1. Descriptive Language
Imagery

2. What is imagery?
“Imagery is when an author uses words and phrases to
describe a place, person,or event first hand.” The best
details come "om closely observing the world, then using
specific words that activate our five senses. “These help
the reader menta#y live through what the characters in
the book are actua#y experiencing.” www.mce.k12tn.net

3. Imagery Example:
“O&en, at night, he lay in "ont of Kala’s hut listening to
the crackling fire and looking up at the sky. He saw
pictures of deer and horses amongst the stars. By day the
billowing clouds became herds of antelope or
the lumbering shapes of the mountains-that-
walk, the mammoths.”
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.16

4. What are some examples of imagery in
the following passage?
“The days were growing warmer as the sun climbed high into the heavens. The open
va#ey was a sea of waving grass, with scattered clumps of birch and wi#ow trees,
thick with new green and ye#ow leaves.”
“Slowly some of the great game herds came back, grazing and browsing across the land.
Antelope and deer came first, wandering in sma# family groups, fo#owed by bands of
horses, the mares and colts under the watchful eyes of sta#ions. The roving herds of
animals increased and fi#ed the land.” Boy of the Painted Cave pg. 82

5. Figurative Language
“Figurative language is used when a writer describes something using comparisons
that go beyond literal meaning. The words mean more than what they say on the
surface. This gives the writing a "esh look at a common subject. Figurative language
is not meant to be interpreted in a word by word sense. The objects that are being
compared are different in enough ways so the similarities, when pointed out, are
interesting, unique and/or surprising.” www.mce.k12tn.net

6. Simile
Bob swam like a fish.
A simile is a comparison between two unlike things that have
something in common. A simile always uses the words like or as to
make a comparison.
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.28 “This one was young and thin as a shadow.”
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.63 “Its huge rack of antlers spread out "om its head
like two great hands with palms up and the sharp prongs or fingers curving
inward.”

7. Your Turn to Write Similes
1. My locker is as messy as ________________.
2. His cold gaze was like __________________.
3. Tears fe# "om her eyes like __________________.
Write a simile using the fo#owing:
4. a sneeze
5. cooked spaghetti
6. the stars

8. Metaphors
Joe is a nut.
A metaphor is a figure of speech comparing
two unlike things that have something in
common. The comparison is made without
the use of like or as.
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.16 “mountains-that-walk, the
mammoths.”

9. Your turn to write Metaphors!
1. I am a ______________ when I am hungry.
2. I am a ______________ when I am tired.
3. I am a ______________ when I am angry.
4. I am a _____________ when I am scared.
Invent a metaphor using the fo#owing:
the moon
school ha#way

10. Personification
The paddle pounded the ball.
Personification is when an author gives an
idea, object, or animal qualities or traits of a
person.
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.63 “the sharp prongs or fingers curving inward”
Boy of the Painted Cave pg.25 “He set them afire and threw on more sticks and
logs until the ye#ow tongues of flame licked high into the darkness.”

11. Try Personification!
1. The wind _________________________________.
2. The cat ___________________________________.
3. The lamp __________________________________.
4.The radio __________________________________.
5. My mind __________________________________.
6. The airplane _______________________________.
Words to help: takes guides dreams dances looks brings remembers listens
teaches reminds shows te#s