{"id":4178,"date":"2013-06-27T21:02:16","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T21:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=4178"},"modified":"2026-03-28T11:33:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T16:33:27","slug":"figurative-language","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/figurative-language\/","title":{"rendered":"Figurative Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_6buf0If0zI0\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_6buf0If0zI0\" data-source-videoID=\"6buf0If0zI0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Figurative Language Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Figurative Language\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_6buf0If0zI0:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_6buf0If0zI0 {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/212-figurative-language-1.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_6buf0If0zI0\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_6buf0If0zI0\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Figurative Language\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_6buf0If0zI0\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_6buf0If0zI0\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_6buf0If0zI0\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction DZ8_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"DZ8\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"DZ8_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"DZ8\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Figurative_Language_Examples\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Figurative Language Examples<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Similes\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Similes<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Metaphors\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Metaphors<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Hyperbole\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Hyperbole<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Personification\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Personification<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Symbolism\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Symbolism<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label><input id=\"FAQs\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>Hey guys! Welcome to this Mometrix video over figurative language.<\/p>\n<p>Figurative language is just any language that employs phrases or words that have a different meaning than they would if they were interpreted literally. This is in direct contrast to literal language, where someone says exactly what they mean. <\/p>\n<p>For example, when someone looks at an outdoor thermometer that reads 96 degrees and they say, \u201cIt is 96 degrees Fahrenheit outside.\u201d If they were using figurative language they might say, \u201cIt\u2019s a million degrees outside!\u201d It\u2019s pretty obvious that it\u2019s not a million degrees outside, but the point that they are trying to get across is that it\u2019s uncomfortably hot.<\/p>\n<p>Figurative language typically exaggerates what is literal in order to convey a point.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Figurative_Language_Examples\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Figurative Language Examples<\/h2>\n<p>\nThere are several different kinds of figurative language; such as <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/alliteration\/\">alliteration<\/a>, assonance, idiom, onomatopoeia, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/metonymy-and-synedoche\/\">synecdoche<\/a>, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/metonymy-and-synedoche\/\">metonymy<\/a>, cliche, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>In this video, however, we will be looking at the five main types of figurative language: <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/simile\/\">simile<\/a>, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/metaphor\/\">metaphor<\/a>, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/figure-of-speech\/\">hyperbole<\/a>, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/personification\/\">personification<\/a>, and symbolism.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Similes\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Similes<\/h2>\n<p>\nA simile uses like or as to directly compare two different things. Now, you may have heard it said that a simile is comparing two things that are unalike; but that can be confusing, because often a simile is used directly to show how two different things are specifically alike. So, that is why I use the word different.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of similes:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">We all, like sheep, do things that we should not.<\/p>\n<p>She is as tough as nails.<\/p>\n<p>She was as fast as a cheetah.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0em;\">He was like a sloth in the mornings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Metaphors\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Metaphors<\/h2>\n<p>\nA metaphor is actually kind of similar to a simile, which would make sense seeing as how they are both figurative language. Even more than that, they are similar, because they compare two different things. However, the way that these two things are compared is where we find our distinguishing factor. <\/p>\n<p>A simile uses <em>like<\/em> or <em>as<\/em> to compare two different things, but a metaphor compares them in a more absolute way.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of a metaphor:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">He is a dog.<\/p>\n<p>He is a gem.<\/p>\n<p>Bobby Jo is a chicken.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0em;\">He wanted to just sweep his problems under the rug.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Hyperbole\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Hyperbole<\/h2>\n<p>\nA hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration of facts in order to stress the significance of a point. The example we looked at earlier, \u201cIt\u2019s a million degrees outside!\u201d is a good illustration.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some other examples of hyperbole:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">It was so cold the polar bears wore blankets.<\/p>\n<p>He so desperately wants to make his presence known that he never stops making noise.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0em;\">I\u2019m so hungry I could eat a horse!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Personification\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Personification<\/h2>\n<p>\nPersonification is the use of words that imply human qualities to describe something that is not human. For example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">Every time the wind blew the tree would dance.<\/p>\n<p>The sky is crying.<\/p>\n<p>Time shows no partiality.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0em;\">My microwave always screams at me when it\u2019s finished heating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Symbolism\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Symbolism<\/h2>\n<p>\nSymbolism is typically when some object is used to represent a deeper meaning. For example, a dove is a classic symbol for peace. Now, symbolism can be a little more abstract and has many different forms. <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what I mean: it\u2019s possible that something could be symbolism, but it could also be a metaphor. For example, \u201clife is a roller coaster.