Figurative Language Definitions and Examples

Carver Middle School 7th & 8th Grade

Summer Reading Quick Reference

Figurative Language

figurative language - writing or speech not meant to be taken literally. Writers use figurative language to express ideas in vivid or imaginative ways (e.g., “the apple of my eye,” “forever chasing rainbows”).

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

Metaphor metaphor - a figure of

speech in which a comparison is implied by analogy but is not stated.

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

“Hal’s a clumsy ox,” she said. “If he wasn’t bruised all the time I’d be surprised.” (metaphor, page 33)

Shusterman, Neal. The Eyes of Kid Midas.

Boston: Little, Brown, 1992.

Simile

simile - a combination of two things that are unlike, usually using the words like or as (e.g., soft as a kitten).

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

Grant, Vicki. Quid Pro Quo. 1st. Custer, WA:

Orca Book Publishers, 2005.

He had his arms around them and they were all smiling away like a bunch of monkeys who’d just won a lifetime supply of bananas. (simile, page 62)

Ironyirony - a figure of speech of which the literal meaning of the word is the opposite of its intended meaning (e.g., I could care less); a literary technique for implying, through plot or character, that the actual situation is quite different from that presented.

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

That’s how I got my name. Ambrose. It was my dad’s name. It comes from the Greek “Ambrose” and means “divine, immortal one.”

I pointed out the irony of that to my mother once. I said, “Kind of funny, isn’t it, seeing as Dad clearly wasn’t. Immortal, that is.”

Mom didn’t think it was funny at all. (irony, page 20)

Nielsen, Susin. Word Nerd. 1st. Toronto:

Tundra Books, 2008.

Hyperbole hyperbole - obvious and deliberate

exaggeration; an extravagant statement; a figure of speech not intended to be taken literally. Hyperboles are often used for dramatic or comic effect. Example: “He died a thousand deaths.” “The discussion lasted an eternity.”

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

She also wears enough mascara to retar a road. (hyperbole, page 40)

Van, Draanen Wendelin., and Dan Yaccarino.

Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.

Imagery imagery - the use of language

to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

(The 5 senses)

The sun felt good, and I closed my eyes. I could feel the warm rays on my face and imagined them zapping the blackheads on my nose into oblivion. (imagery, hyperbole, page 2)

Nielsen, Susin. Word Nerd. 1st. Toronto:

Tundra Books, 2008.

Onomatopoeia onomatopoeia - the formation and use

of words that suggest by their sounds the object or idea being named (e.g., bow wow, bang, buzz, crackle, clatter, hiss, murmur, sizzle, twitter, zoom)

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

Grant, Vicki. Quid Pro Quo. 1st. Custer, WA: Orca

Book Publishers, 2005.

If they wanted to keep their secret, why would they meet there?

Because they were so in love they couldn’t think clearly.

Oh, bleh.

Kek.

Ack. Ack. Ack.

Gag. (onomatopoeia, page 67)

Personification personification - metaphorical

figure of speech in which animals, ideas, and things are represented as having human qualities.

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

The mountain breathed a chilling wind down the face of the cliff, and Josh looked up. Kevin could see concern building up in Josh’s eyes. (Personification, page 20)

Shusterman, Neal. The Eyes of Kid Midas.

Boston: Little, Brown, 1992.

allusion – a reference in a story to the proper name of a character, thing or setting from another literary work or from real life.

Allusions

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

Hill, Kirkpatrick. Do Not Pass Go. 1st. New York:

Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007.

Overhead were vicious-looking little camera eyes and speakers trained down on the people who would gather there. Big Brother is watching you. (allusion to Big Brother from George Orwell’s novel 1984, page 94)

Alliteration alliteration - a device commonly

used in poetry and occasionally in prose: the repetition of an initial sound in two or more words of a phrase, line of poetry, or sentence (e.g., “Our souls have sight of that immortal sea.”).

(Language Arts PASS 6th-8th grades Glossary)

. . . (Grams) was storming around the apartment calling my mother a “duplicitous diva” and swearing that she was done with her. (alliteration, page 201)

Van, Draanen Wendelin., and Dan Yaccarino.

Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.

Words I don’t know

1. captivated, The Secret Under My Skin, page 2

2. latrines, The Secret Under My Skin, page 4

Science Notebook“One cubic yard of water weighs about one ton, Alex. Imagine hundreds of cubic yards rushing in.” page 280

Horowitz, Anthony. Snakehead. 1st. New York:

Philomel Books, 2007.