Figurative Language Worksheet (Years 5-6) | CGP Plus - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to fill in the blanks and answer each question on this figurative language worksheet.

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Question 1: Fill in the missing words in each definition.

We’re defining five types of figurative language: personification, simile, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and metaphor.

Let’s take them one at a time:

🔹 First blank:
“________________ uses human qualities to describe something that’s not human.”
→ That’s Personification. Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.” Wind doesn’t really whisper — that’s a human thing.

🔹 Second blank:
“________________ describe one thing as being similar to another.”
→ That’s Similes. Similes compare two things using “like” or “as”.

🔹 Third and fourth blanks:
“They often use the words ________________ and ________________.”
→ For similes, those words are “like” and “as”.

🔹 Fifth blank:
“Onomatopoeia is where words ________________ like the thing they’re describing.”
→ Onomatopoeia means the word *sounds* like what it means. So: sound

🔹 Sixth and seventh blanks:
“Alliteration is where words ________________ with the same ________________.”
→ Alliteration is when words start with the same sound (usually consonant). So: start and sound (or sometimes people say “letter”, but “sound” is more accurate).

🔹 Eighth blank:
“________________ describe something by saying it is something else.”
→ That’s Metaphors. Unlike similes, metaphors don’t use “like” or “as” — they just say one thing IS another. Example: “Time is a thief.”

✔ So filled-in definitions:

- Personification uses human qualities to describe something that’s not human.
- Similes describe one thing as being similar to another. They often use the words like and as.
- Onomatopoeia is where words sound like the thing they’re describing.
- Alliteration is where words start with the same sound.
- Metaphors describe something by saying it is something else.

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Question 2: Underline the simile in this sentence.

Sentence:
> Frank’s fancy fishing rod is as sturdy as steel.

A simile compares two things using “like” or “as”. Here, we see “as sturdy as steel” — that’s comparing the rod to steel using “as...as”.

So underline: as sturdy as steel

*(Note: Sometimes only the comparison part is underlined — “as sturdy as steel” — not the whole phrase including “Frank’s fancy fishing rod is”)*

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Question 3: Tick the technique used in each sentence.

🔸 First sentence:
> Robin squirted water at me.

Look at the verb: “squirted”. Does it sound like the action? Yes! “Squirt” sounds like water shooting out quickly. That’s onomatopoeia.

Check:
☐ Simile
☐ Alliteration
☑ Onomatopoeia ← tick this one

🔸 Second sentence:
> The car coughed and spluttered.

Cars don’t actually cough or splutter — those are human/animal actions. Giving human traits to non-human things = personification.

Wait — look at the options given for this sentence:
☐ Metaphor
☐ Personification
☐ Simile

Yes — “coughed and spluttered” are human-like actions → so Personification

Tick:
☐ Metaphor
☑ Personification
☐ Simile

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Now let’s double-check everything before writing final answers.

✔️ Definitions match standard literary terms.
✔️ Simile correctly identified.
✔️ “Squirted” = onomatopoeia (sound-based word)
✔️ “Coughed and spluttered” = personification (giving human traits to a car)

All good!

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Final Answer:

1. Fill in the blanks:

- Personification
- Similes
- like, as
- sound
- start, sound
- Metaphors

2. Underline the simile:

Frank’s fancy fishing rod is as sturdy as steel.

3. Tick the correct technique:

- Robin squirted water at me. → ☑ Onomatopoeia
- The car coughed and spluttered. → ☑ Personification