Learning Objectives: After completing this lesson, you will be able to understand and recognize an example of a simile, metaphor and personification.

Welcome to your Figurative Language Lesson on Wiki!!

Today, you will be learning about - Similes, Metaphors and Personification!

Follow the lessons and examples in each module. At the end of each lesson you will take a quiz to show how much you know.

The 4th module is a review of everything you have just learned.

Take your time, and be sure you understand how to identify each example.

When you finish the review, take the test to prove how much you know about similes, metaphors and personification!

OK… Now to get started click on the Module 1: Simile link on the left.

Module 1

• Follow the lesson on similes. When you understand what a simile is and how to identify an example click on the link to take the quiz at the end of the examples.

• You can go back and review as often as you would like. You can also take the quiz as many times as you want to. Don’t quit until you pass!

• Good luck!

Similes

• A simile is a type of figurative language.

• A simile is the comparison of two unlike things using the word 'like' or 'as.'

The girl swam like a fish in the water.

• Do you see how the girl is compared to a fish because fish are natural swimmers and the girl is a good swimmer?

• Did you notice the simile used the word “like” to compare?

Image Citation: [Untitled photograph of a girl swimming]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://www.poolwarehouse.net/catalogs/catFilters/filteringMediaZeobest.asp

Image Citation: Borg, J. (Photographer). (2009). Robot fish [Photograph]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/20/us-robotfish-idUSTRE52J1RY20090320

The twins were like two peas in a pod.

• Are you able to understand that the twins are compared to peas because they look the same; just like the peas look the same?

• How did you recognize that this was a simile? Did you see the word “like” that was used to compare?

Image Citation: Peapod [Photograph]. (2011). Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://inequalitiesblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/democracy-and- rules-are-like-peas-in-a-pod

Image Citation: [Untitled photograph of twins]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://0.tqn.com/d/multiples/1/0/J/J/blgal759.jpg

The fish I caught was as big as a whale!

• The large fish is compared to a whale because a whale is the largest aquatic mammal.

• Did you notice this time the simile used the word “as” to make the comparison?

Image Citation: Giant Catfish [Photograph].Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.oodora.com/life-stories/funny-finds/giant-catfish.html

Image Citation: Killer Whale [Photograph]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/videos/whales

My grandfather was as wise as an owl and often gave us good advice.

• Grandfather is being compared to an owl because he is wise and owls are known for their wisdom.

• Do you know someone who is wise?

Citation Image: Wise Grandfather [photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from: http://tateusa.com/directors/Mat_Humphrey/images/7.jpg

Photograph by Nancy Mortensen

The weight lifter was as strong as an ox.

• Because the weight lifter was strong he was compared to an ox. Oxen are known for their strength.

• Did you notice that this sentence has the word “as” two times? The second one is making the comparison.

Image Citation:[Untitled photograph of oxen]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from:http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01603/oxen_1603953i.jpg

Image Citation: [Untitled photograph of weight lifter]. (2006). Retrieved October 19, 2011 from:http://www.strattongallery.com/Photos/Oscar/WeightLifterUse.jpg

Metaphors

• A metaphor is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common.

• Metaphors are most common when comparing two things not using “like” or “as”.

Examples of Metaphors

• My father is a rock.

• This means he is a very strong or reliable person.

• • He is compared to a rock

because it is a hard, mineral material made of stone.

metaphor example

• I'm not an angel, but I wouldn't behave like that.

• This means they are not a perfect person.

• They are compared to this because an angel is a spiritual being believed to be a messenger of God.

metaphor example

• She was a graceful swan during her dance recital.

• This means the dancer moved gracefully.

• The dancer is compared to a swan because a swan moves gracefully.

metaphor example

• We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadn’t been such a pig.

• This means that Tammy ate a lot!

• She is compared to a pig because pigs eat a large amount without

thinking about anyone but themselves.

metaphor example

• Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind.

• This means she is a stubborn person.

• Mules are known for being stubborn.

metaphor example

• Our old cat was a bolt of lightning when he caught his prey.

