 The actual, dictionary

meaning of a word;
language that means what
it appears to mean
 Avoiding exaggeration,
metaphor, or embellishment

 Conforming to the most

obvious meaning of a word,
phrase, sentence, or story
 It
means exactly what it
says! Word for word.
Example One: The U.S. is a large country.
What does it mean? Exactly what it says!
Example Two: The weather is beautiful
today.
What does it mean? Exactly what it says!
 Language that goes beyond the
normal meaning of the words used
 Based on or making use of figures of
speech; metaphorical
 Represented by a figure or symbol
 Figures of speech present ordinary
things in new or unusual ways.
They communicate ideas that go
beyond the words’ usual, literal
meanings.
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Introducing…

Click on the arrow

to go to the next
slide.
Definition:

Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Example:
She ran like the wind.
Explanation:
Running and the wind are unlike things.
When you compare the speed of running
to the speed of the wind, you are using
a simile.
More examples:
The snow was as thick as a blanket.

She was as light as a feather.

You are acting like a baby.

He felt like a bug under a microscope.

His temper was as explosive as a

volcano.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A SIMILE?
He’s as messy as a pig when he
eats.

He eats like a pig. Read the question

carefully before
answering!
He is a pig.
Click this arrow if you’d like to
review before answering.
“He is a pig” is NOT a simile
because even though it does
compare two unlike things, it does
not use the words like or as.

Click the arrow

to continue.
The definition of a metaphor is similar to the
definition of a simile but there is one important
difference between the two.
Remember the definition of simile has two parts:
•Two unlike things are being compared
•The words like or as are used to make the comparison

There will also be two parts to the definition of

a metaphor.
Use the following examples to
figure out the definition of
metaphor.
Simile: Fido is like a teddy bear.
Simile: Fido is as soft as a teddy
bear.
Metaphor: Fido is a teddy bear.
Simile: That boy is like a pig.
Simile: That boy is as messy
as a pig.
Metaphor: That boy is a pig.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS
THE CORRECT DEFINITION FOR
METAPHOR?
Comparing two similar things by using like
or as

Comparing two similar things without using

like or as

Comparing two unlike things by using like

or Click
as this arrow if you’d like
to review before answering.
Although similes and
metaphors both compare
unlike things, metaphor do
not use the words like or as.
Take a look at the following examples of alliteration. You will
later select the best definition for this figure of speech.

Brad wore his blue and brown blazer.

Hank held his head high.
Larry loves lemonade and lolly pops.
Six swans went swimming in the sea.
Have you figured it out yet?
Alliteration  Sue shook her silky
silver hair as the sun was setting.
NOT Alliteration  Elizabeth
easily eyed an elephant in the
elevator.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE BEST
DEFINITION FOR ALLITERATION?

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

Repetition of beginning vowel sounds

Repetition of ending consonant sounds

Repetition of ending vowel sounds

Click this arrow if you’d like
to review before answering.
Alliteration is the repetition of
beginning consonant sounds, such as
“Six silly swans went swimming in
the sea.”
It’s important to note that not every word
in the sentence has to begin with the
same letter in order for it to be
considered alliteration.
In the above example, only 5 out of 8 words
begin with an “s”.
Think about the following examples of hyperbole. You will
later select the best definition for this figure of speech.

My backpack weighs a
ton.
Another example:

The wolf was 100 feet high.

More examples:

You could have knocked me

over with a feather.

I’ve told you a

million times!
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE BEST
DEFINITION FOR HYPERBOLE?
A major understatement; the opposite of
exaggeration

A true statement that accurately describe

s a person, place, or thing

A major exaggeration or overstatement u

sed for emphasis or humor

Click this arrow if you’d like

to review before answering.
Hyperbole is a major exaggeration or
overstatement.

Authors use this figure of speech to emphasize

a point or add humor.

Think about many times in a day

you exaggerate what you say and
use hyperbole.
When you see this: You often hear this:

Buzz and ring are both examples of onomatopoeia.

Start thinking about what you think is best definition
When you see this: You often hear this:
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE BEST
DEFINITION FOR ONOMATOPOEIA?
(CLICK ON A DEFINITION TO SELECT YOUR ANSWER.)

A word that looks like its meaning

A word that sounds like its meaning

A word that only describes animal sounds

Click this arrow if you’d like

to review before answering.
Onomatopoeia is a
word that sounds like
its meaning.
Definition:

Giving human traits or characteristics

to something that isn’t human, such as
animals, objects or non-living things
Think of it this way:
When a writer uses personification, he or she
gives characteristics of a person to an
animal, object or thing.
Example:
The willow tree shook her long hair.
Explanation:
The example is referring to the way that
the willow tree’s long branches sway in the
wind. By saying “shook her long hair”, the
tree is given characteristics of a human.
More examples:
The car danced across the icy road.
The angry clouds marched across the sky.
The stars in the clear night sky winked at
me.
The tulips nodded their heads in the
breeze.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES
CONTAIN PERSONIFICATION?
(CLICK ON A SENTENCE TO SELECT YOUR ANSWER.)

The wind juggled the leaves.

The wind blew the leaves.

The wind moved the leaves.

Click this arrow if you’d like

to review before answering.
“The wind juggled the leaves” is an
example of personification.
You’ve made it through the first part of the tutorial!

Now you will be given poems and asked to choose which

figure of speech is shown.

You will be able to look back at a definition page to help

you along the way.
Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Imagery: Descriptive writing that appeals to the senses

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Personification: Giving human traits or characteristics to something

that isn’t human

Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Click on the button to return

to the previous slide.
UNTITLED
Bang! The starter’s gun—
thin raindrops
sprint.

