Figurative language uses words in creative ways to create pictures and sounds in the reader's mind.
A simile compares using like or as: “as cold as ice cubes”. Personification makes objects act like people: “the kettle sang”. Alliteration repeats the first sound of nearby words: “five fat frogs”. Onomatopoeia uses sound words: sizzle, crash.
When you spot a technique, think about the effect: what does it help you see, hear or feel?
Worked example
Which technique is used in “The old car coughed up the hill”?
- Cars cannot really cough; people do.
- Giving an object a human action is personification.
Answer:personification
Key words
- figurative language
- words used creatively, not literally
- alliteration
- repeating the first sound of nearby words
- effect
- what the words make the reader think or feel
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.3.5a