Students are often required to identify figurative language techniques on standardized tests. Here are a series of figurative language activities to help students better understand and more reliably identify figurative language techniques. Also, you may be interested in these online figurative language practice tests.
Common Core State Standards Related to Figurative Language
View All CCSS Standards Related to Figurative LanguageCCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4 – Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
ELA Standards: Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
ELA Standards: Language
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5a – Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5a – Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.
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Common Core Lesson and Unit Plans
Understanding Common Core State Standards
Brian Pridemore
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abid
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Melissa Berrier
/ February 18, 2017I have used your site many times in my 7th grade classroom, and I love it! Thank you so much for posting SO MUCH information and resources! Your site is truly unmatched! Thank you so much!
Mr. Morton
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/ January 6, 2016Helpful.Well-appreciated.
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Melissa
/ January 6, 2016Thank you. Such a great help. Effort highly appreciated.♥️
Dani
/ December 17, 2015Thank you so much for posting all of this! My 7th graders are not very interested in figurative language and I think the Orpheus game will definitely help!
Mrs.Chesson
/ January 15, 2015I love this cite it helped me and my class.
They learned more about figurative language and they all passed my test.Thank you for posting this cite.
Mrs.Chesson
/ January 15, 2015I love this website because it helped me and my class.Thanks for sharing this site.
Robin
/ November 16, 2014Thank you so much for the information. It really helped me out a lot!
mildred meigs
/ June 19, 2014You didn’t answer my questions!
Mr. Morton
/ June 19, 2014What were they?
jaheim
/ November 7, 2013I love it
Tri Murni
/ June 19, 2013What a remarkable work..thanks for sharing such a great resources. My students and I will have a great fun time with poetry 🙂
Adam Hashim
/ May 22, 2013thank you. it is such a valuable resource for my job as a teacher of english language for arab students.
josht@wapato
/ April 19, 2013I really appreciate the content and the easy manueverability of the site. I found the things I needed in a few clicks. You are a great resource for teachers like me! THANK YOU!!!
YWigfall
/ January 31, 2013This is a wonderful site. We had a great time in class reviewing figurative language with the powerpoints then doing a quick assessment with the “Trashkitball” game. My students loved earning extra credit, and they loved trying to make 3 point shots.
Mr. Morton
/ February 3, 2013That’s one of our favorites too.
Moses
/ December 5, 2012Hello, I would like to ask for some assistance in writing a persuasive paper. My topic is Deforestation. Areas of interest are Africa and The Amazon. I have researched information about it through my college’s library online database. I am having trouble comprehending how to go about writing it. I have been at it for about 3 weeks roughly a month to be honest. I have tried several measures yet somehow nothing has worked. I have an introduction and conclusion. However they are subject to change. I know.
Mr. Morton
/ January 5, 2013You have to read a lot about your topic. Become an expert. Read at least five sources thoroughly. Then you’ll be something of an expert and will have things to say about the topic.
Nicole
/ September 26, 2012Thank you, thank you, thank you! It is difficult to find good resources that are so readily available online these days. I have used many of your lessons as formative and sometimes as part of my summative assessments.
Love how they use actual poetry rather than other figurative language lessons which make up sentences.
Your students are very lucky to have you!
Mr. Morton
/ September 27, 2012That’s kind of you to say. Thanks for visiting!
Richard
/ July 18, 2012I found this site a few days ago and have already recommended it to a few friends. Thanks to the creators of this site.
Mr. Morton
/ August 10, 2012You’re welcome. Thanks for visiting!
paola cabrera
/ June 11, 2012thanks that work sheet help me a lot but i dont know where are the answers
Suaad
/ April 12, 2012Thank you so so much! As a teacher on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this website is such a valuable resource. Thank you so much for putting your time and effort into this website. I LOVE it! I’ve already shared it with my colleagues. Much love from Tinian, CNMI!
Mr. Morton
/ April 15, 2012That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing your experience.
crazy eesha
/ March 17, 2012i love this gave me evrything for my test <3
didine
/ February 2, 2012What grade level are these figurative language activities for?
Mr. Morton
/ February 13, 2012I use them with my seventh and eighth grade students. You could download the RTF files and edit them to use with any grade level though.
Michael
/ January 29, 2012Thank you for this site. This has helped me out tremendously. I am a first year teacher and I was beginning to get frantic and this has helped! Hope to hear from you soon!
