Courseversity

Lesson

Figurative expressions

Primary EducationGrade 4English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G04-ELA-U05-L0745–60 min

You will learn

  • Recognise idioms.
  • Explain proverbs.
  • Tell literal from figurative.
  • Use sayings in context.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Ask if the words make literal sense.
  2. Use context.
  3. Explain the meaning.
  4. Use it in a sentence.

Words to know

idiom
a phrase whose meaning is not literal
proverb
a short saying that teaches a lesson
literal
exactly what the words say
figurative
not literal; with an imagined meaning

1. Discover: Sayings in the classroom

Ms. Bello says, “Let us break the ice with a game.” The children laugh. They do not break real ice. It means to start a friendly conversation. Ngozi quotes a proverb her grandmother taught her: Little by little, the bird builds its nest. It means big things are done step by step.

Think: What is the difference between literal and figurative?

2. Understand: Words with hidden meanings

Idea 1: Idioms

An idiom is a phrase with a meaning different from the literal words: break the ice, under the weather, a piece of cake.

Idea 2: Proverbs

A proverb teaches a lesson in a short saying: Little by little, the bird builds its nest.

Idea 3: Figurative

Figurative meanings are imagined. Use context to decide: is the speaker really talking about ice?

Remember: Idioms and proverbs have meanings beyond the literal words; use context to understand them.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Idiom

What does break the ice mean?

  1. Start talking.

Answer: start a friendly conversation

Example 2 (We do it together): Proverb

What does the bird proverb teach?

  1. Step by step.

Answer: big things are done step by step

Example 3 (You try): Literal

Is she breaking real ice?

Show the steps and answer
  1. No.

Answer: no, the meaning is figurative

Did you know?

Many languages have idioms about weather, food and animals, but they rarely translate word for word.

Why this matters

Knowing sayings helps you understand speech, stories and cultures.

4. Explore: Saying collector

Collect idioms and proverbs.

  1. Ask family for three sayings.
  2. Write the words.
  3. Write the meaning.
  4. Use each in a sentence.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can explain sayings.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • The idiom ___ means ___.
  • Literally it says ___.
  • The proverb teaches ___.
  • I can use it when ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___.

idiom

Question 2. A short saying that teaches a lesson is a ___.

proverb

Question 3. Exactly what the words say is ___.

literal

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___.
  2. A short saying that teaches a lesson is a ___.
  3. Exactly what the words say is ___.
  4. Not literal, with an imagined meaning, is ___.
  5. A piece of cake means something very ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. What does under the weather mean?
  2. What does a piece of cake mean?
  3. Who taught Ngozi the proverb?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Does break the ice mean break real ice here?
  2. Can a proverb teach?
  3. Is “under the weather” literal?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Collect three sayings, write their literal and real meanings.

Show a sample answer

a sayings list

Another one. Ask two adults for proverbs and write what they mean.

Show a sample answer

a completed task

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Rushing without checking.
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Another mistake: Skipping the worked example.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can recognise idioms.
  • I can explain proverbs.
  • I can tell literal from figurative.
  • I can use sayings in context.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. An idiom’s meaning is not ___.

2. A proverb teaches a ___.

3. Literal means exactly what the words ___.

4. Figurative is not ___.

5. What does break the ice mean?

6. What does under the weather mean?

7. What does a piece of cake mean?

8. What does the bird proverb teach?

9. Which is literal?

10. Which is figurative?

11. How do you understand a saying you do not know?

12. Why learn sayings?

Challenge 1. What does hit the books mean?

Challenge 2. Which proverb idea matches slow steady progress?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Ask if the words make literal sense.
  • Use context.
  • Explain the meaning.
  • Use it in a sentence.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Multiple-meaning words. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What is an idiom? Give one. [2 marks]
  2. What is a proverb? [1 mark]
  3. What does literal mean? [1 mark]
  4. Explain the meaning of a piece of cake. [1 mark]
  5. Explain how to understand an unfamiliar saying. [3 marks]

Total: 8 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. phrase with non-literal meaning [1]; e.g. break the ice [1]
  2. a short saying that teaches a lesson [1]
  3. exactly what the words say [1]
  4. very easy [1]
  5. check if the literal meaning makes sense [1]; use context [1]; explain the figurative meaning [1]

Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___.
  2. A short saying that teaches a lesson is a ___.
  3. Exactly what the words say is ___.
  4. Not literal, with an imagined meaning, is ___.
  5. A piece of cake means something very ___.
  6. What does under the weather mean?
  7. What does a piece of cake mean?
  8. Who taught Ngozi the proverb?
  9. Does break the ice mean break real ice here?
  10. Can a proverb teach?

Homework

Ask two adults for proverbs and write what they mean.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___. idiom 1
2. A short saying that teaches a lesson is a ___. proverb 1
3. Exactly what the words say is ___. literal 1
4. Not literal, with an imagined meaning, is ___. figurative 1
5. A piece of cake means something very ___. easy 1
6. What does under the weather mean? feeling ill 1
7. What does a piece of cake mean? very easy 1
8. Who taught Ngozi the proverb? her grandmother 1
9. Does break the ice mean break real ice here? no 1
10. Can a proverb teach? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 idiom; 2 proverb; 3 literal; 4 figurative; 5 easy. Level 2: 1 feeling ill; 2 very easy; 3 her grandmother. Level 3: 1 no; 2 yes; 3 no.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Recognise idioms Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Explain proverbs Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Tell literal from figurative Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Use sayings in context Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Listen while your child explains the idea.
  • Ask for one new example.
  • Praise effort and careful work.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: recognise idioms; explain proverbs; tell literal from figurative; use sayings in context.

Prerequisite knowledge. Word roots.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.

Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 4 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core L.4.5b (recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs); Cambridge Primary English Stage 4 (figurative language). These sources informed the lesson.

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