Figurative Language | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Simile or Metaphor?

"Life is like a box of chocolates."

Simile - uses "like" to compare

"Life is a journey."

Metaphor - says life IS a journey (no like/as)

"He is as strong as an ox."

Simile - uses "as" to compare

"She is a ray of sunshine."

Metaphor - says she IS sunshine (no like/as)

Identify the Type (S, M, I, P, H)

1. "The trees danced in the wind."

P (Personification) - Trees can't actually dance; dancing is a human action

2. "My backpack weighs a ton!"

H (Hyperbole) - Extreme exaggeration; backpacks don't actually weigh 2,000 pounds

3. "She sings like an angel."

S (Simile) - Compares using "like"

4. "Don't let the cat out of the bag."

I (Idiom) - Means "don't tell the secret," not literally about a cat

5. "The world is a stage."

M (Metaphor) - Says the world IS a stage (no like/as)

6. "I waited forever for the bus."

H (Hyperbole) - Exaggeration; no one actually waits forever

What Does It Mean?

7. "The test was a piece of cake."

The test was very easy.

8. "His words cut like a knife."

His words were hurtful/painful.

9. "The alarm clock screamed at me to wake up."

The alarm clock made a loud, jarring sound.

10. "I'm so tired I could sleep for a year."

I'm extremely tired.

Practice Worksheet Answers

Passage 1: The Storm

1. "The storm was a monster"

B. Metaphor - Says the storm IS a monster (direct comparison, no like/as)

2. "Lightning cracked across the sky like whips of fire"

Type: Simile - Why: It uses "like" to compare lightning to whips of fire.

3. "The wind screamed" is personification because—

A. Wind cannot actually scream - screaming is a human action

4. "The thunder was so loud it could wake the dead" meaning

The thunder was extremely, incredibly loud. (The exaggeration emphasizes how powerful the sound was.)

Identify the Type

5. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

Hyperbole - Extreme exaggeration

6. "The old car coughed and sputtered..."

Personification - Cars can't actually cough; coughing is a human action

7. "You're driving me up the wall!"

Idiom - Means "you're annoying me," not literally driving up a wall

8. "Her voice was music to his ears."

Metaphor - Says her voice WAS music (no like/as)

Passage 2: Game Day

9. "His heart was a drum beating wildly"

B. A metaphor because it says his heart IS a drum

10. "Keep their eyes on the prize" meaning

Stay focused on the goal; don't get distracted; keep working toward what you want to achieve.

11. Simile from passage

Accept any: "as nervous as cats in a room full of rocking chairs" OR "felt like jelly" OR "as fierce as lions" - Meaning should explain the comparison (e.g., "felt like jelly" means his legs felt weak and wobbly)

12. "Be lions out there!" meaning

The coach wants the team to be brave, fierce, and powerful like lions. The metaphor helps the reader understand she wants them to play aggressively and without fear.

FAST Practice Quiz Answers (Soccer Championship)

B. Simile

Uses "like" to compare her heart to a drum.

B. The stadium was filled with a huge crowd of fans

The "sea" represents the large number of people, not actual water.

B. Stay focused and pay attention

This idiom means to concentrate on what you're doing.

C. Hyperbole

Obviously she didn't practice exactly one million times - this is an exaggeration.

C. Simile

Uses "as fierce as" to compare - the key word "as" makes it a simile.

B. It gives the crowd a human action (holding breath as one being)

The crowd is treated as one being performing a human action.

B. The ball moved very fast and powerfully

The simile comparing the ball to a rocket emphasizes speed and power.

A. The ball gently touched the net (a goal was scored)

"Kissed" suggests a soft, gentle touch - the ball went into the goal.

Accept any two from paragraph 2: "as fierce as lions" (simile), "practiced a million times" (hyperbole), "legs felt like rubber" (simile), "determination was rock-solid" (metaphor)

Sample: The figurative language helps the reader feel Emma's emotions and experience the excitement of the game. For example, "her heart was pounding like a drum" helps us understand how nervous and excited she felt. The metaphor "stadium was a sea of screaming fans" creates a vivid picture of the huge, energetic crowd. These comparisons make the story more exciting and help us connect with Emma's feelings.

Scoring Guide

Assessment	Total Points	Proficient (70%+)	Focus Area if Struggling
Student Concept Worksheet	14 points	10+ correct	Review simile vs. metaphor
Practice Worksheet	12 points	9+ correct	Practice explaining meanings
FAST Practice Quiz	10 points	7+ correct	Focus on idioms and hyperbole

Common Errors: Confusing simile and metaphor (remember: like/as = simile); taking idioms literally; not recognizing personification when objects do human actions; confusing hyperbole with lies (hyperbole is intentional exaggeration for effect).

Answer Keys: Figurative Language

Scoring Guide