Figurative Language Notes

- Idiom: an expression whose meaning is different than the literal meaning of the words
o She was feeing under the weather. – sick
o The math test was a piece of cake. – easy

- Alliteration: when words or phrases start with the same letter or sound
o Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

- Simile: a comparison that uses like or as

o Jimmy runs like the wind.
o He is as slow as a turtle

- Personification: giving human characteristics to objects, ideas, or even concepts

o The wind whistled through the trees.
o The sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

- Onomatopoeia: a word that sounds like the word it is describing; a sound effect
o Boom, bang, snap, crack, ding

- Metaphor: a comparison that does not use like or as

o He is a night owl.
o The classroom was a zoo.

- Hyperbole: huge exaggeration

o This bag weights a ton.
o My dad is going to kill me.

- Interjections: a word used to express a strong emotion such as surprise, joy, anger, or
pain
o Wow! Dang! Shoot! Boo! Yikes!