Essential Literary Devices Worksheet | Grade 7-8 ELA

This Grade 7-8 literary devices worksheet provides a comprehensive review of figurative language and narrative elements. Students identify 10 key concepts, including metaphor, personification, and tone, through targeted multiple-choice questions. By defining these devices in context, learners strengthen their analytical reading skills and prepare for complex text interpretation in middle school and beyond.

At a Glance

• Grade: 7-8 · Subject: ELA
• Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
• Skill Focus: Literary Device Identification
• Format: 1 page · 10 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Formative assessment or quick review
• Time: 10–15 minutes

Inside this single-page PDF, you will find 10 high-quality multiple-choice questions. Each question provides a clear definition or description of a literary device, requiring students to select the correct term from four options. The layout is clean and distraction-free, featuring a dedicated space for student names and grades. A full answer key is provided for rapid grading and immediate feedback.

The worksheet follows a logical progression of conceptual identification. It begins with foundational figurative language like similes and metaphors, providing guided practice through clear definitions. As students move through the 10 tasks, they encounter more abstract concepts such as mood, tone, and juxtaposition. This independent practice ensures students can distinguish between closely related terms before applying them to longer literary passages in their core curriculum.

This resource is aligned with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5, which requires students to demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. It specifically addresses sub-standard L.8.5.A by focusing on the identification of figures of speech. Both standard codes can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.

Use this worksheet as a "bell ringer" at the start of a unit on poetry or fiction to gauge prior knowledge. Alternatively, assign it as a quick formative assessment after a direct instruction lesson on narrative elements. Expect students to complete the 10 questions in approximately 12 minutes. Observe if students struggle to differentiate between "mood" and "tone" to inform your next teaching step during the review session.

This resource is designed for middle school students in grades 7 and 8, including those in general education and ICT settings. It serves as an excellent scaffold for English Language Learners who need explicit definitions of academic vocabulary. Pair this worksheet with a short story or a literary devices anchor chart for a complete instructional cycle that builds student confidence.

Mastery of literary devices is a critical component of adolescent literacy development. According to Fisher & Frey (2014), explicit instruction in academic vocabulary and figurative language significantly improves a student's ability to decode complex texts and engage in higher-order analysis. This worksheet targets CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5 by isolating 10 essential terms, such as allusion and personification, allowing for targeted intervention. Research from the NAEP indicates that students who can accurately identify and explain the author's use of tone and mood perform better on standardized reading assessments. By providing 10 structured multiple-choice questions, this resource offers the repetitive exposure necessary for long-term retention of literary terminology. It serves as a reliable tool for teachers to gather data on student proficiency before moving into deep textual analysis, ensuring that the foundational vocabulary is secure for all learners in the classroom.