Julie Tagg| Think and Write English| November 12, 2024
Figurative language makes writing lively, relatable, and memorable by using words in non-literal or imaginative ways (5E Lesson Plan for Figurative Devices) Here’s a breakdown of some common figurative devices with examples to make them clear:
1. Simile
- Definition: A comparison between two things using “like” or “as.”
- Example: “She was as busy as a bee.”
- Explanation: This compares her level of activity to that of a bee, which is constantly working.
2. Metaphor
- Definition: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
- Example: “Time is a thief.”
- Explanation: Time isn’t literally a thief, but this metaphor suggests that it takes things away (like youth or moments) as a thief would.
3. Personification
- Definition: Giving human qualities to animals, objects, or ideas.
- Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
4. Hyperbole
- Definition: An exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point.
- Example: “I’ve told you a million times!”
- Explanation: This doesn’t mean literally a million times but emphasizes the speaker’s frustration at having to repeat themselves.
5. Onomatopoeia
- Definition: Words that imitate natural sounds.
- Example: “The bacon sizzled on the pan.”
- Explanation: The word “sizzled” sounds like the actual sound of cooking bacon, helping the reader hear the scene.
6. Alliteration
- Definition: The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.
- Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
- Explanation: The repeated “p” sound draws attention and creates a rhythm.
7. Assonance
- Definition: The repetition of vowel sounds within close or neighboring words.
- Example: “The early bird catches the worm.”
- Explanation: The repetition of the “e” sound in “early” and “bird” gives the sentence a musical quality.
8. Oxymoron
- Definition: A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.
- Example: “Bittersweet memories.”
- Explanation: Memories can be both happy and sad, capturing the mixed emotions in a single phrase.
9. Irony
- Definition: A contrast between expectation and reality.
- Example: “A fire station burned down.”
- Explanation: We don’t expect a place associated with putting out fires to catch fire, so this situation creates irony.
10. Symbolism
- Definition: Using an object, person, or situation to represent a larger idea.
- Example: “A dove is a symbol of peace.”
- Explanation: The dove isn’t just a bird here; it represents the broader concept of peace.
11. Pun
- Definition: A play on words that exploits multiple meanings for humorous or rhetorical effect.
- Example: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
- Explanation: The first part is literal, while the second part makes a humorous twist on the meaning of “flies.”
12. Idioms
- Definition: Phrases whose meanings aren’t deducible from the literal words.
- Example: “Break the ice.”
- Explanation: This doesn’t mean breaking actual ice; it means initiating a conversation in a friendly way.
13. Euphemism
- Definition: A polite or mild word used to replace something harsh or blunt.
- Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”
- Explanation: Euphemisms soften the reality, making it easier to talk about sensitive topics.
14. Synecdoche
- Definition: Using a part of something to represent the whole, or vice versa.
- Example: “All hands on deck.”
- Explanation: Here, “hands” refers to the sailors themselves, not just their hands.
15. Metonymy
- Definition: Using a related word or concept to stand in for something else.
- Example: “The White House issued a statement.”
- Explanation: “The White House” stands in for the U.S. president or the administration.
Here are some practice exercises to help understand and apply these figurative devices:
Exercise 1: Identifying Figurative Devices
Directions: Read each sentence and identify which figurative device is being used (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, etc.).
- “Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.”
- “The classroom was a zoo during recess.”
- “The thunder grumbled like an old man waking up from a nap.”
- “After running the marathon, he felt like he could sleep for a century.”
- “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
- “The wind sang through the trees.”
- “I’ve told you a thousand times to clean your room!”
- “The city was buzzing with excitement.”
Exercise 2: Creating Your Own Examples
Directions: Create your own examples for each of the following figurative devices:
- Simile: Write a sentence comparing a person’s laughter to something, using “like” or “as.”
Example: “Her laughter was like bells ringing on a sunny morning.”
- Metaphor: Describe someone’s personality as if it were an object or force of nature.
Example: “He was a storm, unpredictable and intense.”
- Personification: Write a sentence where an inanimate object performs a human action.
Example: “The old car coughed and sputtered up the hill.”
- Hyperbole: Write an exaggerated statement about how you feel when you’re really hungry.
Example: “I could eat a horse!”
- Oxymoron: Combine two opposite words to describe an experience or object.
