Literal and Figurative Language:  A Practice Page for "Tarantulas and Typhoid"

Examples of Figurative Language

Euphemism	My dog passed away this summer.
Hyperbole	I have a million things to do today.
Idiom	It's raining cats and dogs!
Metaphor	The white caps on the fence posts were all that remained of the snow.
Personification	The snowflakes danced in the breeze.
Simile	His voice was as sharp as a knife.

Directions:  Look at each of the sentences below.  Circle "Yes" if a sentence contains figurative language.  Circle "No" if the sentence does not contain figurative language.  If a sentence contains figurative language, write down the name of the  figurative language the sentence contains.  Chose from these figures of speech:  euphemism, hyperbole, idiom, metaphor, personification, and simile.

"Yes"	"No"	Item	Sentence	Which figure  of speech?
Yes	No	1.	The settlers faced hardships and danger.
Yes	No	2.	People held their breath.	idiom
Yes	No	3.	They had to deal with wild animals, harsh weather, and sickness.
Yes	No	4.	Fuzzy monster spiders!
Yes	No	5.	George Goodner was one of the many men living in the tents.
Yes	No	6.	There was very little water.
Yes	No	7.	They tiptoed on the cots in the tents.
Yes	No	8.	Many people passed away.
Yes	No	9.	Typhoid fever is caused when human wastes mix with ground water.
Yes	No	10.	The trap doors keep their burrows cool during the day.
Yes	No	11.	Not only did the spiders crawl, people's skin crawled, too.
Yes	No	12.	The tents covered the prairie like snowflakes.
Yes	No	13.	People use the creeks for bathhouses and rest rooms.
Yes	No	14.	The ground was covered with a moving blanket of tarantulas.
Yes	No	15.	But adults died, too.
Yes	No	16.	Their dreams died with them.
Yes	No	17.	There were so many streets of tents that they formed a tent city.
Yes	No	18.	The spiders were everywhere! There were millions of them!

Return to the "Tarantulas and Typhoid" Lesson Plan.