Expanding Figurative Language

English – Expanding Figurative Language

1 of 17 - Welcome

Welcome to this session on expanding figurative language.

In this session we are going to consider some of the lesser known figurative language techniques and
consider the effects they can have in our writing.

By the end of this online session you will:

 Know what an understatement is
 Know what a synecdoche is
 Know what an idiom is
 Understand the effects these techniques can have

2 of 17 – What is figurative language?

In the English language there are literary techniques that we can use when we are writing. These are things
we add to make our work more interesting and detailed.

Figurative language comes under the heading of literary techniques. That is because they are another family
of writing techniques that give us ways of making our descriptions more unique.

Figurative language is language that describes things in non-literal ways. This means that the written
description or explanation isn’t an exact telling of what is happening.

Instead, figurative language relies on comparisons, understatements and overstatements to tell a reader
what’s happening.

3 of 17 – Some common examples of figurative language

There are some techniques in figurative language that we find in many pieces of written work, from creative
writing all the way through to advertisements.

Some of the more common techniques are:
• Similes and metaphors
• Personification
• Hyperbole

Similes and metaphors work by making comparisons. Meanwhile, hyperboles rely on over-stating something
for dramatic or comedic effect.

4 of 17 – Similes and metaphors

Similes work by making a direct comparison between two things. They are usually easy to spot because they
use ‘like’ or ‘as’ to show the comparison. For example:
“The sheet was as white as snow.”
“Her eyes were blue like the sky.”
Metaphors work differently to this. Rather than saying something is like another thing, metaphors will state
something is another thing. For example:
“He’s such an open book when it comes to his life story.”

5 of 17 – Personification

Personification is when human qualities are given to inhuman things – whether that is a tree, a table, or a
car. It helps to make these things more life-like for a reader.
Personification is especially useful for adding character to the space surrounding your human characters too,
which means it can bring a whole scene to life if it is used properly.
For example:
“The sky roared with thunder.”
“The tallest sunflowers waved from the garden.”
“The whole forest sang as the wind rustled through it.”

6 of 17 - Hyperbole

Hyperbole is when you overstate something. This can be done for a number of reasons. The most common
effects of using this technique though are to create humour or drama in your descriptions.
Hyperbole for dramatic effect might be:
“You could have blown me down with a feather.”
Whereas using hyperbole for comedic effect might be:
“He’ll go faster than a rocket for a free meal.”

7 of 17 – Other figurative language techniques

There are lots of other figurative language techniques.

Some techniques rely on certain words being used, such as onomatopoeia, which is when we use words that
sound like the things we are describing, such as bang, crash, bump, and wallop.

Alliteration is another kind of figurative language. This is when we repeat the same letter at the beginning of
words that are close together, for example: Wendy walked down the road and whistled as she went.

There are also other types of figurative language that rely on whole phrases to get their meanings across to a
reader. These are things like understatement, synecdoche and idioms.

8 of 17 – Understatement

Understatement is the opposite to hyperbole. While hyperbole involves over-stating something for dramatic
effect, understatements involve downplaying something to remove the drama instead.

There are several reasons why someone might use understatements, including:
• To create humour
• To make something seem less important
• To make something seem not quite as bad as it is

Understatements are used a lot in political speeches and announcements, usually to downplay something
that has happened.

Like hyperbole, it is easy to use understatements to try to make something more amusing.

If two friends were faced against four snarling dogs, one might say to the other, “You’re not afraid of a few
puppies, are you?”

Or, if a woman offered to cook for her partner but accidentally burnt their meal, she could say, “It might be a
little overdone.”

A lady who is pregnant might say, “Of course, this is a little heavy,” with a hand underneath her bump.

Remember: understatements can be used to downplay serious situations as well.

9 of 17 – Synecdoche

Synecdoche is figurative language that involves referring to part of something instead of referring to the
whole thing. Sometimes this works in reverse and the entire thing comes to represent a small part of itself.

An everyday example of synecdoche might be something like:
“We’ve got St Joseph’s Primary school visiting today.”

However, this might really mean, “We’ve got the reception class from St Joseph’s school visiting today.”

In the first version the whole (meaning in this case the whole school) is being referred to instead of a smaller
part of the school.

There are some common examples where we refer to part of something instead of the whole.

“That’s a nice set of wheels you’ve got there.”

Here, the set of wheels isn’t the only thing the speaker is referring to. As a synecdoche, the wheels become a
representative for the whole car.

“They’re just the hired hands.”

