Title: Difference Between Literal and Figurative Language | The Classroom
Headings: Difference Between Literal and Figurative Language
Difference Between Literal and Figurative Language
What Is Literal Language?
What Is Figurative Language?
What’s the Difference Between Literal and Figurative Language?
Why Use Literal Language?
Why Use Figurative Language?
Types of Figurative Language

Content: Authors use literal language when they want to get their point across in a direct manner. Why Use Figurative Language? Figurative language does have a place, however. Figurative language is often used in poetry or narrative fiction. If you were writing a paper that compares and contrasts medieval female characters, you may want to include some figurative language. Figurative language can also be very helpful in persuasive papers, too. Authors will use figurative language when the goal is to persuade the reader or evoke emotion. Types of Figurative Language
Figurative language can take form in five specific ways: Understatement or Emphasis
– highlight or diminish on idea Relationships – focus on how things are interrelated Figures of Sound – how the words actually sound Errors – highlighting a mistake Verbal Games – plays on words
If done effectively, figurative language can highlight contrasting ideas and evoke the reader to think in a new way or change a perspective. Figurative language can highlight one area, like an area of weakness, to ultimately highlight another.