FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE
 Grandma’s Garden

Read the story, “Grandma’s Garden”

Circle any types of figurative language

you find in the story.

Lay out the figurative language puzzle pieces.

These pieces highlight 8 types of figurative language –
simile, metaphor, idiom, alliteration, onomatopoeia,
cliché, personification, hyperbole.

Make the 8 puzzles! Match each type of

figurative language with its definition and
an example from the story.

Write your answers on the recording log.

 Grandma’s Garden

The townspeople said Grandma’s flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the
entire world! It was only once in a blue moon that the flowers did not bloom. Grandpa used
to tell me all about her work. He would brag, “The rose bushes seemed to spread their
petals as visitors passed. The purple petunias sat mocking the irises that were not as
colorful as usual. Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting
the geraniums.”
Stooping to the ground, Grandma would smell the sweet, scarlet flowers. When
people gawked at her garden, there was little noise and Grandma would stand as proud as
a peacock. Occasionally, a bee’s buzzing would break the silence and the giggles of children
would echo through the neighborhood.
As Grandpa spoke his face would change. Instead of recalling fond memories, his
face would become sad as he remembered the day Grandma’s heart was broken.
“At that time there were lots of children in the neighborhood and they loved racing
down our long street. On the last day of summer, the children were having their final race.
The winner would become the best runner of the summer. So focused on winning the race,
the children sprawled out all over the road and into people’s yards. That’s when it
happened. The neighborhood children came barreling towards Grandma’s flowers.
Grandma’s eyes filled with tears as she watched the children trample her beautiful daises.
Her heart was heavy with sadness, and the roses wept for their smashed friends. With
most of her flowers folded over, only time would tell if the flowers would
survive. Unfortunately, Grandma’s garden was much smaller that year.”
 words begin with the
ALLITERATION
PERSONIFICATION

when two or more

same initial sound

DEFINITION
EXAMPLE DEFINITION
The roses wept giving human
for their smashed characteristics to
friends. inanimate things

smelled the sweet,

Stooping to the

scarlet flower.
ground, Sarah
EXAMPLE
HYPERBOLE
EXAMPLE

expression that is
The townspeople say
DEFINITION

DEFINITION
a phrase or
Grandma’s flowers

overused
an exaggeration
are the most used to make or
exquisite flowers in
CLICHE
prove a point
the entire world!

IDIOM flowers would survive.

flowers folded on the
With most of her

ground, only time

would tell if the
EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE DEFINITION
It was only once a word or phrase that
in a blue moon means something
that the flowers other than what is
did not bloom. actually being said
ONOMATOPOEIA
EXAMPLE
…a bee’s
DEFINITION
buzzing would
words that
break the make sounds
silence.

SIMILE
EXAMPLE DEFINITION
Grandma would a comparison of
stand as proud unlike things using
as a peacock. ‘like’ or ‘as’

METAPHOR
EXAMPLE
Towering above the
DEFINITION
other plants, the a comparison of
sunflowers were a unlike things that
fence protecting the says something is
petunias. another thing
Name: Date:

Grandma’s Garden
Below are examples of 8 types of figurative language. Write the type of
figurative language in the top puzzle piece and define it in the small puzzle piece.

Stooping to the The roses wept

ground, Sarah for their
smelled the smashed
sweet, scarlet friends
flower.

With most of her The townspeople say

flowers folded over, Grandma’s flowers
only time would are the most
tell if the flowers exquisite flowers in
would survive. the entire world!

It was only once

Grandma would in a blue moon
stand as proud that the flowers
as a peacock. did not bloom.

Towering above the

other plants, the … a bee’s
sunflowers were buzzing would
a fence protecting break the
the petunias. silence.
Name: Date:

Grandma’s Garden
Below are examples of 8 types of figurative language. Write the type of
figurative language in the top puzzle piece and define it in the small puzzle piece.

Alliteration Personification
Stooping to the
The roses wept DEFINITION
ground, Sarah DEFINITION
for their
smelled the when two or more giving human
smashed
sweet, scarlet words begin with the characteristics to
friends
flower. same initial sound inanimate things

Cliché Hyperbole
With most of her The townspeople say
flowers folded over, DEFINITION Grandma’s flowers DEFINITION
only time would a phrase or are the most an exaggeration
tell if the flowers expression that is exquisite flowers in used to make or
would survive. overused the entire world! prove a point

Simile Idiom

It was only once DEFINITION

Grandma would DEFINITION in a blue moon a word or phrase that
stand as proud a comparison of that the flowers means something other
as a peacock. unlike things using did not bloom. than what is actually
‘like’ or ‘as’ being said

Metaphor Onomatopoeia
Towering above the
other plants, the DEFINITION … a bee’s
sunflowers were a comparison of buzzing would DEFINITION
unlike things that break the words that
a fence protecting says something is
the petunias. another thing silence. make sounds
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