Literal vs.

Figurative
Language
Literal Meaning

– Literal meaning is EXACTLY what the words say.

Literal Meaning

– Exactly what the words say

Literal meaning
leaves no room
for
interpretation.
Literal vs. Figurative Language
 Figurative language

– Language that CANNOT

be taken literally.

– For example, literary

devices are examples
of figurative language.
Why use figurative language?
To express common emotions and
experiences:
To be descriptive
To be funny
What idioms or expressions do you
know in English?

Are there any idioms from

another language that you
know?
Idiom Game
 1. Let sleeping dogs lie

A. Be kind to animals
B. Do not interfere with the situation
C. We all need more sleep
 2. Take it with a grain of salt

A. Only take the advice if you want it

B. Eat healthy
C. Don’t waste good advice
 3. If you "lost your marbles," you

A. Should remember to keep track of your things

B. Got old
C. Went a bit crazy
 4. If you "bite off more than you chew," you

A. Are selfish
B. Agreed to more than you
can handle
C. Lost your false teeth
 5. Barking up the wrong tree means

A. Asking the wrong

person
B. Deforestation
C. Being angry at the
wrong person
 6. Speak of the devil

A. Talk about a person before they enter the room

B. Plan to do evil things
C. Be bossy and tell people how to act
 7. If you are "on the ball,"

A. You’re doing it just right

B. You are excellent at sports
C. You are on time
 8. The last straw is:

A. The last step before

success
B. The youngest person in a
big family
C. The last annoying thing
before you explode
 9. If you "Beat around the bush," you:

A. Are an excellent gardener

B. Don’t get to the point
C. Say the same thing over and
over
 10. If you are "on the fence"

A. You cannot decide between

two things
B. You are both right and left
handed
C. You are guarded with your
things
 11. Jump of the bandwagon:

A. Join a rock band

B. Hitchhike out of town
C. Do what everyone else is
doing
 12. Cross that bridge when we come
to it

A. Learn to get along with

people
B. Worry about the problem
when it’s in front of you
C. Don’t put things off until
tomorrow
Draw your idiom, literally!

Your poster should have:

• Your idiom
• A drawing that
represents the literal
meaning
• The explanation or
intended meaning at the
bottom
Examples