Similes, Metaphors & Word Meaning
Aligned to RL.5.4 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
Figurative language paints pictures with words. A simile compares using 'like' or 'as'; a metaphor says one thing is another. Ask what the author really means.
Worked example
'The classroom was a zoo' is a metaphor — it means the room was noisy and wild, not that animals were inside.
Practice questions
- Write one simile describing how tired you feel.
- Explain what 'her words were ice' really means.
- Find a colorful phrase and tell its real meaning.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Símiles, Metáforas y Significado
El lenguaje figurado pinta imágenes con palabras. El símil compara usando 'como'; la metáfora dice que una cosa es otra. Pregúntate qué quiere decir de verdad el autor.
Ejemplo: 'El salón era un zoológico' es una metáfora — significa que el salón estaba ruidoso y alborotado, no que había animales adentro.
More Reading: Literature lessons
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