Figurative Language and Other Literary Devices: Grades 5-8

Literary techniques are the constructions of language used by an author to convey meaning. These techniques make the story more interesting to the reader. It is crucial that students learn to identify and understand these constructions. Familiarity with these techniques will prepare them not only for standardized tests, but also for their future education. The understanding of these devices will help students get more enjoyment from the fiction they read—both in and out of the classroom situation. This comprehensive unit uses examples from classic and modern literature to introduce and reinforce these techniques.

Each term is defined. One or more examples are given from classic and/or modern literature. Students are then given opportunities to identify, explain, and use the technique.
Grades 5 through 8.
The following literary terms / techniques are covered:
• Connotation
• Dialogue
• Dialect
• Imagery
• Idiom
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Allusion
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Understatement
• Irony
• Sarcasm
• Oxymoron
• Paradox
• Symbol
• Pun
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia