Educational worksheet on literal vs nonliteral language for language learning.

You’re looking at a worksheet titled “Literal vs Nonliteral Language”. The task is to read each sentence and decide whether the bolded phrase is using literal language (L) — meaning it should be taken exactly as written — or nonliteral language (N) — meaning it’s figurative, idiomatic, metaphorical, or not meant to be taken literally.

Let’s go through each sentence one by one and explain the reasoning:

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1. *I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that the order will arrive on time.*

- Bolded phrase: “go out on a limb”
- Answer: N (Nonliteral)
- Explanation: “Go out on a limb” is an idiom. It means to take a risk or make a bold statement. You’re not literally climbing a tree branch. So this is nonliteral.

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2. *Tonight he has to hit the books and study if he wants to pass the exam.*

- Bolded phrase: “hit the books”
- Answer: N (Nonliteral)
- Explanation: “Hit the books” is an idiom meaning to study hard. He’s not physically hitting books. This is figurative language.

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3. *When you are hammering be careful to hit the nail on the head so there is no damage done to the wall.*

- Bolded phrase: “hit the nail on the head”
- Answer: L (Literal)
- Explanation: In this context, it’s being used literally — you’re actually hammering a nail, and you want to strike it squarely on its head to avoid damaging the wall. Even though “hit the nail on the head” can also be an idiom (meaning to be exactly right), here the context makes it literal.

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4. *Don’t spill the beans about Jillian’s surprise party on Friday night.*

- Bolded phrase: “spill the beans”
- Answer: N (Nonliteral)
- Explanation: “Spill the beans” is an idiom meaning to reveal a secret. You’re not literally spilling beans. This is nonliteral.

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5. *Would you like a piece of cake? We have extra.*

- Bolded phrase: “a piece of cake”
- Answer: L (Literal)
- Explanation: Here, it’s just asking if someone wants actual cake — a slice of dessert. Not the idiom “a piece of cake” meaning something easy. Context matters! Since they say “we have extra,” it’s clearly referring to real cake.

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6. *The marathon runner’s legs were on fire after the race.*

- Bolded phrase: “legs were on fire”
- Answer: N (Nonliteral)
- Explanation: This is a metaphor. The runner’s legs aren’t literally burning — they’re sore or tired from running. This is figurative language.

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7. *Everything will work out — no need to make a mountain out of a molehill.*

- Bolded phrase: “make a mountain out of a molehill”
- Answer: N (Nonliteral)
- Explanation: This is a common idiom meaning to exaggerate a small problem. You’re not literally turning a tiny hill into a mountain. Figurative.

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8. *The toddler was pulling my leg towards the room because he wanted to play with me.*

- Bolded phrase: “pulling my leg”
- Answer: L (Literal)
- Explanation: Here, the toddler is physically pulling the speaker’s leg (as in, grabbing their leg and tugging). While “pulling someone’s leg” usually means teasing them, the context (“towards the room because he wanted to play”) suggests physical action — so it’s literal.

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9. *The building went down in flames before the fire department could arrive.*

- Bolded phrase: “went down in flames”
- Answer: L (Literal)
- Explanation: This describes a building literally catching fire and collapsing — “in flames” refers to actual fire. While sometimes used metaphorically (e.g., a project failing dramatically), here the context is physical destruction by fire. Literal.

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## ✔ Final Answers:

1. N
2. N
3. L
4. N
5. L
6. N
7. N
8. L
9. L

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💡 Tip for students: Always look at the context. Many phrases can be both literal and nonliteral depending on how they’re used. Ask yourself: “Is this describing something happening physically, or is it a figure of speech?”

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or flashcards for these idioms!