Example: “The silence was deafening.”
Exercise 3: Match the Figurative Device to the Sentence
Directions: Match each sentence below to the figurative device it demonstrates.
- Sentence: “Time crawled as we waited for the results.”
Choices: a) Simile, b) Personification, c) Hyperbole, d) Metaphor
Answer: _____
- Sentence: “Life is a journey, and every experience is a stepping stone.”
Choices: a) Metaphor, b) Simile, c) Irony, d) Onomatopoeia
Answer: _____
- Sentence: “The stars winked down at us from the night sky.”
Choices: a) Alliteration, b) Personification, c) Oxymoron, d) Simile
Answer: _____
- Sentence: “She has a heart of gold.”
Choices: a) Idiom, b) Symbolism, c) Simile, d) Metaphor
Answer: _____
Exercise 4: Rewrite with Figurative Language
Directions: Rewrite each of the following sentences to make them more interesting by using figurative language. Try different devices as you see fit.
- Original: “The sun set over the mountains.”
Rewrite: _______________________________________
- Original: “She was very excited for the first day of school.”
Rewrite: _______________________________________
- Original: “The dog barked loudly at the mailman.”
Rewrite: _______________________________________
Exercise 5: Explain the Effect of the Figurative Device
Directions: Explain how each figurative device in the sentences below affects the reader’s understanding or feelings.
- Sentence: “The world is a stage, and we are all actors.”
- Device: Metaphor
- Explanation: _______________________________________
- Sentence: “The fire crackled and hissed as it warmed the room.”
- Device: Onomatopoeia
- Explanation: _______________________________________
- Sentence: “Her eyes sparkled like diamonds.”
- Device: Simile
- Explanation: _______________________________________
Figurative Devices Quiz
Multiple Choice Questions
- Which figurative device is used in this sentence?
“Her voice was music to his ears.”- A) Simile
- B) Personification
- C) Metaphor
- D) Hyperbole
- What is the figurative device in this sentence?
“The trees danced in the wind.”- A) Oxymoron
- B) Personification
- C) Simile
- D) Symbolism
- Identify the figurative device:
“He has a heart of stone.”- A) Simile
- B) Metaphor
- C) Onomatopoeia
- D) Hyperbole
- What type of figurative language is in the sentence below?
“The car roared to life when he turned the key.”- A) Hyperbole
- B) Alliteration
- C) Personification
- D) Onomatopoeia
- Choose the figurative device used in this example:
“The thunder sounded like a giant drum in the sky.”- A) Metaphor
- B) Simile
- C) Hyperbole
- D) Irony
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
- A __________ is a comparison that uses “like” or “as” to compare two different things.
- “Her smile was brighter than the sun.” This sentence uses __________ to make an exaggerated statement about her smile.
- An __________ is a word that mimics the sound it describes, such as “buzz” or “sizzle.”
- “Jumbo shrimp” is an example of a(n) __________ because it combines two contradictory terms.
- “All the world’s a stage” is a well-known example of a __________ because it compares the world to a stage without using “like” or “as.”
Matching Questions
- Match each example with the correct figurative device.
- Example: “The stars winked down at us.”
- A) Hyperbole
- B) Onomatopoeia
- C) Personification
- D) Irony
- Example: “He was drowning in paperwork.”
- A) Simile
- B) Metaphor
- C) Symbolism
- D) Oxymoron
- Example: “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
- A) Alliteration
- B) Personification
- C) Hyperbole
- D) Simile
- Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
- A) Onomatopoeia
- B) Simile
- C) Idiom
- D) Metaphor
- Example: “His temper was a volcano, ready to erupt.”
- A) Simile
- B) Hyperbole
- C) Metaphor
- D) Personification
Answer Sheet
Multiple Choice Answers
- C) Metaphor
- B) Personification
- B) Metaphor
- C) Personification
- B) Simile
Fill-in-the-Blank Answers
- Simile
- Hyperbole
- Onomatopoeia
- Oxymoron
- Metaphor
Matching Answers
- “The stars winked down at us.” → C) Personification
- “He was drowning in paperwork.” → B) Metaphor
- “She sells seashells by the seashore.” → A) Alliteration
- “It’s raining cats and dogs.” → C) Idiom
- “His temper was a volcano, ready to erupt.” → C) Metaphor
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