CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5a
The Standard
Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students recognize when words are being used beyond their literal meanings. They use nearby details to explain what a figure of speech means and why the author used it.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly identify common figures of speech in sentences and short passages. They explain the intended meaning and point to context clues that support their interpretation.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may read figurative phrases literally or name the device without explaining its meaning. They may call any sentence about a nonhuman object personification, even when it has no human action or trait. They may also ignore nearby words that clarify the author’s meaning.
How to Assess It
- Give students this exit ticket: “The tired stairs groaned under our feet.” Ask them to identify the figure of speech and explain its meaning using context clues.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs sentence strips to sort into literal and figurative groups, then underline clues that reveal each intended meaning.
Ask students to explain how “The angry storm pounded the roof” changes the reader’s picture of the storm.
Play Figurative Language Bingo using teacher-read sentences that include simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and literal language.
Collect figurative phrases from advertisements, weather reports, or song titles, then rewrite each phrase in clear literal language.
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Printable L.6.5a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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Where This Standard Sits
Before This Standard
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