ENGLISH 2015: Figurative And Literal Meaning

Question 1

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

A fishy story

Answer 1

Literal-a story about a fish

Figurative -a strange or suspicious story

Question 2

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

I am out of my depth

Answer 2

Literal-in water where you cannot stand

Figurative -in a situation where you are not completely in control

Question 3

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

I really feel like a fish out of water

Answer 3

Literal- a fish out of water is not in its natural environment

Figurative -I feel like I don’t belong

Question 4

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

A big fish in a small pond

Answer 4

literal-there’s a big fish in a small pond

Figurative -A person seen as important and influential only within a
small group or organization

Question 5

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

I swallowed them hook,line and sinker

Answer 5

Literal-I swallowed a hook ,line and a sinker

Figurative -I truly,completely believed something

Question 6

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

Shooting a fish in a barrel

Answer 6

Literal- I threw fish into a barrel

Figurative -it was very easy

Question 7

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

A cold fish

Answer 7

Literal-the fish was cold

Figurative -wasn’t loving ,friendly or pleasing

Question 8

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

Stop fining for compliments

Answer 8

Literal- go fishing for compliments

Figurative -looking for compliments

Question 9

Give the literal and figurative meaning for:

There are many other people with whom they may have a successful relationship in the future

Answer 9

Literal-there is a big population of fish in the sea

Figurative-There are many other people with whom they may have a successful relationship in the future

Question 10

How does figurative language help us to describe things?

Answer 10

By comparing them to other things