to play music as shovel is to dig holes.
Arms is to hold as legs is to walk.
Antonym
Liquid is to solid as lumpy is to smooth.
Appetizing is to tasteless as courageous is to cowardly.
Synonym
Reveal is to expose as conceal is to cover.
Help is to assist as deceive is to mislead.
Characteristic
Hard is to diamond as silky is to petal.
Sandy is to beach as furry is to cat.
Association
Airplane is to sky as ship is to sea.
Gasoline is to automobile as sunlight is to plant.
Object/Location
Tree is to forest as dog is to kennel.
Student is to school as picnic table is to park.
example:

The picture was a window into the kind of person Peter was.
A picture isn't a real window, but like a window, you can look into it. This is what the
author wants the reader to know—that the picture allows people to see what Peter is like.
Cause/Effect
Necessity is to invention as virus is to illness.
War is to treaty as overeating is to weight gain.
A common way to write analogies uses colons. For example, "donkey is to bray as snake is
to hiss" can be written as:
donkey : bray :: snake : hiss
Tip: The order in which the items in a relationship appear is important to the meaning of the
analogy. For example, the following analogy is WRONG:
caterpillar : butterfly :: frog : tadpole
In other words, a caterpillar is a young butterfly but a frog is NOT a young tadpole. Here
is the CORRECT way to write the analogy:
caterpillar : butterfly :: tadpole : frog