IDIOM: phrases that are not taken literally

HYPERBOLE: an extreme exaggeration to make a point

SIMILE: comparing 2 unlike things using the word LIKE or AS

METAPHOR: word or phrase that compares (often using the word THAN)

ONOMATOPOEIA: words that sound like their objects

PERSONIFICATION: non-living thing having people characteristics

ALLITERATION: initial sounds repeated

ALLUSION: referring to a well-known event/person from history or literature

IDIOM

• Give it a shot - Try• Speak your mind - Say what you really feel• A piece of cake - Very easy• Slipped my mind - I forgot• Cross your fingers - For good luck• Be in hot water - Be in trouble• It cost an arm and a leg - It was expensive• It’s in the bag - It’s a certainty• Get cold feet - Be nervous• A rip off - Too expensive• Get a kick out of - Enjoy• See eye to eye - Agree• Have mixed feelings - Unsure how you feel• Draw a blank - Can’t remember• A basket case - A crazy person• Have a shot at - Have a chance• Goose is cooked - Now you’re in trouble

• Have a change of heart - Changed your mind• Be second to none - Be the best• A bull in a china shop - Someone who is very clumsy• Get your act together - Behave properly• Play it by ear - Improvise• Let the cat out of the bag - Tell a secret• Get off your high horse - Quit thinking you’re better • Fish out of water - Being somewhere you don’t belong• Have second thoughts - Have doubts• Be in the same boat - Be in the same situation• Out of the blue - With no warning• A grey area - Something unclear• Give someone the cold shoulder - Ignore someone• I’m all ears - You have my undivided attention• Call it a day - Time to quit• Read between the lines - Find the hidden meaning• The icing on the cake - Something that turns good into great

phrases that are not taken literally

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

HYPER-BOLE

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

an extreme exaggeration to make a point

• It was so cold I saw polar bears wearing jackets.• I am so hungry I could eat a horse.• I had a ton of chores to do.• If I can’t get a Smartphone, I will die.• She is as thin as a toothpick.• This car goes faster than the speed of light.• Our new house cost a bazillion dollars.• He's got tons of video games.• You could have knocked me over with a feather.• Grandpa is older than dirt.• My mom is going to kill me.• Let’s be best friends forever.• Energizer - Keeps going and going and going. • Oscar Meyer - It doesn't get better than this.• Redbull - It gives you wings!• Visa - It’s everywhere you want to be.

• Old Mr. Smith has been teaching here since the Stone Age.• My birthday will never come.• He knows everything about math.• My dad is always working.• My mom works her fingers to the bone.• His stomach is a bottomless pit.• Her smile was a mile wide.• We are poor and don’t have two cents to rub together.• Nothing can stop our team from winning the championship.• My dress shoes are killing me.• He was skinny enough to jump through a keyhole.• Carrie never stops talking.• I have told you a million times not to do that.• We used to walk 15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.• It is so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.• You are walking slower than a snail.

SIMILE

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

comparing 2 unlike things using the word LIKE or AS• As boring as watching paint dry  • As brave as a lion• As busy as a bee• As cheap as dirt • As clean as a whistle• As clear as mud• As clear as crystal• As cold as ice• As cool as a cucumber• As cunning as a fox• As dead as a doornail• As difficult as nailing jelly to a tree• As dry as a bone• As easy as ABC• As flat as a pancake• As free as a bird• As fresh as a daisy

• As gentle as a lamb• As good as gold• As hard as nails• As hungry as a bear• As light as a feather• As mad as a hornet• As sharp as a razor• As silent as the grave• As slow as molasses in January  • As sly as a fox• As straight as an arrow• As strong as an ox• As stubborn as a mule• As sweet as pie• As useless as a chocolate teapot  • As white as snow• As wise as an owl

• (Sing) like an angel• (Act) like an animal• (Eat) like a bird• (Fight) like cats and dogs• (Work) like a dog• Like a dream• (Soar) like an eagle• Like fingernails on a chalkboard• Like a fish• (Have eyes) like a hawk• (Eat) like a horse• (Sleep) like a log• Like a moth to the flame• (Eat) like a pig• Like a pile of rocks• Like a screaming baby• (Burst) like a volcano• (Meandered) like a stream• Like two peas in a pod

META-PHOR

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

word or phrase making a comparison

• The snow is a white blanket. • America is a melting pot.  • Her lovely voice was music to his ears. • Life is a rollercoaster.  • Their home was a prison. • He is a shinning star. • Time is money.• Tom’s eyes were ice.• She feels that life is a fashion show.• The world is a stage.• My kid’s room is a disaster area.• His words were cotton candy.• Mary’s eyes were fireflies.• John’s suggestion was just a Band-Aid.• The cast on his broken leg was a plaster shackle.• Her long hair was a flowing golden river.• The computers at school are old dinosaurs.• Laughter is the music of the soul.• He is a night owl.• At five o’clock, the interstate was a parking lot.• Books are keys to your imagination.• He is a walking dictionary.

