5.3 Figurative Language
5.3 Figurative Language
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Identify and analyse the figurative language in the poem
Identify and analyse the figurative language in the poem
Have you ever heard someone say, “I am so hungry I could eat a horse”? You do not actually believe they will eat a horse, but it creates a strong image, right? That is the magic of figurative language! It is like giving words a superpower to make poems more exciting, emotional, and vivid!
Let us dive into the world of figures of speech to see how poets turn ordinary words into extraordinary pictures in our minds!
Figurative language is when writers use special words or phrases that don't mean what they usually do in everyday life. This means that the words can go beyond their literal meaning. Authors and poets use figurative language to communicate ideas in a fun way1.
Engage in this interactive activity to organise the sentences into categories of Literal and Figurative language.
Below are some types and examples of figurative language:
Fig 3.2: Simile Vs. Metaphor4.
Watch the video given below that provides more examples of similes and metaphors.
Vid 3.1: Similes and Metaphors
After watching the video, click below to take either five questions quiz or ten questions quiz to check your understanding.
Let's examine the figurative language the poet, Shel Silverstein, used in his poem, 'The Oak and the Rose'.
Engage in Kahoot to recap the key points you’ve learned in this lesson:
Summary:
Summary:
Literal language is when we say exactly what we mean, using words in their regular or real meanings.
Nonliteral language is when we use words in a special way to create interesting pictures in our minds or to express something different from what the words usually mean.
Some figures of speech that we learned are:
Simile:
A figure of speech comparing two unlike things that often uses the words ‘like’ or ‘as’
Example: The sun is like a yellow ball of fire in the sky.
Personification:
Giving human qualities or characteristics to an animal or object
Example: The stuffed bear smiled as the little boy hugged him close.
Metaphor:
Comparing two things that are not alike to suggest they have something in common
Example: She has the heart of a lion.
Hyperbole:
Speech that is extremely exaggerated and not meant to be taken literally
Example: My backpack weighs a ton.
Extension/Further Reading:
Extension/Further Reading:
To discover additional figures of speech beyond the 4 we have learned, you can watch this video.
References
1 Writing 101: What is Figurative Language? Master Class (2022) (link)
2 Literal and Nonliteral Language. Education World (2019) (link)
3 Figurative Language 1. Elephango (n.d.) (link)
4 Difference Between Metaphor and Simile. Pulptastic (n.d.) (link)
5 Simile and Metaphor. Really Learn English (n.d.) (link)
6 What is Hyperbole in Literature? Woodhead Publishing (n.d.) (link)
7 Personification. Leverage Edu (2023) (link)
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