Figurative Language Reference Chart for Second Grade
A one-page reference chart that defines five figurative language types (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and imagery) with a kid-friendly example for each. It's meant to stay at students' desks as a quick look-up tool while they read and write, building their ability to recognize and name the ways writers paint pictures with words.
“can you create something like this? Figurative Language Examples Type Definition Example Simile Compares two things using like or as. The clouds were like cotton balls in the sky. Metaphor Says one thing is another to compare them. My brother is a walking dictionary. Personification Gives human qualities to something nonhuman. The wind whispered through the trees. Hyperbole Uses exaggeration to make a point. I have a million things to do! Imagery Uses sensory details to help readers picture, hear, smell, taste, or feel something. The warm, buttery popcorn filled the room with a rich smell.”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Post a copy at each desk or in a reading corner and introduce it during a 15-minute mini-lesson, reading each example aloud and pointing out the bolded key words like "like," "is," and "whispered."
- Discussion question: Why do you think the author chose "cotton balls" to describe the clouds, and what picture does that make in your mind?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Pair each type with a simple gesture or picture cue, and have students sort the five examples into the correct category before reading independently.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to write one original sentence for each type about a topic from their own day, then swap with a partner to identify each device.
- Plan about 15 minutes for the initial walkthrough, with follow-up reference use woven into reading and writing blocks across the week.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“can you create something like this? Figurative Language Examples Type Definition Example Simile Compares two things using like or as. The clouds were like cotton balls in the sky. Metaphor Says one thing is another to compare them. My brother is a walking dictionary. Personification Gives human qualities to something nonhuman. The wind whispered through the trees. Hyperbole Uses exaggeration to make a point. I have a million things to do! Imagery Uses sensory details to help readers picture, hear, smell, taste, or feel something. The warm, buttery popcorn filled the room with a rich smell.”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Post a copy at each desk or in a reading corner and introduce it during a 15-minute mini-lesson, reading each example aloud and pointing out the bolded key words like "like," "is," and "whispered."
- Discussion question: Why do you think the author chose "cotton balls" to describe the clouds, and what picture does that make in your mind?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Pair each type with a simple gesture or picture cue, and have students sort the five examples into the correct category before reading independently.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to write one original sentence for each type about a topic from their own day, then swap with a partner to identify each device.
- Plan about 15 minutes for the initial walkthrough, with follow-up reference use woven into reading and writing blocks across the week.
Figurative Language Reference Chart for Second Grade
A one-page reference chart that defines five figurative language types (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and imagery) with a kid-friendly example for each. It's meant to stay at students' desks as a quick look-up tool while they read and write, building their ability to recognize and name the ways writers paint pictures with words.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free