\u201d The roller coaster symbolizes that in life you will have ups (times of happiness) and downs (times of sadness).<\/p>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s look at some general examples of symbolism:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">He became fearful after the black cat crossed his path.<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-style:normal; font-size:70%\"><em>(The black cat crossing someone&#8217;s path symbolizes very bad luck, according to an old omen)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The King wore a purple robe during the ceremony.<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-style:normal; font-size:70%\"><em>(The color purple is symbolic for royalty)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>After a rough day she desperately anticipated the sunrise.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: -1.5em;\"><span style=\"font-style:normal; font-size:70%;\"><em>(The sun rising is symbolic of a new day, and a chance to start over)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nFigurative language can be a really useful tool to add depth to your writing. So, I hope that this video helped you to better understand, and sets you up to successfully apply it to your own writing.<\/p>\n<p>See you guys next time!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"FAQs-spoiler\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\"><span id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-list\">\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">What is figurative language?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Figurative language is a way for authors to express themselves without using strict\/realistic meanings of words. In other words, stretching the actual meaning of words in order to communicate ideas and emotions in a creative and more accessible way is called figurative language. For example, when someone uses the phrase \u201cbutterflies in my stomach,\u201d they are not meaning that there are literal butterflies in their stomach. They are stretching the words outside of their literal meaning to illustrate the nervous\/anxious feeling in their stomach.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">What are the types of figurative language?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>There are generally considered to be five main types of figurative language: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, allusion, and personification.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A <strong>simile<\/strong> is a type of figurative language that compares two things using the words <em>like<\/em> or <em>as<\/em>. Here are a few examples:<br \/>&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> \u201cShe is <strong>as<\/strong> busy <strong>as<\/strong> a bee.\u201d<br \/> \u201cThis room is about <strong>as<\/strong> big <strong>as<\/strong> a breadbox.\u201d<br \/> \u201cTheir eyes sparkled <strong>like<\/strong> diamonds.\u201d<br \/> \u201cMark and Will were fighting <strong>like<\/strong> cats and dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>metaphor<\/strong> is a figure of speech that describes one thing as being another thing in literal terms in order to better explain a characteristic or idea. Take a look at this example:<br \/>&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">  \u201cTina\u2019s eyes were stars twinkling in the night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>  Tina\u2019s eyes are not <em>literally<\/em> stars. The author uses the metaphor of stars to imply that Tina\u2019s eyes were twinkling in a way similar to stars.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>hyperbole<\/strong> is simply an exaggeration that is used to add emphasis to a text. The exaggeration is usually extreme and unrealistic. Here are a few examples:<br \/>&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">  \u201cThe quiz today had a million math questions on it.\u201d<br \/>\u201cMy backpack weighs a ton.\u201d<br \/>\u201cMy feet are colder than the Arctic Circle.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>An <strong>allusion<\/strong> is an indirect or implied reference to something that the reader is assumed to already be familiar with. Take a look at this example:<br \/>&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">  \u201cAt that moment, she felt as though she had a golden ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>  In this case, the author is making an indirect reference to Roald Dahl&#8217;s novel <em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Personification<\/strong> is a type of figurative language an author uses to give human characteristics to something nonhuman. For instance, instead of saying \u201cMy alarm clock woke me up this morning,\u201d you could give the alarm clock the human characteristic of yelling: \u201cMy alarm clock yelled at me to get out of bed this morning.\u201d Here\u2019s a slightly more complex example of personification:<br \/>&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">  \u201cThe wind howled as lightning danced across the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">Why do authors use figurative language?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Authors can use figurative language to communicate an abstract idea that is often difficult to explain or a complex concept to understand. Whether it be personification, hyperbole, or metaphor, figurative language can enhance the reader&#8217;s experience by helping visualize mental images of the story.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">Is imagery figurative language?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Not quite. Figurative language is the use of words beyond their strict\/realistic meaning. Imagery is the use of figurative language to represent things in a way that appeals to the senses. Take a look at this example:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201cMy heart was beating like a drum.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In this sentence, a simile is used as a piece of figurative language to liken the heart to a drum. This is an example of imagery, as it appeals to our sense of sound.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">Is irony figurative language?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>Yes, irony is used often in figurative language. Irony is defined as a contrasting idea between reality and expectations of reality, and it can be both tragic and humorous.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/writing\/\">Return to Writing Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Writing Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91300,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-4178","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","7":"page_category-writing-videos","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4178"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":280970,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4178\/revisions\/280970"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}