Mr. Morton
/ February 13, 2012Awesome. I’m going to be adding new material to this section any day now… Thanks for visiting!
christine morabito
/ January 29, 2012Absolutely fantastic and creative ideas!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing!!!!
Mr. Morton
/ January 31, 2012It’s my pleasure! Come back again. 😀
marathonmom03@gmail.com
/ January 13, 2012On the Poetry Quiz, (answer sheet) #10 is personification. Again, thank you for such a great website! 🙂
Mr. Morton
/ January 14, 2012Yes, if you read the line as though the lamps were doing the luring, then it would be personification. Thank you for pointing this out and come back soon!
marathonmom03@gmail.com
/ January 13, 2012Wow! You have saved me hours of work! Thank you so much! What a treasure of a website. Can you double check the answer on the poetry quiz, I’m pretty sure #7 is alliteration. Also, #10, isn’t alliteration, but I’m not actually sure what it would be.
Mr. Morton
/ January 14, 2012Hi. Thanks for saying so.
You’re right about #7. It is alliteration. But it is also a metaphor, since the speaker is implicitly comparing pretty words to pets. I did not offer alliteration to my students as a choice because we spent some time in class discussing this as a metaphor within the context of the poem.
#10 is not richly alliterative, but it does have the combination “lamps luring.” I teach my students that alliteration can be as simple as two words in close proximity to one another sharing the same initial consonant sound.
Thanks for visiting!
Yvonne
/ January 9, 2012Thanks I love this stuff!!! My students love the powerpoints as well.
YMWPoohBear
/ January 9, 2012I really love these lessons and especially the powerpoints… they are awesome and I use them in my classroom. Can not wait to use the detective activity for IRONY… Thanks a bunch… More more more…
Mr. Morton
/ January 31, 2012Awesome! Your comment inspired me to add another irony worksheet. Go school!
Betty
/ November 23, 2011This resource is outstanding. Thank you very much. My students are improving with each of the lessons. Again thank you!!!!
Mr. Morton
/ December 1, 2011I’m happy to hear it.
Thanks for visiting!
Linda
/ November 15, 2011Fantastic site!!! I love the material. I am excited to share the powerpoints with my students. GREAT JOB! Thank You
Mr. Morton
/ November 21, 2011Thanks for visiting!
Tomer Maimran
/ October 25, 2011This site is amazing! Your worksheets are well thought out, thought inducing and my students love them! Thank you for helping me improve my craft!
Sam
/ October 20, 2011Men are dogs? Wow. How unprofessional is that? We may have established a new low…
Mr. Morton
/ November 7, 2011Thanks for visiting. Who’s “we”?
Jenny
/ October 13, 2011This website is wonderful! I am going to edit these to meet my 5th grader’s learning goals. Thanks!
Mr. Morton
/ October 19, 2011That’s awesome, Jenny. That’s exactly what I encourage visitors to do. I’ll be adding more figurative language resources in the coming weeks. Stop by sometime soon.
Rebecca
/ October 11, 2011Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!! It is very generous of you to share all of this good stuff! May lots of good karma come your way ; )
Mr. Morton
/ October 19, 2011It already has. Thank you for visiting Rebecca, and may you find great success in your classroom and in the profession.
Amellia
/ September 8, 2011Thank you so much for doing this! These worksheets have been a tremendous help in my classroom. I also shared them with a colleague of mine, and she is using them as well.
I love the poem examples. In fact, I searched for all the poems online and will be reading them to my classes this year.
Again, thank you for sharing!
Kate
/ April 14, 2011Two things –
This site and its activites are truly extraordinary. I appreciate the content, the cleanliness of the visuals, the breadth and the depth of what you’ve provided. I’m not one to gush, but I am truly impressed by your work here. This site must be a labor of love for you. The work you’re sharing here is very much appreciated.
BTW, slides 5 and 9 of the Trashsketball ppt have tiny typos. Columbus was /off/ course and Annabelle Lee wants nothing more /than to be loved by/ me.
Thank you so much for your work and sharing it!
Mr. Morton
/ April 16, 2011Wow, Kate, you’re too kind.
I have updated the erred slides.
Thanks a bunch for telling me about the typos.
As much as I tell my students to do so,
I really ought to proof read more.
But, I’m sure there are more errors scattered around the site.
If you or anyone else spots a typo please leave a comment
or email me directly: mortonteaches@gmail.com
and I will fix the mistake.
Thanks again, Kate.
Regan
/ April 11, 2011Please post the answers to the test
Mr. Morton
/ April 16, 2011Done. Thanks for visiting.