English Language Arts · 5th Grade · Word Power: Vocabulary, Grammar, and Usage · Weeks 28-36

Interpreting Figurative Language

Exploring metaphors, similes, personification, and idioms to understand how language conveys deeper meaning.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5.a

About This Topic

Figurative language asks readers to move beyond the literal meaning of words to interpret what an author intends to convey. At fifth grade, students encounter metaphors, similes, personification, and idioms across literary and informational texts. CCSS L.5.5.a focuses on interpreting figurative language within context, which means students must read surrounding text to construct meaning rather than applying memorized definitions.

The challenge is not recognizing figurative language (most fifth graders can identify a simile by this point) but explaining its effect. Why did the author choose this comparison? What does it tell the reader about the subject that a literal description would not? These interpretation questions require higher-order thinking and move students toward the analytical skills they need for middle school.

Active learning is particularly effective here because figurative language is playful and generative. When students write and share their own personification sentences or explain idioms to a partner unfamiliar with them, they exercise the same inferential thinking required to interpret figurative language in texts.

Key Questions

1. Explain why authors use figurative language instead of literal descriptions.
2. Analyze the effect of a specific simile on the reader's understanding of a character.
3. Construct a sentence using personification to describe an inanimate object.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the effect of a specific simile on the reader's understanding of a character's emotions.
• Explain why an author uses personification instead of a literal description to convey a specific idea.
• Identify the type of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, idiom) used in a given sentence.
• Construct original sentences using idioms accurately to describe common situations.
• Compare the meaning conveyed by a literal sentence versus a sentence using a metaphor.

Before You Start

Identifying Parts of Speech

Why: Students need to recognize nouns, verbs, and adjectives to understand how figurative language modifies or replaces literal descriptions.

Understanding Literal Meaning

Why: Students must first grasp the direct meaning of words and sentences to recognize when language is being used figuratively.

Key Vocabulary

simile	A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. It helps create a vivid image for the reader.
metaphor	A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. It states that one thing is another thing.
personification	A figure of speech where human qualities or actions are given to inanimate objects or abstract ideas.
idiom	A phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meanings of its individual words. It has a figurative meaning understood by native speakers.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Figurative language is only found in fiction and poetry.

What to Teach Instead

Figurative language appears frequently in informational texts, news articles, speeches, and everyday conversation. Using examples from a variety of text types demonstrates the range of contexts where figurative language operates and makes interpretation more transferable.

Common Misconception

There is one correct interpretation of a figurative phrase.

What to Teach Instead

Figurative language is inherently interpretive, and thoughtful readers may construct slightly different but equally valid meanings from the same phrase. Teaching students to support their interpretation with textual evidence develops the reasoning skills needed for literary analysis.

Common Misconception

Idioms mean what they literally say.

What to Teach Instead

Idioms are highly context-dependent and often confuse English language learners for this reason. Explicitly teaching common idioms and their origins helps all students, and pairing native speakers with English language learner partners during idiom activities benefits both students through the explanation process.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share: Effect Analysis

Display a sentence containing figurative language from a class text. Students first interpret the phrase individually in writing, then discuss with a partner to compare and refine their analysis. Pairs share their best explanation with the class, and the teacher guides discussion toward why the author chose that specific comparison rather than a literal description.

15 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Figurative Language Stations

Post examples of each figurative language type (metaphor, simile, personification, idiom) on separate posters around the room. Student groups rotate through stations, writing their interpretation of each example and one original sentence using the same technique. The class compares interpretations to see where the language led different readers to different meanings.

35 min·Small Groups

Performance: Bring Personification to Life

Students select an inanimate object and write three to four sentences of personification describing it. They perform their passage for a small group while the group guesses the object being described. Afterward, groups discuss which details most effectively gave the object human qualities and why those choices worked.

30 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Idiom Dictionary

Assign each small group three to four idioms from a provided list. Groups research the likely origin of each idiom, define it in their own words, and create an example sentence. Groups then combine into jigsaw teams where each member teaches their idioms, and the class assembles a shared classroom idiom reference.

40 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Songwriters frequently use similes and metaphors to express complex emotions and create memorable lyrics, like Taylor Swift comparing a relationship to a 'kaleidoscope of loud colors'.
• Advertising agencies use idioms and personification to make products relatable and engaging, such as a talking animal mascot for a pet food brand or slogans like 'The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup'.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with three sentences, each containing a different type of figurative language (e.g., a simile, an idiom, personification). Ask students to identify the type of figurative language in each sentence and write one sentence explaining its meaning.

Quick Check

Display a short paragraph from a children's book. Ask students to highlight one example of figurative language. Then, have them write on a sticky note: 'The author used [figurative language type] to show...' and complete the sentence explaining the effect.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Why might an author choose to say 'The wind howled' instead of 'The wind was loud'?'. Facilitate a class discussion where students share their interpretations and explain the impact of personification.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I help students move from identifying figurative language to interpreting it?

Ask the follow-up question every time: 'What does this comparison tell you about the subject that a literal description would not?' This pushes students to articulate the added meaning rather than just labeling the technique. Over time, this question becomes automatic because students have practiced the reasoning, not just the recognition.

What is the difference between a metaphor and a simile?

A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to make a comparison ('Her voice was like thunder'), while a metaphor states the comparison directly without those signal words ('Her voice was thunder'). Both create imagery but differ in grammatical structure. Students who understand this distinction can use both techniques purposefully in their own writing.

How do I teach idioms to students who are English language learners?

Focus on high-frequency idioms that appear in academic and everyday contexts, and always teach them with surrounding context rather than in isolation. Explicit instruction on how idioms work (they mean something different from their literal words) combined with visual supports helps ELL students build a reliable mental category for this type of language.

How does active learning improve figurative language interpretation?

When students perform a personification passage or explain an idiom to a peer who cannot look at the source, they must construct a clear interpretation on demand. This performance requirement deepens understanding because students discover gaps in their own thinking when they cannot explain it clearly to someone else. Collaborative interpretation also exposes students to readings they had not considered.