Grade 5 · Reading · Lesson 3

Identify idioms, metaphors, and similes

Authors rarely use only literal words. They paint pictures with figurative language — phrases that mean more than the words themselves. Three of the most common types are idioms, metaphors, and similes. Knowing which is which helps you understand what writers really mean.

What this lesson teaches

1Define idioms, metaphors, and similes in your own words
2Distinguish a simile from a metaphor by spotting the words like or as
3Sort figurative phrases into idiom, metaphor, or simile categories
4Match common figurative expressions to their literal meanings

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