Grade: Grade 5 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Figurative Language SAT: Craft+Structure ACT: Reading

Text Practice: Finding Figurative Language

Learn: Reading Strategy

From Sentences to Passages

Now that you know the types of figurative language, it's time to find them in longer texts! Real stories, poems, and articles use figurative language throughout. Being able to spot it helps you understand:

  • What the author really means
  • The mood or feeling of the text
  • Why the author chose specific words
  • Deeper meanings beyond the literal words

4-Step Strategy for Finding Figurative Language

1
Read for meaning first. Understand what the passage is about before looking for figurative language.
2
Look for signal words. Words like "like," "as," verbs that objects can't really do, or extreme statements.
3
Ask: Is this literal? If not, what type of figurative language is it?
4
Consider the effect. Why did the author use this? What feeling or image does it create?

Test-Taking Tip

On the SAT and ACT, you'll often be asked what figurative language means or suggests. Don't just identify the type - think about what the author is trying to communicate!

Practice: Passage Analysis

Your Progress

0 of 10 correct

Passage 1: The Storm Fiction

The storm arrived without warning. The wind howled through the empty streets, rattling windows and sending garbage cans tumbling. Lightning danced across the sky, followed by thunder that shook the old house to its foundation.

Maria pulled her blanket tighter. She was frozen with fear. The storm seemed like an angry beast trying to tear the roof from their home.

Questions for Passage 1

1. "The wind howled through the empty streets" is an example of:
2. When the author says Maria was "frozen with fear," this hyperbole suggests that Maria:
3. The simile comparing the storm to "an angry beast" creates what effect?
Passage 2: The Soccer Game Narrative

The final minute of the championship game felt like a snail crawling through honey. Jake's heart was a drum pounding in his chest as he watched his teammate Carlos line up the shot.

The ball flew toward the goal, like a rocket on a mission. When it hit the net, Jake felt like he could fly to the moon. The whole world seemed to erupt in cheers.

Questions for Passage 2

4. "The final minute felt like a snail crawling through honey" means:
5. "His heart was a drum" is a metaphor. What two things are being compared?
6. How many examples of figurative language can you find in Passage 2?
Passage 3: Morning in the Garden Descriptive

The sun stretched and yawned, slowly rising over the garden wall. Dewdrops clung to the rose petals like tiny diamonds waiting to be discovered.

Grandmother had been tending this garden for a million years, or so it seemed. The garden was her sanctuary, a place where worries melted away and peace wrapped around her like a warm blanket.

Questions for Passage 3

7. "The sun stretched and yawned" suggests that:
8. The metaphor "The garden was her sanctuary" tells us that the grandmother:
9. What type of figurative language is "like tiny diamonds"?
10. The author's use of figurative language in this passage creates an overall mood that is:

Check Your Understanding

Key Takeaways

Simile

Uses "like" or "as"

Metaphor

Says X IS Y

Personification

Human traits to things

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration

Remember for Tests

  • Always consider what the figurative language means, not just what type it is
  • Think about the mood or feeling the author creates
  • Look at context clues around the figurative language
  • Consider why the author chose this comparison or exaggeration

Next Steps

  • Practice finding figurative language in your everyday reading
  • Try clicking the highlighted phrases in the passages above to learn more
  • Move on to the Writing Application lesson to use figurative language in your own writing