CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4
The Standard
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literature
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use nearby words, events, and descriptions to work out meaning in a literary text. They interpret similes, metaphors, and other phrases within the passage.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students infer an unfamiliar word’s meaning from context and point to supporting details. They explain a simile or metaphor in their own words and connect it to the character, setting, or event.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose a familiar dictionary meaning even when it does not fit the passage. They may interpret similes and metaphors literally or identify them without explaining what they suggest.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short paragraph with one unfamiliar word and one metaphor. Ask them to define each in context and underline the clues that support their answers.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Post sentence strips around the room, then have pairs match each highlighted phrase to a meaning card and attach evidence with sticky notes.
Read a short poem and ask, “What picture does this comparison create, and what does it help you understand?”
Play Context Clue Detective, awarding points when teams define a highlighted word and cite two clues from the passage.
Examine figurative phrases from song lyrics or advertisements, then rewrite each phrase literally and discuss why the writer chose figurative wording.
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Printable RL.5.4 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetLearning progression
Where This Standard Sits
See the whole path on the Reading: Literature progression map.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choice...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
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