Figurative Language in Songs

Front

What is a metaphor?

Back

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things directly, saying one is the other. For example, 'Time is a thief.'

Front

What is hyperbole?

Back

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that is not meant to be taken literally. For example, 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

Front

What is personification?

Back

Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities are given to animals, objects, or ideas. For example, 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Front

What is a simile?

Back

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as.' For example, 'Her smile is like the sun.'

Front

What is onomatopoeia?

Back

Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it represents. For example, 'buzz,' 'hiss,' or 'bang.'

Front

What is an idiom?

Back

An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. For example, 'It’s raining cats and dogs' means it's raining heavily.

Front

What does 'the classroom was a zoo' mean?

Back

This is a metaphor that suggests the classroom was chaotic and noisy, like a zoo.

Front

What does 'I have a ton of homework' mean?

Back

This is a hyperbole that means the speaker has a lot of homework, not literally a ton.

Front

What does 'the stars danced in the sky' mean?

Back

This is personification, suggesting that the stars are moving playfully, like dancers.

Front

What does 'as brave as a lion' mean?

Back

This is a simile comparing someone's bravery to that of a lion.