• The cat is very fast.

• The cat is compared to a bolt of lightening because it strikes quickly.

Personification

• Personification is a type of figurative language.

• Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas).

Examples of Personification

• The car engine coughed when it started during the blizzard.

• The verb, cough, is a human action. The engine is a non-living thing.

personification example

• The china danced on the shelves during the earthquake.

• The verb, danced, is a human action. The china is a non-living thing.

personification example

• The snow whispered as it fell to the ground during the early morning hours.

• The verb, whispered, is a human action. The snow is a non-living thing.

personification example

• The video camera observed the whole scene.

• The verb, observed, is a human action. The video camera is a non-living thing.

personification example

• The daffodils nodded their yellow heads at the walker.

• The verb, nodded, is a human action. The daffodils are non-living things.

References

• Angel Girl [photograph]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.desicomments.com/angel/angel-girl/

• Angry boy [photograph]. Retrieved October 17, 2011 from:

http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/203700/view • Borg, J. (Photographer). (2009). Robot fish [Photograph]. Retrieved October 19,

2011 from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/20/us-robotfish- idUSTRE52J1RY20090320 • Chip [Clip art]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://disney-clipart.com/Beauty-Beast/characters/Chip.php

References

• Kay, Nate. (Photographer). (2011). Young dancer by Oude School [Photograph]. Retrieved October 20, 2011. From: http://www.photographyblogger.net/ballerina • Killer Whale [Photograph]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from:

http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/videos/whales • Moon [photograph]. Retrieved October 17, 2011 from:

http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/Images/moon.gif

References

• Peapod [Photograph]. (2011). Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://inequalitiesblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/democracy-and-

rules-are-like-peas-in-a-pod

• The Prince’s Stone.[Photograph]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://metuchenmaggid.blogspot.com

• Stubborn Mule [Photograph]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from:

http://drvaleriegalante.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/day-97-%e2%80%93-hope

• Swan Sea Wallpaper [Photograph]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://www.animalwallpaper.us/swan-desktop-wallpaper

References

• [Untitled photograph of cars]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from:http://www.diyautoparts.com/images2/coldweather.jpg

• Untitled photograph of daffodils]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02/DaffodilsSWNS_450x300.jpg

• [Untitled photograph of grizzly bear]. Retrieved October 17, 2011 from:

http://piperbasenji.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

References

• [Untitled photograph of lightning]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01457/lightning_1457418i.jpg

• [Untitled photograph of oxen]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from:http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01603/oxen_1603953i.jpg

• [Untitled photograph of a pig]. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from: http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2011/02/republicans-bol.html • [Untitled photograph of snowfall].Retrieved October 19, 2011 from:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/snowfall/Margie077/Pictures002/snowfall.gif?o=39

References

• [Untitled photograph of twins]. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://0.tqn.com/d/multiples/1/0/J/J/blgal759.jpg

• [Untitled photograph of video camera]. (2010). Retrieved October 19, 2011 from:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10105/1050302-55.stm

• [Untitled photograph of weight lifter]. (2006). Retrieved October 19, 2011 from:

http://www.strattongallery.com/Photos/Oscar/WeightLifterUse.jpg • [Untitled photograph of white saucer]. (2011). Retrieved October 17, 2011 from:

http://www.addoway.com/viewad/Buffalo-China-6-14-White-Saucer-1449087

Now that you have learned all about similes, take the quiz

to show your knowledge. You may take the quiz as

often as you would like. You must score at least a 70%

to have a passing grade. Good Luck!!

Remember, when you pass the quiz, move onto the next module.

Now that you have learned all about metaphors, take the quiz

to show your knowledge. You may take the quiz as

often as you would like. You must score at least a 70%

to have a passing grade. Good Luck!!

Remember, when you pass the quiz, move onto the next module.

Now that you have learned all about personification,

take the quiz to show your knowledge. You may take the quiz

as often as you would like. You must score at least a 70%

to have a passing grade. Good Luck!!

Remember, when you pass the quiz, move onto the next module.