Understand Figurative Language

Interpret similes, metaphors, idioms, adages, and proverbs in context rather than reading them literally.

How the lesson starts: Understand Figurative Language

Tix takes it literally
Meet Tix, a helpful robot, and Suri, his best friend. Suri said the moon was a silver coin. Tix tried to spend it! Tix reads every word literally. Let's teach him what comparisons really mean.
What do they share?
Similes compare with like or as. Metaphors say one thing is another. Either way, ask: what do the two things share? The moon and a silver coin are both round, bright and shiny. That shared part is the meaning.
Let's crack a simile
The kitten was as quiet as a mouse. What are the two things? A kitten and a mouse. What do they share? The word quiet tells us. So the kitten made almost no sound. Not that it turned into a mouse!