Literal/ Nonliteral Language

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What is Literal Language?

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Literal language means using words in their most basic sense without any metaphor or exaggeration. For example, 'The sky is blue.'

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What is Non-Literal Language?

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Non-literal language uses words in a way that is different from their usual meaning, often involving metaphors or exaggeration. For example, 'It's raining cats and dogs.'

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Example of Literal Language: 'The cat is on the mat.' What does it mean?

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It means that the cat is actually sitting on the mat.

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Example of Non-Literal Language: 'He has a heart of stone.' What does it mean?

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It means that he is very unfeeling or emotionally cold, not that his heart is literally made of stone.

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What does it mean if someone says, 'I’m on top of the world'?

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It means they feel very happy or successful, not that they are literally on top of the world.

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Identify if the following is Literal or Non-Literal: 'She is as busy as a bee.'

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Non-Literal.

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Identify if the following is Literal or Non-Literal: 'The book was so interesting, I couldn't put it down.'

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Non-Literal.

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What does the phrase 'break a leg' mean in a performance context?

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It means 'good luck,' not that someone should literally break their leg.

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Identify if the following is Literal or Non-Literal: 'The classroom was a zoo.'

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Non-Literal.

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What does it mean if someone says, 'I have butterflies in my stomach'?

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It means they feel nervous or anxious, not that there are actual butterflies in their stomach.