Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RL 6.4
Figurative
Language – Idioms, Personification, Hyperbole
AS YOU KNOW, authors
use words to help readers create images in their minds. Most words are
literal—they mean what they say. But sometimes authors use more creative, or
figurative, language, like idioms, personification, and hyperbole.
An idiom
is a group of words that doesn’t mean exactly what it says.
Example
“That homework we had last night was a
piece of cake!” Bill said.
Does
Bill mean that the teacher handed out cake for the class to eat as homework?
No, of course not. “A piece of cake” means the task was easy. Look for context
clues to help you figure out the meanings of idioms.
|
Idiom
|
Meaning
|
|
She feels down in the dumps.
|
She
feels sad, unhappy, discouraged.
|
|
When
I told them, they were all
ears!
|
They paid attention and listened.
|
|
Don’t
be such a couch potato!
|
Don’t be lazy, inactive.
|
|
Don’t
let the cat out of the bag!
|
Don’t tell the secret.
|
|
Wow,
that was a close shave!
|
A narrow escape; almost got caught.
|
|
She
has a chip on her shoulder!
|
Is resentful, holds a grudge.
|
Personification
gives human qualities to animals or objects.
Example
“I cannot see in this tall grass, Moon,”
cried the tiger. So Moon smiled down while Wind puffed her cheeks and blew the
grass aside.
In this
example, the tiger has the human ability to speak, the Moon can smile, and the
Wind has human-like cheeks and a mouth. Readers relate to the actions because
they share the qualities. Personification adds interest to some stories,
especially fables and myths that teach lessons about life and human behavior.
Hyperbole
is the use of exaggeration to make a point.
Example
“This suitcase weighs a ton!” Ray
grumbled. “No wonder my back hurts!” Does the suitcase really weigh a ton? Not
likely, since a ton is 2,000 pounds! But the author wants to make the point
that the suitcase is really heavy. Don’t you wonder what’s in it? The author
hopes you do!
Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RL 6.4
Figurative
Language – Similes and Metaphors
SIMILES AND METAPHORS are
two more kinds of figurative language that authors use to add interest to their
writing.
A simile
compares two things by using the words like
or as.
Example
I was so embarrassed; my face was as red
as a beet! How can the author compare a person’s face to a vegetable? They’re
so different! True, but they are alike in one way: Both are red. Picturing this
can help you visualize the character and understand his or her motives in a
story.
Here are
few more similes. What do they help
you visualize?
You and I are as alike as two peas in a
pod!
She is as quiet as a mouse.
His sadness was as unending as the waves
crashing on shore.
I know I can trust him; he’s as honest as
the day is long.
I can’t get her to do anything; she’s as
stubborn as a mule!
A metaphor
compares two things without using like
or as. The text
states that one thing is, or has the characteristics of, another.
Example
The dog’s eyes were searchlights, looking
for any sign of kindness. Is the author trying to get you to picture a dog with
huge searchlights for eyes?
No, the
author wants you to visualize a poor dog staring intently, looking for kindness
from a stranger.
Here are
a few more metaphors. What do you
visualize with each?
Night is a curtain that eventually falls.
The quarterback is a well-maintained
machine.
She is a beacon of light, guiding us home.
Strength and honor are his uniform.
Silence is an invited guest, allowing me
time to think.
Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RL 6.4
Tone
& Style
AN
AUTHOR SETS a purpose for writing, and then chooses words to express ideas.
The words set a tone that, just like someone’s tone of voice, will
convey a feeling of suspense, excitement, happiness, sadness, anger, mystery,
humor, or annoyance. Choosing the right words can make a selection funny, sad,
creepy, serious, mysterious, scary, or fanciful. Different parts of a selection
may convey different feelings. But there should be one clear tone for the whole
selection.
An author’s style is
his or her distinctive way of connecting ideas. You can easily spot some
authors’ styles. Like Dr. Seuss . . . everyone recognizes his rhyming and
made-up words! It may not be so easy to recognize other authors’ styles until
you read a few of their selections. Then you begin to spot the length and
difficulty of the sentences they use and their choices of descriptive words.
Their writing may be
informal or formal, friendly or bitter, fanciful or scientific, comical or
dramatic, playful or serious.
The author’s tone and
style create an overall mood, the feeling you get when you read the selection.
For example, see how the author’s tone and style create a mysterious,
frightening feeling in this scenario.
L E
S
Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RL 6.4
Multiple
Meaning Words
YOU MAY ALREADY know many words
that have two or more meanings. The words are called homonyms, from the
Greek for “same name.” For example, the word fly is a noun that means
“a small insect.”
