LITERAL vs. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

My best friend has wide [feet].

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

The foot is the part of the body that is attached to the end of the leg. This is the primary or most common meaning of the term. Wide feet are simply feet that are wider than average.

Melissa is an extremely [brilliant] student.

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

In the figurative sense, the adjective brilliant means "very intelligent or skilled, or outstanding." In the literal sense, the word brilliant means "which produces light, reflects light."

Patrick [devoured] his book in one day.

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

The word devour usually means "to eat quickly and hungrily such that nothing is left." Obviously, Patrick didn't eat his book, but he enjoyed reading it so much that he couldn't put it down. Used figuratively, to devour a book means "to read it greedily and quickly."

She [adds salt] to everything she eats!

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

Here, we are referring to the most common meaning of salt: the seasoning we add to our food.

This student is staring out the window. Their [head is in the clouds].

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

In the sentence above, the expression to have your head in the clouds means "to be daydreaming or to not be mentally present."

Dylan has grown so much that his favourite shirt doesn't even cover his [navel].

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Answer explanation

Here, the word navel refers to the belly button. This word can also be used figuratively to mean "a central point": The new restaurant is now the navel of the neighborhood.

I spent three hours to finished my report.

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Which of these is most likely to be written using literal language?

• A recipe

• A poem

• A soliloquy

• A short story

There was a lot of snow in the quiet forest.

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Vacation will never come.

• LITERAL LANGUAGE

• FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE