Name:_________________________________________________ Date:_________________

Figurative Language Unit Test

SECTION 1 DIRECTIONS: Circle the correct definition.

1. Personification: 2. Simile:
a. An extreme exaggeration. a. An extreme exaggeration.
b. Makes a comparison without using like b. Makes a comparison without using like
or as. or as.
c. Language that gives inanimate or lifeless c. Language that gives inanimate or lifeless
things human qualities. things human qualities.
d. Makes a comparison using like or as. d. Makes a comparison using like or as.

3. Literal Language: 4. Metaphor:

a. Does not mean exactly what it says. a. An extreme exaggeration.
b. Means exactly what is says. b. Makes a comparison without using like
or as.
c. Language that gives inanimate or lifeless
things human qualities.
d. Makes a comparison using like or as.

5. Hyperbole: 6. Figurative Language:

a. An extreme exaggeration. a. Does not mean exactly what it says.
b. Make a comparison without using like or b. Means exactly what is says.
as.
c. Language that gives inanimate or lifeless
things human qualities.
d. Make a comparison using like or as.

SECTION 2 DIRECTIONS: Read each sentence and determine what kind of figurative language is
being used.

7. Shake it like a Polaroid picture! 8. The wind is carrying away the words
a. Simile people are saying to each other.
b. Metaphor a. Simile
c. Personification b. Metaphor
d. Hyperbole c. Personification
d. Hyperbole
9. Brian was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball 10. I tried to tell you one thousand times that I
back over the net. don’t like tomatoes!
a. Simile a. Simile
b. Metaphor b. Metaphor
c. Personification c. Personification
d. Hyperbole d. Hyperbole
11. That is the funniest joke in the entire world! 12. The rock smiled as people sat and read near
a. Simile it.
b. Metaphor a. Simile
c. Personification b. Metaphor
d. Hyperbole c. Personification
d. Hyperbole

13. My older brother is like a backseat driver, 14. Michael is a fish in water when he dives into
 always telling me how to improve my curveball the pool.
even though I don't want his advice. a. Simile
a. Simile b. Metaphor
b. Metaphor c. Personification
c. Personification d. Hyperbole
d. Hyperbole

SECTION 3 DIRECTIONS: Circle the letter that BEST answers the question.

15. Which sentence contains an example of a simile?

a. He roamed the room like a lion searching for his next kill.
b. The man is an island.
c. I was wondering why on Earth he would like airplane food.
d. The fragrance of her perfume crept its way up the stairs.

16. Which sentence contains an example of a metaphor?

a. I wouldn’t go with you in a billion years!
b. The flower had red and orange petals.
c. Deja had eyes like a hawk when she spotted the ruby.
d. Sam was a detective searching for his lost school book.

17. Which sentence contains an example of personification?

a. Lashanda was a speed-demon, racing her car down the street.
b. The squirrel collected enough nuts to last for the winter.
c. I looked down to see a butterfly happily playing hopscotch on my hand.
d. The geese flew towards Florida like a squadron of fighter jets.

18. Which sentence contains an example of hyperbole?

a. Those girls are like two peas in a pod.
b. He was so fast that his shoes were on fire.
c. The schoolroom lights were the sun during our test.
d. I like the way her hair shapes her face.

SECTION 4 DIRECTIONS: Answer the questions about the following poem, “A Book”.

A Book
19. The underlined sentences are examples of:
A book is like a television
Inside your head. a. Simile
b. Metaphor
It tells you stories. c. Personification
d. Hyperbole
It takes you places.
 It scares you. 20. The circled sentences are examples of:

It makes you laugh. a. Simile

But- b. Metaphor
c. Personification
You draw the pictures. d. Hyperbole
You write the songs.
You pick the colors.
You choose the programs.
A book is like a television
Inside your head-
And no one ever tells you
To turn it off.

SECTION 5 DIRECTIONS: Write one complete sentence that contains the figurative language asked
for in each number. DO NOT use examples from this test. Keep all examples school appropriate.

21. Simile:

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22. Metaphor:

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23. Personification:

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24. Hyperbole:

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SECTION 6 DIRECTIONS: Read the poems and article below. Complete the chart on the following
page by finding an example of a simile, metaphor, personification and hyperbole.

Homework The Flower

Homework! Oh, Homework! The flower crawls up from the cold ground.
I hate you! You stink! Something once beautiful:
I wish I could wash you away in the sink, Disguised by the unmerciful forces of nature.
if only a bomb Its petals red as blood-
would explode you to bits. Smeared across each vein.
Homework! Oh, homework! Its leaves are frail and dying.
The night sky, a dark background,
You're giving me fits.
Hiding the creatures that lurk,
Suspiciously within the trees.
I'd rather take baths Its image:
with a man-eating shark, Scratched, as if human kind had tried to erase it from
or wrestle a lion memory.
alone in the dark, But the image still lives,
eat spinach and liver, Still breathes,
pet ten porcupines, Still thrives,
than tackle the homework, Chilling me and my thoughts.
my teacher assigns.

Anonymous Excerpt Two Sunflowers

At Jefferson, learning is a Two sunflowers move in the yellow room.

carnival full of fascinating They arranged themselves at the window
rides where every day is a And counted the steps of the sun,
new adventure! This year, And they both took root in the carpet
students have already Where the topaz tortoises run.
learned about tone, mood,
plot analysis, author’s
purpose, theme, inference,
characterization, BCRs, and
figurative language in English
class! Their brains are like
high-speed computers!
Recently, the Jefferson band
performed in a fabulous
Christmas concert. During the
show, tears were flowing like
rivers from the eyes of parents
and teachers alike. As you
can see, Jefferson students
are shining stars for
education.

Type of Line from the text Explain why it is that type of Literal Explanation
figurative (write it out) figurative language using
language words from the definition
25. 26. 27.
 Simile

28. 29. 30.

Metaphor

31. 32. 33.

Personification

34. 35. 36.

Hyperbole