2.8 Figurative Language
When we use language, we can speak in two main ways:
- Literal Language → Words mean exactly what they say.
Example: “The sun is hot.” - Figurative Language → Words mean more than what they say directly. We use expressions, comparisons, or creative images.
Example: “The sun is a burning ball of fire.”
Figurative language is how writers, poets, and speakers make English more colorful, emotional, or powerful.
It’s also common in everyday English, movies, advertising, and—yes—in IELTS Speaking or Writing (especially informal letters or higher band-level answers).
🔸 Why Is Figurative Language Important?
✅ For Vocabulary Development:
Understanding figurative language helps you recognize advanced English expressions that aren’t always in textbooks.
✅ For IELTS Speaking (Band 7+):
Examiners reward idiomatic expressions and expressive phrases under the Lexical Resource band descriptor.
✅ For IELTS Reading:
Passages sometimes contain figurative language in articles or stories. Understanding it helps with inference questions.
🔸 Common Types of Figurative Language
Here’s a breakdown of the most useful kinds for learners:
1️⃣ Simile
Comparing two things using like or as.
- “Her voice was as soft as a feather.”
- “The city was like a jungle.”
In IELTS Speaking, you could say:
“It was as busy as a market on a Sunday.”
2️⃣ Metaphor
A direct comparison without using “like” or “as.”
- “Time is money.”
- “He’s a shining star in his field.”
Metaphors sound more poetic or strong than similes.
IELTS Example:
“Learning English is a marathon, not a sprint.”
3️⃣ Personification
Giving human qualities to non-human things.
- “The wind whispered through the trees.”
- “My phone died.”
IELTS Writing Example (Task 1, for graphs):
“The sales figure leapt to a peak in July.”
That’s a smart, higher-level way to describe data rather than just saying “increased.”
4️⃣ Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
Saying something in a bigger, more extreme way than it really is.
- “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
- “That exam was a nightmare.”
IELTS Speaking Example:
“The queue was a mile long!”
It helps show strong feelings or emphasis.
5️⃣ Idiom
A phrase where the meaning is different from the literal words.
- “It’s raining cats and dogs.” (very heavily)
- “I’m over the moon.” (very happy)
In IELTS Speaking, Band 7–8 candidates often use idioms naturally:
“When I passed the test, I felt on top of the world.”
⚠️ Important: In IELTS Writing (Task 2), avoid informal idioms. They’re more suitable for Speaking or General Training Task 1 letters.
🔸 How Figurative Language Shows Up in IELTS
| IELTS Section | How Figurative Language Helps |
|---|---|
| Speaking | Boosts Lexical Resource & expressiveness |
| Writing (GT) | Useful in informal letters (Task 1) |
| Writing (Academic) | Limited, but useful for describing graphs more creatively (e.g., “sales figures peaked” instead of “sales increased”) |
| Reading | Helps with understanding tone, purpose, inference questions |
| Listening | Useful in casual conversations (e.g., “I was dead tired”) |
🧩 Quick Examples: Literal vs Figurative Language
| Literal | Figurative |
|---|---|
| The test was difficult. | The test was a real mountain to climb. |
| I’m very tired. | I’m completely drained. |
| He’s talented. | He’s a walking encyclopedia. |
| The street is crowded. | The street was bursting with people. |
Notice how figurative language makes sentences richer and more vivid.
🔹 How to Use Figurative Language Naturally
- Learn in context, not as a list.
Don’t memorize idioms or metaphors randomly. Learn them as part of real speaking or writing examples. - Practice tone-appropriate usage.
- In Speaking Part 1 & 2: Similes, metaphors, and hyperbole work well.
- In Academic Writing Task 2: Stay formal. Use mild metaphorical descriptions for trends (but avoid idioms like “over the moon”).
- Keep it simple.
One or two figurative expressions in an answer are enough. Using too many can sound unnatural.