Courseversity

Lesson

Figurative language

Primary EducationGrade 5English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G05-ELA-U03-L0545–60 min

You will learn

  • Identify similes.
  • Identify metaphors.
  • Identify personification.
  • Explain the meaning.

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. Spot the comparison.
  2. Name the technique.
  3. Say what is compared.
  4. Explain the effect.

Words to know

simile
a comparison using like or as
metaphor
a comparison saying one thing is another
personification
giving human qualities to non-human things
idiom
a phrase whose meaning is not literal

1. Discover: The harmattan morning

Zainab writes: “The harmattan wind was a thief, stealing the moisture from my lips. The dust hung like a veil over the road. The baobab sighed under the heavy sky. By noon I was ready to call it a day.”

“The wind was a thief” is a metaphor; “like a veil” is a simile; “the baobab sighed” is personification; “call it a day” is an idiom.

Think: What does each phrase help you picture?

2. Understand: Words that paint pictures

Idea 1: Simile and metaphor

A simile uses like or as. A metaphor says one thing is another.

Idea 2: Personification

Personification gives human actions to things: the baobab sighed.

Idea 3: Idioms

An idiom means something other than its words: call it a day means stop working.

Remember: Figurative language compares or describes in non-literal ways to create images and meaning.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Simile

Which phrase is a simile?

  1. Uses like.

Answer: hung like a veil

Example 2 (We do it together): Metaphor

Which phrase is a metaphor?

  1. Is.

Answer: the wind was a thief

Example 3 (You try): Idiom

What does call it a day mean?

Show the steps and answer
  1. Not literal.

Answer: to stop working

Did you know?

People use figurative language every day without noticing, such as piece of cake.

Why this matters

Figurative language makes writing vivid and shows feeling.

4. Explore: Picture words

Write figurative language.

  1. Choose a scene.
  2. Write one simile.
  3. Write one metaphor.
  4. Write one personification.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can use figurative language.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

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

  • This is a ___ because ___.
  • It compares ___ to ___.
  • It makes me picture ___.
  • It means ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. A comparison using like or as is a ___.

simile

Question 2. A comparison saying one thing is another is a ___.

metaphor

Question 3. Giving human qualities to things is ___.

personification

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A comparison using like or as is a ___.
  2. A comparison saying one thing is another is a ___.
  3. Giving human qualities to things is ___.
  4. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___.
  5. The wind was a ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. What hung like a veil?
  2. What sighed?
  3. What did the wind steal?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Does a simile use like or as?
  2. Does a metaphor say is?
  3. Is the baobab really sighing?

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

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Write a simile, a metaphor and a personification about rain.

Show a sample answer

three lines

Another one. Find one simile or metaphor in a book and explain what it means.

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 identify similes.
  • I can identify metaphors.
  • I can identify personification.
  • I can explain the meaning.

9. Check and master

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

1. A simile uses like or ___.

2. A metaphor says one thing ___ another.

3. Personification gives ___ qualities to things.

4. An idiom is ___ literal.

5. The dust hung like a veil is a ___.

6. The wind was a thief is a ___.

7. The baobab sighed is ___.

8. Call it a day is an ___.

9. What does the thief metaphor suggest?

10. Which is a simile?

11. Which is a metaphor?

12. Why use figurative language?

Challenge 1. Which is personification?

Challenge 2. Which idiom means very easy?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Spot the comparison.
  • Name the technique.
  • Say what is compared.
  • Explain the effect.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Symbolism. 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. Define simile and metaphor. [2 marks]
  2. What is personification? [1 mark]
  3. Identify the metaphor in the passage and explain it. [2 marks]
  4. What does call it a day mean? [1 mark]
  5. Explain why writers use figurative language. [3 marks]

Total: 9 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. simile: comparison using like or as [1]; metaphor: says one thing is another [1]
  2. giving human qualities to non-human things [1]
  3. the wind was a thief [1]; it takes moisture away [1]
  4. to stop working [1]
  5. to create pictures [1]; to show feeling [1]; to make writing more vivid [1]

Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. A comparison using like or as is a ___.
  2. A comparison saying one thing is another is a ___.
  3. Giving human qualities to things is ___.
  4. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___.
  5. The wind was a ___.
  6. What hung like a veil?
  7. What sighed?
  8. What did the wind steal?
  9. Does a simile use like or as?
  10. Does a metaphor say is?

Homework

Find one simile or metaphor in a book and explain what it means.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A comparison using like or as is a ___. simile 1
2. A comparison saying one thing is another is a ___. metaphor 1
3. Giving human qualities to things is ___. personification 1
4. A phrase whose meaning is not literal is an ___. idiom 1
5. The wind was a ___. thief 1
6. What hung like a veil? the dust 1
7. What sighed? the baobab 1
8. What did the wind steal? moisture from her lips 1
9. Does a simile use like or as? yes 1
10. Does a metaphor say is? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 simile; 2 metaphor; 3 personification; 4 idiom; 5 thief. Level 2: 1 the dust; 2 the baobab; 3 moisture from her lips. Level 3: 1 yes; 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 Identify similes 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 Identify metaphors 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 Identify personification 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 Explain the meaning 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: identify similes; identify metaphors; identify personification; explain the meaning.

Prerequisite knowledge. Narrative perspective.

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 9-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 5 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 5 » Reading: Literature; Grade 5 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.5.4 and L.5.5a (interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context); Cambridge Primary English Stage 5 (figurative language). These sources informed the lesson.

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