Creating a figurative language worksheet can be an effective way to help students understand and
identify different types of figurative language in literature and everyday speech. Below is a sample
outline for a figurative language worksheet, followed by some example exercises.
### Figurative Language Worksheet Outline
#### Section 1: Definitions
1. **Simile**: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as."
2. **Metaphor**: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
3. **Personification**: Giving human traits or characteristics to non-human things.
4. **Hyperbole**: An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
5. **Onomatopoeia**: A word that imitates the natural sound of a thing (e.g., "buzz," "bang").
6. **Alliteration**: The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words.
7. **Idiom**: A phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from the literal meaning of
its individual words.
#### Section 2: Identify the Figurative Language
Read the sentences below and identify the type of figurative language used.
1. "Her smile is like the sun, bright and warm."
2. "The leaves danced in the wind."
3. "I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!"
4. "The clock ticked away the seconds, mocking my impatience."
5. "She sells sea shells by the sea shore."
**Task**: Write "Simile," "Metaphor," "Personification," "Hyperbole," "Onomatopoeia," "Alliteration,"
or "Idiom" next to each sentence.
#### Section 3: Create Your Own Examples
Write your own examples of each type of figurative language.
1. **Simile:** ________________________________
2. **Metaphor:** ________________________________
3. **Personification:** ________________________________
4. **Hyperbole:** ________________________________
5. **Onomatopoeia:** ________________________________
6. **Alliteration:** ________________________________
7. **Idiom:** ________________________________
#### Section 4: Figurative Language in Context
Read the following passage and circle or underline the examples of figurative language you find:
*"The breeze whispered secrets through the trees, and the moon hung low, a glowing lantern in the
night sky. I felt as light as a feather, floating on the soft sounds of the crickets' song."*
**Task**: Identify the type of figurative language for each example you found.
#### Section 5: Reflection
Answer the following questions:
1. Why is figurative language important in writing?
2. Can you think of a song or poem that uses figurative language? Name one and describe an example.
### Tips for Use
- Make sure to provide plenty of examples and contexts in your teaching.
- Encourage students to be creative with their own examples.
- Use the worksheet as a formative assessment to gauge understanding of the material.
Feel free to adapt this worksheet according to the grade level or specific needs of your students!
