Figurative LanguageATI TEAS 7 cheat sheet

Not meant literally

8 key facts 2 practice questions Reviewed Oct 2026

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The Main Ones

Simile — uses like or as
Metaphor — states one thing IS another
Personification — human traits to non-human things
Hyperbole — deliberate exaggeration

Also

Idiom — a fixed phrase with a non-literal meaning
Symbolism — an object standing for an idea

In Context

Ask what the comparison is meant to convey, not what it literally says

Test Cue

A literal reading of a figurative phrase is always a wrong answer

Key takeaway

Not meant literally

Before you read

Test yourself first: 2 questions

Question 1 of 2

'The instructions were as clear as mud.' This figurative expression means the instructions were:

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