Lesson 17: Figurative Language

Checklist for Figurative Language:

To determine the meaning of figures of speech in a text, note the following:
- words that mean one thing literally but suggest something else
- similes, such as “strong as an ox”
- metaphors, such as “her eyes were stars”
- analogies, or comparisons of two unlike things based on a specific similarity, used for clarification
- remarking, “Life is like a ball game; anybody can have a losing day.”
- in Shakespeare’s sonnet 18, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”
- extended metaphors, which make an implied comparison through the entirety of a text

In order to interpret the meaning of a figure of speech in context, ask the following questions:
- Does any of the descriptive language in the text compare two seemingly unlike things?
- Do any descriptions include “like” or “as,” indicating a simile?
- Is there a direct comparison that suggests a metaphor?

RL.8.1, RL.8.4, SL.8.1.A, SL.8.1.C, SL.8.2, L.8.5.A

DOK 2 & 3

Text Chunking
Guiding Questions
Sentence Starters & Response Frames
Small Group Support
Graphic Organizers
Visual Glossary
Modeling
Think-a-Louds

Quiz questions, Open-Ended Response Questions, Discussion and Notes

StudySync Lesson on Figurative Language