Practicing Figurative Language

Personification is when you assign the qualities of a person to something that isn't human or, in some cases, to something that isn't even alive. There are many reasons for using personification. It can be used as a method of describing something so that others can understand. It can be used to emphasize a point. It is a commonly favored literary tool, and you may in fact use personification without even knowing it. Example: The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.

A simile compares two things by using the words like or as. Example: I was so embarrassed; my face was as red as a beet! How can the author compare a person's face to a vegetable? They're so different! True, but they are alike in one way: Both are red. Picturing this can help you visualize the character and understand his or her motives in a story.

A metaphor compares two things without using like or as. The text states that one thing is, or has the characteristics of, another. Example: The dog's eyes were searchlights, looking for any sign of kindness. Is the author tying to get you to picture a dog with huge searchlights for eyes? No, the author wants you to visualize a poor dog staring intently, looking for kindness from a stranger.

Click on the words below to play games as practice on these elements of figurative language.

Personification        Personification - Bouncing Balls      Personification - Wild Wild Taxi

Similes - Matching Games       Similes - Simile Frame

Metaphors       Simile or Metaphor Jeopardy         Simile or Metaphor Battleship

Here is a quiz to test your knowledge of similies and metaphors.

To do: Leave us a comment of a sentence using an example of personification, a simile, or a metaphor. Wampum maybe in your future!