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Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

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Warm-up Questions

When you hear the title “Figurative language,” what kinds of examples do you think the video will include?
Where do you see figurative language most often: books, songs, movies, or everyday conversation? Why?
Why might reading lessons focus on figurative language instead of only “literal” meaning?

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Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

What figurative language is (and what it isn’t) (00:00 – 01:16)

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1. What does the speaker mean by “a bear of a lesson”?

A lesson that happens at a zoo
A lesson that is difficult
A lesson that is sweet and fun
A lesson that includes facts about bears

2. What is figurative language described as doing?

It avoids comparisons
It uses only scientific words
It always tells lies
It says one thing but means another

3. When the speaker says someone is an “eagle-eyed editor,” what is the intended meaning?

The person is afraid of eagles
The person dislikes editing
The person has animal eyes
The person is sharp and attentive

Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

Simile vs. metaphor (01:16 – 03:17)

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1. What is a simile?

Giving an object human feelings
A comparison that uses like or as
An exaggeration to show emotion
A reference to a famous story

2. Why can metaphors be harder to understand than similes?

They are always longer sentences
They use like/as too much
They only work in poems
They don’t signal the comparison with like or as, so you rely on context

3. Which statement best matches how the video explains the difference between simile and metaphor?

Simile is incorrect grammar; metaphor is correct grammar
Simile is always funny; metaphor is always serious
Simile is for people; metaphor is for objects
Simile uses like/as; metaphor says “X is Y” directly

Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

Personification, hyperbole, and allusion (03:17 – 05:58)

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1. What is personification?

Exaggerating numbers to be funny
Ascribing human characteristics to non-living things
Making a reference that only experts understand
Comparing two things using like/as

2. Why does the speaker use hyperbole?

To make a statement literally true
To exaggerate in order to express emphasis and importance
To avoid giving examples
To confuse the listener on purpose

3. According to the speaker, when do allusions work best?

When the comparison is literal
When the listener dislikes books
When you never mention famous characters
When the listener understands the reference

Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

Transcript will load here…

1. Which option includes ONLY types of figurative/expressive language discussed in the video?

Verb, noun, adjective, adverb, pronoun
Simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, allusion
Fact, statistic, citation, bibliography
Thesis, evidence, counterargument, conclusion

2. What is the key idea that connects the different figures of speech in the video?

They are always literally true statements
They can only be used in songs
They are mistakes that editors should remove
They help express meaning in a non-literal way

3. What is the main difference between allusion and illusion (as explained in the video)?

Allusion is always an exaggeration; illusion is always a comparison
Allusion is a reference; illusion is like a magic trick
Allusion is literal; illusion is figurative
Allusion is used only in mythology; illusion is used only in science

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Figurative language | Reading | Khan Academy

The video says figurative language “says one thing but means another.” Why do writers choose this instead of speaking literally?
Think of a simile or metaphor you have heard recently (in a song, social media, or conversation). What does it really mean?
Do you think figurative language can ever be misleading or unfair (for example, in advertising or politics)? Why or why not?
Allusions only work if the listener knows the reference. What are some references that work in your culture but might not work internationally?