NAME: ______________________________________

DATE: _______________________________________
STUDENT WORK PACKET

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Work Schedule
Assignments

Classwork/Homew
ork

Due
Date

Grade
Given

(CW/HW)
Figurative Language
Notes
Lens of Rap Lyrics
Lens of Poetry
Introduction to TPCASTT
Choices, Nikki
Giovanni
Road Not Taken,
Robert Frost
Personification
Worksheet
Hyperbole Worksheet
#1
Hyperbole Worksheet
#2
Hyperbole Worksheet
#3
Alliteration
Worksheet #1
1

Onomatopoeia
Worksheet
Name that Poem Type
Poetic Elements Quiz

Final Grade: ____________________

Figurative Language
What is figurative language?
Figurative language is language that describes something by comparing it to
something else. Figurative language goes beyond the literal meaning of words to
describe or explain a subject. There are many types of figurative language,
including similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, imagery (see imagery
review), personification, and hyperbole.
Authors use figurative language to help the reader see beyond the written words on
the page and to visualize what is going on in the story or poem.
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, usually using the
words like or as.
Examples:
His feet were as big as boats.
The snow was like a blanket.

Shes as light as a feather.

She ate like a bird.

Metaphor
A metaphor compares two unlike things without using the words like or as. The
comparison is instead made using some form of the be verb.
Examples:
Her hair is silk.
My hands are ice.

The football player is an ox.

Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of or within
words. It is used to create a melody, set a mood, highlight important words and
lines, and point out similarities and contrasts between elements of a poem or text.
Examples:
Sally sells seashells by the sea shore.
But someone still was yelling out and
stumbling,

Greta Gruber grabbed a group of green

grapes.
And flound'ring like a man in fire or
lime . . .
2

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that mimic sounds. Onomatopoeia is meant to
reflect the actual sound of something, thereby giving the text a more realistic
feeling.
Examples:
Bang!
Sizzle

Pop!
Hiss

Hyperbole
A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement meant to heighten effect and emphasize
a point.
Examples:
My phone rang a million times.

You could have knocked me over with a

feather.

Its so cold even the polar bears are

wearing coats.
Personification
Personification is a figure of speech in which an animal, inanimate object, or
abstract concept is given human characteristics.
Examples:
a smiling moon
art is a jealous mistress
the wind screams

the rain kissed her face

a jovial sun

Rhyme
The last words of the lines match with each other in some form. Either the last
words of the first and second lines would rhyme with each other or the first and the
third, second and the fourth and so on. Rhyme is basically similar sounding words
like cat and hat, close and shows, house and mouse etc. Free verse poetry,
though, does not follow this system.
Symbolism
Often poems will convey ideas and thoughts using symbols. A symbol can stand for
many things at one time and leads the reader out of a systematic and structured
method of looking at things. Often a symbol used in the poem will be used to create
such an effect.
Theme
The last words of the lines match with each other in some form. Either the last
words of the first
Theme: This is what the poem is all about. The theme of the poem is the central idea that
the poet wants to convey. It can be a story, or a thought, or a description of something or
someone anything which is what the poem is all about.

Tone
As a literary term, tone refers to the writer's attitude towards the subject of a
literary work as indicated in the work itself. One way to think about tone in poetry is
to consider the speaker's literal "tone of voice": just as with tone of voice, a poem's
tone may indicate an attitude of joy, sadness, solemnity, silliness, frustration, anger,
puzzlement, etc.

Introduction to Similes & Metaphors

Through the Lens of Rap Lyrics
Empire-State of Mind
By: Jay-Z ft./Alicia Keys
In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York,
These streets will make you feel brand new,
Big lights will inspire you,
Lets here it for New York, New York, New York
21 Questions
By: 50 Cent
And always remember girl we make mistakes, to make it up I do whatever it
take
I love you like a fat kid love cake
You know my style I say anything to make you smile
Low
By: Flo Rida
So lucky oo me, I was just like a clover
Shorty was hot like a toaster
Sorry but I had to fold her,
Ice Cream Paint Job
By: Dorrough ft. Lil Wayne
Young Money, syrup in the big shot
Time to do the thing thats word to your wrist watch
Shoot the glock till it burn till my wrist lock
Rims hella big tires skinny like Chris Rock
I drop off the head like dandruff and unlock mental handcuffs.
Every Chance I Get
By: T.I.
High as gas is, the country at war and people are starvin
And I pay a million dollars for Ferrari's, retarded, huh?
5

Introduction to Similes & Metaphors

Through the Lens of Poetry
The Rose that Grew from Concrete
By: Tupac Shakur
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong
it learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
Can You See the Pride in the Panther
By: Tupac Shakur
Can You See the Pride In the Panther
As he grows in splendor and grace
Topling obstacles placed in the way,
of the progression of his race.
Can You See the Pride In the Panther
as she nurtures her young all alone
The seed must grow regardless
of the fact that it is planted in stone.
Can You See the Pride In the Panthers
as they unify as one.
The flower blooms with brilliance,
and outshines the rays of the sun.
Dream Deferred
by Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
6

