A Hidden Meaning
How are figurative language and literal language different?
Goal:
Goal:
Literal language means exactly what its words say--nothing more and nothing less. Figurative language, on the other hand, suggests another, additional meaning. Usually, figurative language compares one thing to something else. Look at the table below to see some examples of literal and figurative language.
| Sentence | Literal Explanation | Figurative Explanation |
| He is a pig. | Literally, this sentence is talking about an actual animal. | If you used this sentence to describe a person, you would be using figurative language to say that the person is sloppy or dirty. |
| She's out in left field. | The literal meaning of this sentence is that a person is standing on the left-hand side of a baseball field. | Figuratively, this sentence means the person doesn't know what's going on. |
Similes and metaphors are two types of figurative language. Another is personification--language that gives human qualities to animals or objects. Here's an example of personification:
In this sentence, the natural elements that you see or hear during a storm are given human abilities--they dance or hurry.
Check your understanding of figurative language. See if you can answer all of these questions correctly.
How is figurative language different from literal language?
- Figurative language has a hidden meaning.
- Literal language has a hidden meaning.
- Figurative language talks about two things.
- Literal language compares two things.
Figurative language compares one thing to another to create a "hidden" meaning.
Figurative language compares one thing to another to create a "hidden" meaning.
Figurative language compares one thing to another to create a "hidden" meaning.
Figurative language compares one thing to another to create a "hidden" meaning.
Which of the following is an example of figurative language?
- That owl is hungry.
- The team ran down the track.
- Shawn is a bear in the morning.
- Dennis is too sick to eat dinner.
The sentence about Shawn does not mean exactly what it says.
The sentence about Shawn does not mean exactly what it says.
The sentence about Shawn does not mean exactly what it says.
The sentence about Shawn does not mean exactly what it says.
Which of the following is an example of personification?
- Attacked by the cardinal, the cat ran into the house.
- The old clock groaned out the hour.
- Wrapped presents were stacked around the Christmas tree.
- After we turned on the ceiling fans, the house cooled down.
Personification is figurative language that gives human qualities to animals or objects.
Personification is figurative language that gives human qualities to animals or objects.
Personification is figurative language that gives human qualities to animals or objects.
Personification is figurative language that gives human qualities to animals or objects.
Summary
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