• The peaceful lake was a mirror.• Terry was blue when his goldfish died.• The wind was an angry witch.• The ballerina was a swan, gliding across the stage.• Her angry words were bullets to him.• Your brain is a computer.• The car was a furnace in the sun.• That coach is an ogre.• Ben’s temper was a volcano, ready to explode.• The kids were monkeys on the jungle gym.• The clouds are balls of cotton.• The park was a lake after the rain.• The lightning was fireworks in the sky.• That lawn is a green carpet.• The stars are sparkling diamonds.• Those two best friends are two peas in a pod.• Necessity is the mother of invention.• My big brother is a couch potato.• The teenager’s stomach was a bottomless pit.• The thunder was a mighty lion.• I am so excited. My pulse is a race car.• Her tears were a river flowing down her cheeks.

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

ONO-MATO-POEIA

words that sound like their objects

VOICE• giggle• growl• grunt• gurgle• mumble• murmur• bawl• belch• chatter• blurt

COLLISIONS• bam• bang• clang• clank• clap• clatter• click• clink• ding• jingle• screech• slap• thud• thump

AIR• flutter• fisst• fwoosh• gasp• swish• swoosh• whiff• whoosh• whizz• whip• whisper

ANIMAL• baa• bark• bray• buzz• cheep• chirp• cluck• cock-a-doodle-doo• cuckoo• hiss• meow• moo• neigh• oink• quack• ribbit• tweet

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

1. The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.2. The run down house appeared depressed.3. The first rays of morning tiptoed through the meadow.4. She did not realize that opportunity was knocking at her door.5. He did not realize that his last chance was walking out the door.6. The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as they buzzed from one to another.7. The wind howled its mighty objection.8. The snow swaddled the earth like a mother would her infant child.9. The waves swallowed the shore as the water continued to rise higher and higher.10. Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for me to go home.11. The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the storm continued to brew.12. My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it.13. The thunder grumbled like an old man.14. The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze.15. Her life passed her by.16. The sun glared down at me from the sky.17. The moon winked at me through the clouds above.18. The wind sang through the meadow.19. The car was suffering and was in need of some TLC.20. At precisely 6:30 am my alarm clock sprang to life.

non-living thing having people characteristics

PERSON-IFICATION:

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

1. Alice’s aunt ate apples and acorns around August.2. Becky’s beagle barked and bayed, becoming bothersome for Billy.3. Carrie's cat clawed her couch, creating chaos.4. Dan’s dog dove deep in the dam, drinking dirty water as he dove.5. Eric’s eagle eats eggs, enjoying each episode of eating.6. Fred’s friends fried Fritos for Friday’s food.7. Garry’s giraffe gobbled greedily, getting good at grabbing goodies.8. Hannah’s home has heat hopefully.9. Isaacs ice cream is interesting and Isaac is imbibing it.10. Jesse’s jaguar is jumping and jiggling jauntily.11. Kim’s kid’s kept kiting.12. Larry’s lizard likes leaping leopards.13. Mike’s microphone made much music.14. Nick’s nephew needed new notebooks now not never.15. Orson’s owl out-performed ostriches.16. Peter’s piglet pranced priggishly.17. Quincy’s quilters quit quilting quickly.18. Ralph’s reindeer rose rapidly and ran round the room.19. Sara’s seven sisters slept soundly in sand.20. Tim’s took tons of tools to make toys for tots.

initial sounds repeated

AL-LITER-ATION

• Dunkin’ Donuts• PayPal• Best Buy• Coca-Cola• LifeLock• Park Place• American Apparel• American Airlines• Chuckee Cheese’s• Bed Bath & Beyond• Krispy Kreme

• Ronald Reagan• Sammy Sosa• Jesse Jackson• Michael Moore• William Wordsworth• Mickey Mouse• Porky Pig• Lois Lane• Marilyn Monroe• Fred Flintstone• Donald Duck• Spongebob Squarepants

WRITINGROCKS by Mark

• “I was surprised his nose was not growing like Pinocchio’s.” This refers to the story of Pinocchio, where his nose grew whenever he told a lie. It is from The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Carlo Collodi.

• “When she lost her job, she acted like a Scrooge, and refused to buy anything that wasn’t necessary.” Scrooge was an extremely stingy character from Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol.

• “I thought the software would be useful, but it was a Trojan Horse.” This refers to the horse that the Greeks built that contained all the soldiers. It was given as a gift to the enemy during the Trojan War and, once inside the enemy's walls, the soldiers broke out. By using trickery, the Greeks won the war.

• “Chocolate was her Achilles’ heel.” This means that her weakness was her love of chocolate. Achilles is a character in Greek mythology who was invincible. His mother dipped him in magical water when he was a baby, and she held him by the heel. The magic protected him all over, except for his heel.

• “He was a Good Samaritan yesterday when he helped the lady start her car.” This refers to the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.

• “She turned the other cheek after she was cheated out of a promotion.” This comes from teaching of Jesus that you should not get revenge.

• “This place is like a Garden of Eden.” The Garden of Eden was the paradise God made for Adam and Eve.

• “You are a Solomon when it comes to making decisions.” This refers to King Solomon, who was very wise.

• “When the volcano erupted, the nearby forest was swallowed up in dust and ash like Jonah.” Jonah was a person who was swallowed alive by a whale.

referring to a well-known event/person from history or literature

AL-LUSION