Analyzing Figurative Language

When you read a simile, a metaphor, or an idiom, the words do not mean exactly what they say. Analyzing figurative language means looking closely at those words and figuring out the real meaning hiding inside them. You already know how to spot figurative language from Comparing Figurative Expressions. Now you will dig deeper and explain exactly what each expression means when you read it in a sentence.

To analyze something means to look at it closely and explain how it works. When you analyze figurative language, you ask two questions. First, what type of figurative language is this? Second, what does it really mean here, in this sentence or story?

Look at this sentence: "The classroom was a zoo after the bell rang." A zoo is not really in the room. This sentence is a metaphor. It really means the classroom was loud and messy, just like a zoo full of animals.

A simile compares two things using the word "like" or "as." "Her smile was as bright as the sun" is a simile. A metaphor compares two things without using "like" or "as." "Her smile was sunshine" is a metaphor. Both sentences tell you the same thing, that her smile made people feel warm and happy.

When you analyze these two sentences side by side, you compare their meaning and their words. They share the same idea, a bright, happy smile, but they use different comparison tools to show it. You can practice telling these two apart in Comparing Similes and Metaphors.

An idiom is a group of words that has a special meaning that is different from what the words say. "It's raining cats and dogs" does not mean animals are falling from the sky. It means it is raining very hard. You cannot guess an idiom just by looking at each word alone. You have to know the whole saying and think about how people use it.

When you analyze an idiom, look at the sentence around it. That sentence often gives you a clue. "It's raining cats and dogs, so bring your umbrella" tells you the weather is bad, which helps you guess the idiom means heavy rain.

Follow these steps when you meet a tricky expression in your reading.

1. Read the sentence and notice any words that do not make sense if you take them literally.
2. Decide what type of figurative language it is, a simile, a metaphor, or an idiom.
3. Look at the sentences before and after for clues about feelings, actions, or events.
4. Put the real meaning into your own simple words.

You can use these same steps when a passage has more than one figurative expression, so you can explain the meaning of the whole passage. This skill also helps with Interpreting Figurative Language in longer stories.

Read this sentence: "Grandpa was as stubborn as a mule, but he was also the glue that held our family together."

First, find the figurative parts. "Stubborn as a mule" uses the word "as," so it is a simile. It means Grandpa did not like to change his mind. "The glue that held our family together" does not use "like" or "as," so it is a metaphor. It means Grandpa kept everyone close and connected, the way glue holds pieces together.

Notice how both expressions describe Grandpa, but each one shows a different part of who he is.

Analyze: To look closely at something and explain how it works or what it means.

Simile: A comparison between two things using "like" or "as," such as "quiet as a mouse."

Metaphor: A direct comparison that says one thing is another thing, such as "the classroom was a zoo."

Idiom: A saying whose meaning is different from what the separate words mean, such as "break the ice."

Context: The words and sentences around an expression that give you clues about its meaning.

Figurative Language: Words used in a creative way, not their exact, literal meaning.

The diagram below shows a simile, a metaphor, and an idiom that all describe someone working very hard. Notice that the words are different, but the meaning is almost the same.

When you practice, try covering up the meaning first. Read the expression alone and guess what it means before you check the answer. Then ask yourself if it is a simile, a metaphor, or an idiom, and look for the word clues around it that helped you decide.

You can also try comparing two expressions that describe the same idea, like "brave as a lion" and "he had a heart of a lion." Both describe bravery, but one is a simile and one is a metaphor.

Related lessons

• Comparing Figurative Expressions