Adolescent Literature Genres

Sample Solution

Literal language is language that means exactly what it says. It is the opposite of figurative language. For example, the sentence "The cat is black" is literal language because it means exactly what it says: the cat has a black fur.

Figurative language is language that uses words in a non-literal way to create a more vivid or imaginative effect. There are many different types of figurative language, including similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and understatement. For example, the sentence "The cat is as black as night" is a simile because it compares the cat's fur to the color of night.

Full Answer Section

• Simile: A simile is a comparison of two things using the words "like" or "as." For example, "The cat is as black as night."
• Metaphor: A metaphor is a comparison of two things without using the words "like" or "as." For example, "The cat is a shadow."
• Personification: Personification is giving human qualities to something that is not human. For example, "The wind whispered through the trees."
• Hyperbole: Hyperbole is an exaggeration. For example, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
• Understatement: Understatement is saying less than what is actually meant. For example, "It was a bit chilly outside."

Here is one strategy or classroom activity you could use to help students understand the difference between literal and figurative language:

• Have students read a passage of text that contains both literal and figurative language. Then, have them identify the literal and figurative language in the passage.
• Have students create a chart or graphic organizer to show the difference between literal and figurative language.
• Have students write their own examples of literal and figurative language.
• Have students act out or draw pictures of literal and figurative language.
• Have students play a game where they have to identify literal and figurative language in a sentence.

These are just a few examples of strategies or classroom activities you could use to help students understand the difference between literal and figurative language. The specific activities that you use will vary depending on the individual student and the specific topic being taught.