Example
A
pesky fly kept buzzing by my ear!
But
fly can also be a verb that means “to move through the air with
wings.”
Example
My
brother likes to design and fly paper airplanes. So which meaning does
this author use in the following quote? “I wonder what they’re talking about in
that room? Boy, I wish I were a fly on the wall!” You probably figured
it out. The writer wants to be a tiny insect that people wouldn’t notice as it
listened to their private conversation!
Here are just a few more familiar
multiple-meaning words.
Word Meaning 1 Meaning 2
Bark growl tree
covering
bat animal wooden
stick
bowl dish a
sport
can able to container
kind nice type
light lamp not
heavy
mean unkind suggest
play have fun a
drama
roll revolve a small piece of dough
story tale one
floor of a building
watch look a
timepiece
Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RI 6.4
Denotation
and Connotation
EVERY WORD HAS a denotation—its
definition as found in a dictionary. But many words also have a connotation—the
feelings or images they bring to mind.
Example
snake
Denotation: scaly, legless
reptile
Connotation: danger, evil,
disloyal person
Even words that mean the same may
have different connotations. Think about the synonyms scary and terrifying.
They have similar meanings, but produce different feelings. There’s a big
difference between the scary sound of the howling wind and a terrifying
experience like falling off a cliff! Authors choose words to influence how
readers feel. The words may suggest positive or negative connotations.
Example
I
saw many homeless people on the streets of the city. (positive)
I
saw many bums on the streets of the city. (negative)
Here are a few more positive and
negative connotations of words.
Word Use Positive Negative
Grandpa is thrifty. spends money
wisely cheap
She’s very strong-willed. determined stubborn
He has good self-esteem. Proud of work well done conceited
She was tall and slender. slim anorexic
He’s an eager leader. enthusiastic impatient
As you read, look for both
positive and negative connotations. Ask yourself why the author wants you to
get that connotation.
Essential
Skills/Concepts Related to RI 6.4
Synonyms
and Antonyms
KNOWING WORDS WITH the
same or opposite meaning can help you make sense of unknown words. When you
read, you may come across a word you don’t know. You can often figure out its
meaning by thinking of a synonym or antonym for it.
A synonym
means the same, or almost the same, as the unknown word.
Example
I felt so ungainly,
tripping over my own feet as we headed to the dance floor!
Can you
think of a word to replace ungainly that
would still describe someone who trips? How about clumsy,
awkward, or gawky?
They all have about the same meaning, but doesn’t it sound more embarrassing to
be ungainly than
clumsy? By using ungainly,
the author tells you more about the person’s feelings.
An antonym means the
opposite of the unknown word.
Example
He collapsed after another arduous
day of work in the mine.
Can you
think of a word to describe work that probably would NOT make someone collapse?
How about easy, simple,
or effortless?
They all mean the opposite of hard or
difficult, which is what arduous
means! Also,
or, and like often
signal a synonym is in the text near an unknown word. But
or unlike often
signal an antonym. Use the synonym or antonym to help you figure out the
unknown word.
Example
Gigi thought she’d be calm once the test
was over, but now she was angst-ridden about
the results.
The word
but in the example signals an antonym. Gigi
thought she’d be calm, but she’s the opposite. So angst-ridden
must mean “anxious” or “worried.”
Here are
just a few words with their synonyms and antonyms. Note how a synonym may mean
the same but give a different feeling to the original word.
Word
Synonym
Antonym
afraid
petrified
valiant
ask
interrogate
retort
begin
commence terminate
correct
accurate
erroneous
friend
cohort
antagonist
laugh
chortle
snivel
naughty
mischievous
compliant
noisy
boisterous tranquil
repair
renovate
demolish
small
minuscule
gargantuan
true authentic
bogus
Extension
Activity for RL 6.4
Create a Rap based on RL 6.4 and
The Absolute Value of Mike. Incorporate
the following topics and ideas:
·
Figurative
Language:
o
Idioms
o
Personification
o
Hyperbole
o
Simile
o
Metaphor
·
Tone
& Style:
o
The
tone of your rap should be happy,
humorous, and exciting.
o
The
rap should reflect your personal style.
·
Multiple-Meaning
Words
o
Do
not forget to include multiple-meaning
words.
Extension
Activity for RI 6.4
Create a Rap based on RI 6.4 and
the informational text (provided in your folder). Incorporate the following topics and ideas:
·
Denotation
and Connotation
·
Synonyms
and Antonyms
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