Introduction to Similes & Metaphors

Through the Lens of Rap Lyrics
Directions: Pick one of the rap lyrics from above and answer the following
questions:
Rap title: ____________________________________________
Artist: _______________________________________________
1. What is the mood conveyed in the lyrics? _________________________________________
2. What is the tone conveyed in the lyrics? __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
3. What type of figurative language does the rapper use? _______________________________
4. Copy down one of the figurative language lines: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
5. What is the meaning of the line? _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
_____________________________________________________________________________
_

Introduction to Similes & Metaphors

Through the Lens of Poetry
Directions: Pick one of the poems from above and answer the following
questions:
Poem title: ____________________________________________
Author:

_______________________________________________

1. What does the title tell you about the poem? _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
2. What is the mood and/or tone conveyed in the poem? _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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_
3. What type of figurative language does the author use? _______________________________
4. Copy one of the figurative language lines: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
5. What is the meaning of the line? _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_
_____________________________________________________________________________
_

TP-CASTT
You will be learning a strategy to help you consider some ideas when examining a
poem. Youre your teachers guidance, you will read the poem Choice by Nikki
Giovanni and answer the following questions. The letters in TP-CASTT stand for the
following words:

T
P
C
A
S
T

Title
Paraphrase
Connotatio
n
Attitude
Shifts
Title

Theme

Example:

Think about the title before reading the poem.

Translate the poem into your own words.
Look at the words in the poem. What are the ideas and
feelings associated with them?
Observe both speakers and the poets attitude (tone).
Are there shifts in speakers? Are there changes in attitude?
Look at the title again. What are the connotations of the
words in the title?
What is the poet trying to say?

FIRE AND ICE

By: Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

T
P
C
A

S
T
T

The title Fire and Ice makes me think the poem is going to be about
something hot and cold.
This poem is about heaven and hell. It talks about a person dying and
going to heaven. However, they seem to believe that hell exists too.
Ice-symbolizes heaven
Desire-symbolizes sin
Fire-symbolizes hell
Hate-symbolizes the evil in the world
The attitude of the person in the poem is optimistic. They seem to
believe in both worlds. The poets attitude is similar and might reflect
what he thinks is true.
The person in the poem shifts from heaven being great to hell being
great also-in that it serves its purpose.
Fire could mean destruction and ice could mean frozen in time.
The overall message of the poem is that people should be careful how
they chose to live and behave and that in the end something is going to
happen. What exactly, remains uncertain.
9

CHOICES
By: Nikki Giovanni
#1 if i can't do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don't want
to do

#3 if i can't have
what i want . . . then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more to want
#2 it's not the same thing
#4 since i can't go
but it's the best i can
where i need
do
to go . . . then i must . . . go
where the signs point
through always understanding
parallel movement
isn't lateral
#5 when i can't express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal
i know
but that's why mankind
alone among the animals
learns to cry

A
S
T
T

10

The Road Not Taken

By: Robert Frost
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

10

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

15

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

20

T
P

C
A
S

T
T

11

Personification Worksheet
Directions:
o Underline the example of personification.
o Below the sentence, write what is meant by that example of
personification.
1. The wind sang her mournful song through the falling leaves.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
2. The microwave timer told me it was time to turn my TV dinner.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
3. The video camera observed the whole scene.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
4. The strawberries seemed to sing, "Eat me first!"
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
5. The rain kissed my cheeks as it fell.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
6. The daffodils nodded their yellow heads at the walkers.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
7. The water beckoned invitingly to the hot swimmers.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________

12

8. The snow whispered as it fell to the ground during the early morning
hours.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
9. The china danced on the shelves during the earthquake.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
10. The car engine coughed and sputtered when it started during the
blizzard.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________

13

Hyperbole Worksheet #1
Friday night I went disco dancing, and when I woke up on Saturday my feet were
killing me! Mom ordered me to clean my room or else. All day long I worked my
fingers to the bone getting things together so Id be free to go out that evening. I
was dying to see the new movie at the Center Cinema. When I finished, however, I
was so tired I couldnt move.
What do the underlined phrases really mean? Can feet kill? Is the desire to see a
new movie a symptom of some strange and fatal disease?
Obviously, the author has emphasized certain points by means of exaggeration. A
much exaggerated statement is called a hyperbole. Hyperboles are attentiongetters, but can become clichs if overused.
Part I: Create some attention getting, original hyperboles in response to the
following lines of dialogue.
1. Dont you think the TV is too loud?
The TV is so loud___________________________________________________.

2. Are you really going to eat the entire hot fudge brownie sundae?
Im so hungry______________________________________________________.

3. Look at that incredible amount of snow piled up outside.

The snow is so deep that_____________________________________________.

4. Do you really want to go to the movies? I mean, dont you have too much
homework to do?
I have so much homework____________________________________________.

5. Look at that poor old dog. He can hardly walk.

That dog is so old___________________________________________________.

6. Arent you glad you got an A on the test?

Im so happy______________________________________________________.

14

7. Is that a mosquito bite?

My arm is so swollen________________________________________________.

8. Did you really see a shark just now?

That shark was so vicious____________________________________________.

