Poetic devices are different from figurative language techniques. While poets use both, poetic devices affect how the poem sounds. When trying to identify poetic devices, you should read the lines out-loud. It may be easier to pick up these techniques with your ears than with your eyes. Here is a collection of worksheets on poetic devices to give you or your students rapid fire practice with this skill.
Poetic Devices Worksheet 1 – Here are 10 problems to give you or your students practice with poetic devices. Read the poetry snippets, identify two or more poetic devices in use, and explain your answer.
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Poetic Devices Worksheet 2 – This activity is five pages long and contains 26 practice problems. Read the poetry snippets, identify the poetic devices, and explain your answers.
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Poetic Devices Worksheet 3 – Here is a double-sided poetic devices worksheet with ten practice problems. This one is a little harder than the first two worksheets.
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Poetic Devices Worksheet 4 – Here is another five page poetic devices worksheet with 26 problems. Some of the examples used in this are pretty difficult. This worksheet is recommended for those trying to demonstrate mastery of poetic devices.
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Poetic Devices Worksheet 5 – Help students reinforce their skills with onomatopoeia, rhyme, rhythm, repetition, alliteration, and consonance. Students identify the techniques and explain their answer.
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Common Core State Standards Related to Poetic Devices
Expand to View All Common Core State Standards Related to Poetic DevicesCCSS.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
Looking for More Practice with Poetic Techniques?
Figurative Language Worksheets
Irony Worksheets
All Reading Worksheets
Sylvia
/ March 18, 2019Great resource! The problems with 20 or more only have the first page of answers that you have posted. just letting you know.
Mr. Morton
/ March 28, 2019There is a little arrow that you can click above the answer keys to see the second page. I should probably work on my UI.
Deokie Fleming
/ February 26, 2019These serve as excellent review for students on poetic devices.
J. Hawks
/ February 15, 2019Thank you so much for providing this service! I use this site often.
Mudasir
/ May 21, 2018Best of the best.
Yona Triestman
/ January 28, 2018You are a saint for sharing your brilliant work for free with the public! I thank you, and also on behalf of my students. Looking forward to further reading:)
Mr. Morton
/ January 31, 2018Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Dilshad Mumu
/ May 13, 2017This is really helpful.It will help much in exam.
Alison Boros
/ April 4, 2016I love your site. A new teacher’s dream. You explain everything with simplicity. I use your PowerPoints and figurative language worksheets for that much needed practice.
Thank you so much.
Trish
/ January 16, 2016This is fantastic resources, just wondering as a teacher/tutor am i allowed to download worksheets to print out copies to hand out to my students?
thank you
Mr. Morton
/ January 19, 2016You sure are. That’s the whole point of the website. Thanks for visiting and I hope that you find some of my materials useful and enriching.
Mrs. Golden
/ October 29, 2015I am so impressed with your hard work! Thank you! This is one of the best contributions to the educational system in a long time. You have saved me hours of time!
anne mauldin
/ January 9, 2015These poetry examples and worksheets are perfect for reinforcement before the state test. Thanks so much for your hard work and willingness to share!
sheila b. jumawan
/ September 15, 2014Thank you so much… the explanations and examples are indeed helpful.
Mr. Morton
/ September 18, 2014I’m happy to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Emily
/ August 19, 2014Wow! What a great resource this website is. Thank you for your hard work.
Mr. Morton
/ August 19, 2014You are most welcome. Thank you for visiting.
Brianna Roebuck
/ December 10, 2017There is one more you need to put on there which is Identifying Poetic Devices the one that starts at The moon is faithful,although blind I search up the page but it shows me the answer but does not show mw explain how you figure out answer help me please thank you.
Teresa
/ March 6, 2014I am a first year teacher also, and you have done an outstanding job! Everything that I am trying to teach, you have an example with work that goes along. I am glad I was snowed in these last few days or I would never have found you!
Mr. Morton
/ April 21, 2014I’m so happy that you did.
Look forward to some big additions to this page and others over the summer.
Amanda
/ September 27, 2013As a first year teacher, and a Special Education teacher that is teaching ELAR (for sped) it is amazing to find things like this that other people are using/have used. Thank you so much for sharing!
Mrs. Barton
/ January 16, 2013Thank you for so many amazing reinforcement sheets. It’s very kind of you to share this with your colleagues. It is very much appreciated.
Shuniece
/ April 20, 2011Can you post the answers for the poetic devices worksheets… please? Seeing that there’s more than one answer I just want to see that I see what you see…. thanks!!
Mr. Morton
/ June 2, 2011Done, but I haven’t found time to explain them all.
I would like to do so soon.