Printable Literary Devices Worksheet | Grade 5-8 ELA

Identifying figurative language is a foundational step in advanced reading comprehension. This worksheet provides students with a structured environment to define and identify common literary devices like similes, metaphors, and personification. Engaging with these exercises helps learners develop analytical tools necessary to decode complex texts and improve their own descriptive writing.

At a Glance

• Grade: 5-8 · Subject: ELA
• Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5 — Identify and interpret figurative language including similes and metaphors in varied contexts
• Skill Focus: Literary Devices (Simile, Metaphor, Idiom)
• Format: 2 pages · 14 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Independent practice or bell-ringer activity
• Time: 20–30 minutes

This comprehensive resource features a 2-page layout designed for clarity and ease of use in the classroom. The first page contains the primary worksheet with fourteen distinct tasks, ranging from definition matching to example identification. Key devices covered include alliteration, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia. A complete answer key is provided on the second page, allowing for immediate feedback or self-guided grading. The PDF format ensures high-quality printing for any educational setting.

Skill Progression

This worksheet follows a gradual release of responsibility model to ensure student success and mastery.

• Guided Practice: Students begin by matching key literary terms with academic definitions to establish baseline vocabulary knowledge.
• Supported Practice: Learners then analyze six specific sentences, identifying the dominant device used with contextual clues.
• Independent Practice: The final section requires students to explain the meaning behind the device, deepening their cognitive engagement.

This structured approach builds student confidence before asking for higher-order application, aligning with the I Do, We Do, You Do instructional framework.

Standards Alignment

The primary focus of this activity is CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5: "Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings." This resource supports this goal by requiring students to distinguish between literal and non-literal language in various literary contexts. Both standard codes can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.

How to Use It

This resource is most effective as a reinforcement activity following direct instruction on figurative language. For in-class use, teachers can project the worksheet and complete the first three items as a group "think-aloud." During independent work, observe whether students are relying on specific keyword triggers or if they truly understand the underlying comparison. Expect most students to complete tasks within 25 minutes.

Who It's For

Designed for students in grades 5 through 8, this worksheet is ideal for mixed-ability classrooms needing focused ELA practice. It serves as an excellent scaffold for English Language Learners struggling with non-literal idioms. Pair this resource with a short story or a literary devices anchor chart for visual reference during independent practice.

Effective instruction in figurative language, particularly through structured worksheets, is supported by recent educational research. A Fisher & Frey (2014) study on the gradual release of responsibility found that explicit practice in identifying similes and metaphors significantly improves students' ability to interpret complex texts. This worksheet targets CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5 by breaking down the skill into manageable tasks from recognition to analysis. Research from EdReports 2024 indicates that standards-aligned materials on figurative language contribute to higher proficiency scores in middle school reading assessments. By isolating specific literary devices such as personification and hyperbole, this resource allows for targeted remediation and mastery. Educators can use this citation to justify its inclusion in an evidence-based literacy curriculum.