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Worksheets

Figurative Language

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

When your friend says, 'The new student is as quiet as a mouse,' what does this sentence mean?

a)

The student was making squeaking noises.

b)

The student was very shy and didn't talk much.

c)

The student was physically small.

d)

The student was afraid of cats.

2.

Match each sound device to its correct example.

a)

Alliteration

1.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

b)

Assonance

2.

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.

c)

Onomatopoeia

3.

The bacon sizzled in the hot pan.

3.

Sort these sentences into two groups: Figurative Language or Literal Language.

Categorize the following

He is a walking encyclopedia.

The car is red.

My backpack weighs a ton.

I am hungry.

Figurative Language
Literal Language
4.

Your friend says, 'I've told you a million times to clean your room!' What is your friend using hyperbole to express?

a)

That they have counted every time they asked.

b)

That they are very frustrated and have asked many times.

c)

That they are good at math.

d)

That they will never ask you again.

5.

Which sentence gives a human quality to a non-human thing?

a)

The wind howled through the trees.

b)

The dog barked loudly.

c)

The flowers were colorful.

d)

The rock was heavy.

6.

Match each object or color to what it often symbolizes in literature.

a)

A dove

1.

Peace

b)

The color red

2.

Love or anger

c)

A four-leaf clover

3.

Good luck

d)

A skull and crossbones

4.

Danger or poison

7.

In the sentence, 'The classroom was a zoo,' what is being described?

a)

A classroom that was fun and exciting.

b)

A classroom that was chaotic and noisy.

c)

A classroom where students were learning about animals.

d)

A classroom that was located near a zoo.

8.

Which word is an example of onomatopoeia?

a)

Whisper

b)

Shout

c)

Crash

d)

Think

9.

Sort these phrases by the sense they appeal to: Sight, Sound, or Touch.

Categorize the following

The screeching tires

The fuzzy, soft blanket

The bright, yellow sun

A loud thunderclap

The rough, bumpy road

Glittering stars in the dark sky

Sight
Sound
Touch
10.

If your friend tells you to 'break a leg' before your school play, what do they mean?

a)

They hope you get injured.

b)

They are wishing you good luck.

c)

They are telling you to be careful on stage.

d)

They think you are a bad actor.

11.

A student who didn't study at all says, 'Oh, I'm totally going to ace this test.' What type of figurative language is this?

a)

Hyperbole

b)

Metaphor

c)

Sarcasm (Verbal Irony)

d)

Personification

12.

Match the type of figurative language to its definition.

a)

Simile

1.

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

b)

Metaphor

2.

A direct comparison stating one thing is another.

c)

Personification

3.

Giving human qualities to an object or animal.

13.

Which sentence uses alliteration?

a)

The cat sat on the mat.

b)

She sells seashells by the seashore.

c)

The bird flew high in the sky.

d)

I like to eat apples and bananas.

14.

Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired! This joke is an example of a...

a)

Simile

b)

Idiom

c)

Pun

d)

Hyperbole

15.

Sort these phrases into the correct figurative language category: Exaggeration or Sound Word.

Categorize the following

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

Boom!

This is the best day ever!

The bee buzzed by my ear.

Exaggeration (Hyperbole)
Sound Word (Onomatopoeia)
16.

In a speech, a leader says: 'We will not give up. We will not back down. We will not fail.' Why is the phrase 'We will not' repeated?

a)

Because the speaker forgot what to say next.

b)

To create a strong rhythm and emphasize their determination.

c)

To make the speech longer.

d)

To confuse the audience.

17.

Match each proverb to its meaning.

a)

Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

1.

Don't rely on something before it has happened.

b)

The early bird gets the worm.

2.

The person who starts early has the best chance of success.

c)

Actions speak louder than words.

3.

What you do is more important than what you say.

18.

An author wants to describe a cold winter day. Which sentence uses the best tactile imagery (sense of touch)?

a)

The snow looked like a white blanket.

b)

The sun was a pale circle in the gray sky.

c)

The icy wind bit at his cheeks.

d)

He could hear the crunch of snow under his boots.

19.

In a story, a character is always seen wearing black after a sad event. What might the color black symbolize?

a)

Happiness and celebration

b)

Mourning, sadness, or evil

c)

Nature and growth

d)

Purity and innocence

20.

Sort these comparisons into two groups: Simile or Metaphor.

Categorize the following

Her smile is a ray of sunshine.

He is as strong as an ox.

The world is a stage.

She runs like the wind.

Simile (uses 'like' or 'as')
Metaphor (direct comparison)
21.

Identify the rhyme scheme for this stanza: The sun is shining bright (A), A lovely, happy day (B), It fills me with delight (A), I wish that it would stay (B).

a)

AABB

b)

ABAB

c)

ABCA

d)

AAAA

22.

Read the line: 'The dock struck the clock.' Which sound device is used here?

a)

Assonance (vowel sound repetition)

b)

Alliteration (beginning sound repetition)

c)

Consonance (consonant sound repetition)

d)

Onomatopoeia (sound words)

23.

Match each sentence to the type of figurative language it uses.

a)

The stars winked at me from the night sky.

1.

Personification

b)

I'm so tired I could sleep for a year.

2.

Hyperbole

c)

His words were a dagger to my heart.

3.

Metaphor

d)

He is as funny as a clown.

4.

Simile

24.

Your friend wants to buy an expensive video game but hasn't saved any money yet. Which adage would be good advice for them?

a)

A penny saved is a penny earned.

b)

Look before you leap.

c)

The grass is always greener on the other side.

d)

Let sleeping dogs lie.

25.

A firefighter's house burns down. This situation is an example of...

a)

Verbal Irony

b)

Situational Irony

c)

A Pun

d)

A Metaphor