In this example, the hired hands is the phrase being used to refer to an entire workforce for a company or
organisation (but it isn’t just their hands doing the work).

10 of 17 – Idioms

Idioms are set expressions that exist in every language. They are usually so commonly used that people
accept them as known phrases, rather than thinking of them as figurative language.

However, as idioms often use non-literal descriptions – meaning, they are explaining things through
comparisons and imagery – we can put them under the figurative language heading.

We know these phrases so well that we understand they are describing something other than what they
appear to be describing.

An interesting fact about idioms is that each language has them. However, because we understand them as
part of the culture we live in, they often can’t be translated into other languages.

Some everyday idioms in English you might already be familiar with are:

• “Things are a little up in the air right now.”
• “I’m so tired. I think I need to hit the hay.”
• “It really feels like she stabbed me in the back.”

These phrases all represent something else. For example, to say that someone has stabbed you in the back
actually means you believe they have betrayed you or let you down.

Idioms are good tools for a writer to use because they are familiar to a reader or a listener. This means they
can be helpful in making an emotional connection through written work.

11 of 17 – Additional figurative language

We have seen how understatements can make a serious issue seem less serious.

Synecdoche can be used in a similar way – especially in the school children example we considered earlier,
where the amount of children could be increased or decreased by a small change in phrasing.

Meanwhile, idioms strike a familiar tone with a reader which can make it easier for them to recognise the
key ideas and events in a piece of writing.

These techniques are used by writers in very different ways depending on the type of text. Knowing them,
and knowing what their effects are, can be especially helpful when it comes to spotting them in other works.

12 of 17 – Question 1

Read the statements below. Can you decide which ones are true and which ones are false?

a) Figurative language refers to a group of techniques that describe things in literal ways.
b) Personification is a technique where you overstate something from dramatic effect.
c) Metaphors work by claiming that one thing is another thing.
d) Similes involve giving human characteristics and behaviours to a non-human thing.

The correct answers are:

Figurative language refers to a group of techniques that describe things in literal ways is false.

Personification is a technique where you overstate something from dramatic effect is false.

Metaphors work by claiming that one thing is another thing is true.

Similes involve giving human characteristics and behaviours to a non-human thing is false.

13 of 17 – Question 2

Why might someone use understatements in their work? Choose all that apply.

a) To make something seem more important than it is
b) To make something seem less important than it is
c) To make something seem worse than it is
d) To create humour in their speech or writing
e) To make something seem not as bad as it really is
f) To create an emotional connection with a reader

The correct answers are:

B, To make something seem less important than it is

D, To create humour in their speech or writing

E, To make something seem not as bad as it really is

14 of 17 – Question 3

Read the statements below. Can you decide which ones are true and which ones are false?

a) Synecdoche are set expressions that exist in every language.
b) Synecdoche involves referring to part of something instead of the whole thing.
c) Synecdoche can also work by referring to the whole thing instead of a smaller part.
d) “What’s the head count?” is an example of synecdoche.

The correct answers are:

Synecdoche are set expressions that exist in every language is false.

Synecdoche involves referring to part of something instead of the whole thing is true.

Synecdoche can also work by referring to the whole thing instead of a smaller part is true.

“What’s the head count?” is an example of synecdoche is true.

15 of 17 - Question 4

What is an idiom?

a) A literal expression often used in everyday language
b) A non-literal expression often used in everyday language
c) A phrase that refers to the whole instead of a part
d) A non-literal expression used to overstate something for comedy

The correct answer is:

B. A non-literal expression often used in everyday language

16 of 17 - Question 5

Read the paragraph below. Can you use the words below to fill in the blanks?

Idioms are [blank] in written and spoken English. Other languages also have idioms, however because of
culture differences idioms often can’t be [blank]. Idioms are so well known that they’re a part of [blank], but
many people don’t realise they’re [blank] expressions. Idioms work by explaining something in a [blank], but
we know them well enough to understand what’s actually being described.

a) Translated
b) Non-literal way
c) Figurative

d) Set expressions
e) Everyday language

The correct paragraph reads as follows:

Idioms are set expressions in written and spoken English. Other languages also have idioms, however
because of culture differences idioms often can’t be translated. Idioms are so well known that they’re a part
of everyday language, but many people don’t realise they’re figurative expressions. Idioms work by
explaining something in a non-literal way, but we know them well enough to understand what’s actually
being described.

17 of 17 - End

Well done! You have completed this session on expanding figurative language.

In this session you have looked at:

• What an understatement is

• What a synecdoche is

• What an idiom is

• The effects these techniques can have