Focus on Vocabulary: Go Beyond the Literal Meaning
Writers choose words carefully to communicate their ideas in interesting ways. They often use figurative language, or words and phrases that have meanings outside of their exact definitions.
Idioms are one kind of figurative language. An idiom is a group of words that, together, communicate a different meaning than what the words mean by themselves. For example, David is out of shape means “David needs to exercise.”
A metaphor is another kind of figurative language. A metaphor compares two unlike things. Metaphors often say that one thing is the other. For example, The room was a boiling pot ready to explode means “People in the room showed anger or other strong feelings.”
How the Strategy Works
When you read, you may come to a phrase that does not make sense. Use context to figure out the meaning.
| EXAMPLE | Tish can be loud. She often shouts at the top of her lungs. |
1. Look at sentences nearby. See if they give clues to the meaning.
2. Predict a literal meaning that might fit in the context.
3. Reread the sentence to see if your definition makes sense. If it does not, ask someone to explain the phrase.
Use the strategy to figure out the meaning of each underlined phrase.
Strategy in Action
“ The first sentence says that he is a talented gardener. It sounds like having a green thumb means ‘he is a good gardener.’ That meaning makes sense.”
REMEMBER Use context to figure out the meaning of figurative language.