Figurative Language

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

It’s NOT Greek!

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT

Language used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways; painting pictures with words.

Figurative language can be found in poetry where the writing appeals to the senses.

It compares two things in such a way that you find the comparison interesting or even a bit surprising.

Painting a picture

with WORDS!

CATEGORIES OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Imagery Metaphor Simile Analogy Irony Alliteration Personification Onomatopoeia Hyperbole Euphemism Oxymoron Idioms

IMAGERY Language used by writers to produce images

in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways.

METAPHOR Figure of speech that uses

one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two.

When you use a metaphor, you make a statement that doesn’t make sense literally, like “time is a thief”.

Examples include: the world is my oyster you are a couch potato time is money he has a heart of stone

I am a WALKING DICTIONARY;

you’re a COUCH POTATO!

SIMILE A simile compares

two things using the words “like” and “as.”

Examples include: busy as a bee clean as a whistle they fought like cats

and dogs sleep like a log

ANALOGY Comparable to metaphor and simile in that it

shows how two different things are similar, but it’s a bit more complex.

Show two things are alike in several ways.

IRONY The use of words to

convey the opposite of their literal meaning.

Effect is usually humorous or emphatic.

ALLITERATION Alliteration is a

repetition of the first consonant sounds in several words.

Examples: I saw Susie sitting in

a shoe shine shop. Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.

PERSONIFICATION Personification gives

human characteristics to lifeless objects, animals, or ideas.

Examples include: opportunity knocked

on the door the sun greeted me

this morning the sky was full of

dancing stars the sun played hide

and seek with the clouds

ONOMATOPOEIA Onomatopoeia is the

use of words that sound like their meaning, or mimic sounds. 

They add a level of fun and reality to writing.

Examples: beep, whirr, click,

whoosh, swish, zap, zing, ping, clang, bong, hum, boom, munch, gobble, crunch, pow, smash, wham, quack, meow, oink, tweet

HYPERBOLE Outrageous

exaggeration that emphasizes a point, and can be ridiculous or funny.

Hyperboles can be added to fiction to add color and depth to a character.

Examples are: You snore louder than a

freight train. You could have knocked

me over with a feather.

The man is so angry, he has

smoke coming out of

his ears!

The man is so hungry, he can eat a horse!

The man’s nose is three feet long!

EUPHEMISM The substitution of

an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.

Examples: big-boned (fat) passed on (died) pre-owned car

(used) restroom (toilet)

OXYMORON A figure of speech in

which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.

Examples: almost exactly blind eye business ethics first deadline just war make haste slowly

IDIOMS An expression

having a special meaning different from the usual meanings of the words.

Examples: fair weather friend something fishy two heads are better

than one up the creek without

a paddle

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: REVIEW Imagery Metaphor Simile Analogy Irony Alliteration Personification Onomatopoeia Hyperbole Euphemism Oxymoron Idioms