-Dorthi Charles
Knock at a Star

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

(Click on the figure of speech to select your answer.)

Simile Alliteration
Metaphor Onomatopoeia

Click this button if you’d like to review

the definition page before answering.
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “Bang!”

Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Click the arrow to try again.

“Bang!” is an example of onomatopoeia because it is
a word that sounds like its meaning.
 The wind stood up, and gave a shout;
He whistled on his fingers, and
“THE WIND”
Kicked the withered leaves about,
And thumped the branches with his hand,

And said he’ll kill, and kill, and kill;

And so he will! And so he will!
- James Stephens
Knock at a Star

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Alliteration Personification
Onomatopoeia Hyperbole
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “The wind stood up, and
gave a shout / He whistled on his fingers”.

Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

Personification: Giving human traits to something that isn’t human

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Click the arrow to try again.

When James Stephens says, “The wind stood
up, and gave a shout / He whistled on his
fingers”, he is using personification.

He is giving human characteristics, such as

shouting and whistling on fingers, to the wind.
“THE RUNNER”

On a flat road runs the well-trained runner,

He is lean and sinewy with muscular legs,
He is thinly clothed, he leans forward as he runs,
With lightly closed fists and arms partially raised.

- Walt Whitman
Knock at a Star

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Metaphor Personification
Imagery Hyperbole
 Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “As he runs /
With lightly closed fists and arms partially raised”.

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Personification: Giving human traits to something that isn’t human
Imagery: Descriptive writing that appeals to the senses
Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Click the arrow to try again.

When Walt Whitman says, “As he runs / With
lightly closed fists and arms partially raised”,
he is using imagery.

He is using descriptive writing that appeals to

our sense of sight to help us create a mental
image of the runner.
 Touch it to your cheek and it’s soft
“PEACH” as a velvet newborn mouse
who has to strive to be alive.

Bite in. Runny

honey
blooms on your tongue-
as if you’ve bitten open
a whole hive.
And so he will! And so he will!
- Rose Rauter
Knock at a Star

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Onomatopoeia Simile
Hyperbole Metaphor
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “It’s soft as a velvet
newborn mouse”.

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Click the arrow to try again.

When Rose Rauter says, “It’s soft
as a velvet newborn mouse”, she
is using a simile.
She uses the word as to compare
two unlike things (a peach and a
mouse).
EXCERPT FROM
I’m proud“I’M
of my PROUD
Preposterpus,OF MY
so ponderous and pale,
PREPOSTERPUS”
I love the way it whistles
when it swizzles ginger ale.
It’s magnificent in stature,
fully twenty-four feet tall,
so it tends to draw attention
when I take it to the mall.
- Jack Pretulsky
A Pizza the Size of the Sun

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Hyperbole Alliteration
Onomatopoeia Metaphor
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “I’m proud of my
Preposterpus /so ponderous and pale”.

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Click the arrow to try again.

When Jack Prelutsky says, “I’m proud of my
Preposterpus / so ponderous and pale”, he is
using alliteration.
He is repeating the beginning consonant
sound of “p” while he is describing the
Preposterpus.
 Hold fast to dreams
“DREAMS” For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
 
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
- Langston Hughes
The Dream Keeper and Other Poems

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Simile Personification
Metaphor Onomatopoeia
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which figure of
speech is being used when the poet says, “Life is a broken-winged
bird / That cannot fly.”

Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Personification: Giving human traits or characteristics to something that

isn’t human

Metaphor: Comparing two unlike things without using like or as

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Click the arrow to try again.

When Langston Hughes says, “Life is a
broken-winged bird / That cannot fly”, he is
using a metaphor.
He compares two unlike things (life and a
bird) without using the words like or as.
 I’m making a pizza the size of the sun,
“A PIZZA THE
a pizza that’s sure toSIZE OFthan
weigh more THEa ton,SUN”
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.
I’m topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers, pimentos, and peas,
with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
with every last olive they had at the store.
My pizza is sure to be one of a kind,
my pizza will leave other pizzas behind,
my pizza will be a delectable treat
that all who love pizza are welcome to eat.
The oven is hot, I believe it will take
a year and a half for my pizza to bake.
I hardly can wait till my pizza is done,
my wonderful pizza is the size of the sun.
- Jack Pretulsky
A Pizza the Size of the Sun

Which figure of speech is highlighted in the above poem?

Onomatopoeia Simile
Hyperbole Personification
Take a look at the definitions below and decide which
figure of speech is being used when the poet says, “I’m
making a pizza the size of the sun / a pizza that’s sure to
weigh more than a ton”.

Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning

Simile: Comparing two unlike things using like or as

Hyperbole: A major exaggeration or overstatement

Personification: Giving human traits or characteristics to something that

isn’t human

Click the arrow to try again.

When Jack Prelutsky says “I’m making a pizza
the size of the sun / a pizza that’s sure to
weigh more than a ton,” he is using
hyperbole.
He is exaggerating about the size of the pizza
that is being made.
You’ve completed the entire tutorial. You were able to
recognize and identify seven figures of speech.

Important: Keep this screen open and raise your hand

to show your teacher that you have reached this final
page.

Click the arrow to see the

bibliography for this tutorial.
Hughes, Langston. The Dream Keeper and Other Poems.
Scholastic, Inc.: New York, 1996.

Kennedy, X. J., and Kennedy, Dorothy. Knock at a Star.

Little, Brown and Company: New York, 1999.

Prelutsky, Jack. A Pizza the Size of the Sun. Scholastic, Inc.:

New York, 1996.

Click here to
close the tutorial.