ELA: Figurative Language & Poetry: Standard Practice

# Medium Level Guide Grade-level practice aligned to typical classroom expectations and unit assessments. # Simile and Metaphor A simile compares two things using like or as: 'brave as a lion.' A metaphor states a comparison directly: 'time is money.' Both help readers picture ideas vividly. Extended metaphors develop the comparison across several lines. # Personification and Hyperbole Personification gives human traits to nonhuman things: 'the wind whispered.' Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration for effect: 'I've told you a million times.' Neither should be read literally. # Symbolism A symbol stands for something beyond its literal meaning. A dove may symbolize peace; darkness may symbolize fear or evil. Context determines what a symbol represents in a particular text. # Poetry Structure Poems use line breaks, rhythm, and sometimes rhyme. Stanza is a grouped set of lines. Free verse has no fixed meter. Analyzing figurative language deepens understanding of tone and theme in poetry.