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- Anchor 5 Reading Standards
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- Anchor 7 Reading Standards
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- Anchor 10 Reading Standards
- Anchor RF2 Reading Standards
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Language Anchor Standard 5 Level C/D
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Leveled Standard C
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.
- Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
- Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words. (L.5.5)
Leveled Standard D
- N/A
Teacher Notes
Students should know key terms that describe word relationships and figurative language; however, it is important that students have opportunities to study this language in context and discuss how the figurative language and word choice contribute to a writer or speaker’s tone and purpose.
A metaphor is a term or phrase that is used to make a comparison between two things that aren’t alike.
Example: The world is your oyster.
A simile is a term or phrase that is used to compare two things and uses “like” or “as” in the comparison. Example: Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
An idiom is a traditional way of saying something. Often an idiom, such as “under the weather,” does not seem to make sense if taken literally.
A proverb is a general truth or piece of advice. Example: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
An adage is a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth. Example: Out of sight, out of mind.
A homonym is a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not. Example: heir and air
A homograph is a word spelled the same way as another word but differing in meaning and sometimes in pronunciation. Example: bass (fish) and bass (low, deep voice)
An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to another. Example: bad and good
A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase. Examples: beautiful, attractive, pretty, lovely, stunning
Examples / Activities
Figurative Language: Tractors Take Over
Students analyze the figurative language in a short passage from Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.
opens in a new window Workforce Readiness Skills:
- 8
Speaking and Listening: discuss literature and word choice
- 9
Reading and Writing: read literature
- 10
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: interpret figurative language; make connections between classic/historical literature and other/current events
- 15
Time, Task, and Resource Management: accomplish tasks individually and in pairs/small groups
GED® Assessment Targets (RLA)
R.4.1/L.4.1 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining connotative and figurative meanings from context.
R.4.2/L.4.2 Analyze how meaning or tone is affected when one word is replaced with another.
R.4.3/L.4.3 Analyze the impact of specific words, phrases, or figurative language in text, with a focus on an author’s intent to convey information or construct an argument.
Resources
opens in a new window BrightHub Education: Teaching Homophones
opens in a new window EdHelper Homonyms List
opens in a new window How to Show Students that Word Choice Matters by Kara Wymans
opens in a new window WiseLearn Resources: Figurative Language Terms
YourDictionary opens in a new window Examples of Figurative Language
and opens in a new window Figurative Language