9. How bad is your headache?

My head aches so much______________________________________________.

10.Werent you frightened by the roller coaster?

I was so frightened__________________________________________________.

Part II: Pick one of the lines you finished above and write a poem with the line you
picked as the first line in your poem.
There is no requirement in length, but you must use examples of each of the
following:
-hyperbole
-simile
-personification
Poem
Title:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________

16

Hyperbole Worksheet #2
Hyperbole is a type of figurative language that is used in poetry or nonfiction
writing. Comedians also use it to make jokes. It is using exaggerations to
make writing more interesting.
Directions: In the following sentences, underline the hyperbole and
write what it means on the line underneath.
1. My brother is so tall, he has to duck to walk under the telephone lines.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
2. My sister has such long legs, she needs to sit in the backseat to drive.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
3. My dog is so fast, the fleas have to use super glue to stay on.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
4. My cat is so fat, she has to use a roller skate to hold her stomach off the
floor.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
5. My friend is so crazy, he thinks the moon is really made of cheese.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
6. My brother is so short, he has to climb on a high chair to see over the
table.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
7. My aunt is so nice, my kids ran away to live with her.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
17

8. My cows are so lazy, they lay in the field and wait on the grass to grow
back.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
9. My girlfriend is so crazy, she doesnt go outside at night because she
thinks the man on the moon is watching her.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________
10. My cat is so lonely, she spends all day sitting in front of the mirror
looking to herself.
Meaning:
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________

18

Hyperbole Worksheet #3
Hyperbole is a figure of speech that is an exaggeration. People often use
expressions such as:
o "I nearly died laughing"
o "I was hopping mad"
o "I tried a thousand times"
Such statements are not literally true, but people make them to sound
impressive or to emphasize something, such as a feeling, effort, or reaction.
Below, write an example of hyperbole to describe each of the following. The
first one has been done for you as an example.
1. Someone who is really large:
When he walked down the street, a shadow covered the entire park,
bricks fell from the buildings, and small children ran for cover.
2. Someone who is really beautiful:

3. Someone who is really tired:

4. Someone who is really full (from Thanksgiving dinner, maybe?):

5. Someone who is really smart:

19

Alliteration Worksheet
1. Define alliteration.
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
2. Identify the sound being repeated in the following examples:
a. The summer sun slid down behind the ridge.
______
b. In the distance, Horatio heard a horn blow.
______
c. Betty bought the baubles at the beauty parlor.
______
d. Rosa Parks raised a rallying cry for racial equality.
______
3. Analyze the following lines from famous poems. Identify which uses
alliteration.
a. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
b. Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky with hideous ruin
c. One could do worse than be a swinger of birches
d. It is not sweet with nimble feet to dance upon the air!
4. Do you feel the answer to question #4 was an effective use of
alliteration? Explain why or why not.
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

5. Create your own alliteration! Your alliterative phrase should begin with
the first letter of your first name. Justify why you feel your example
demonstrates alliteration.
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
__________________________
20

21

Onomatopoeia Activity Worksheet

Fill in the blank:
1. Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose ____________ make you think
of their meanings.
2. List one example of onomatopoeia. _______________

Match the sound with the correct picture:

______________
________________

_______________

_______________

______________
________________

_______________

_______________

Sound Bank
splishsplash

buzzzz

meow

clip clop

crunch

popppp

moooo

brrrring
22

Name That Poem

Directions: What type of figurative language is this poem?
1. What type of poem is this?
______________________________________________________________________
BRILLIANT BASKETBALL BOUNCERS
three-point thrilling throws
shonky charlatan shows
no-bodys number knows
fouling fellow forward flows
tackles tight team touching toes
galloping guy grandly goes
silly standstill sentry slows
dribblers, downstairs, dads doze
2. What two types of figurative language is this?
______________________________
Birds babbling,
boys blabbing,
bumble-bees buzzing,
bells booming,
beepers beeping,
babies bawling.
Balloons bursting,
bomb blasting.
3. What type of poem is this?
______________________________________________________________________
Rhinos have very sharp horns
They are as strong as 50-metre brick walls
And as scary as giants
I think they like to have their own food.
They are as dirty as pigs at a sewerage farm
And as fast as a flash going round a corner
They eat like cheetahs running.
4. What type of poem is this?
______________________________________________________________________
The Cat & The Fiddle
Hey diddle, Diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
23

The little dog laughed

To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

24

Poetic Elements Quiz

Directions: Mark S for Similes and M for Metaphors.
_____ She was slow like a turtle.
_____ The mountain was a fortress.
_____ Love is a flower that gently blooms.
_____ The road wound like a snake.
_____ Hate is water on a stove.
_____ She danced like a leaf in a stream.
_____ Red as a tomato.
_____ Raining like a waterfall.
_____ Life is a box of chocolates.
_____ Her hair was a sea of mahogany.
Write three sentences using alliteration. (Use a different sound for
each sentence.) (Each sentence must have three words of
alliteration.)
1.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
2.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
3.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
Write three examples of onomatopoeia.
25

1.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
2.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________
3.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________

26