Figure It Out! The Metaphor, Personification & Hyperbole Game
Young learners move around a 24-space board, landing on prompts that ask them to identify and explain figurative language in simple texts and images. Players work in pairs, small groups, and individually to spot metaphors, personification, and hyperbole, then explain what they mean in their own words. The game builds listening and speaking confidence through playful, concrete examples anchored to everyday situations.
A free Board Game for Young learners at CEFR A2 level. Topic: Identify and explain metaphors, personification, and hyperbole in text.
Speaking prompts on the board
- Ask your partner: do they think the sun is actually a ball? Why or why not?
- Act out a tree dancing in the wind. Your team guesses what you are doing.
- Your team must agree: is this personification? 'The wind whispered to me.'
- Describe a time when you were so hungry you felt like you could eat a horse.
- Ask your partner: what does 'my room is a pigsty' really mean?
- You have 30 seconds to present: find one metaphor in your classroom.
- Stand up and mime a book coming alive and walking around the room.
- Explain to your team: is 'I have a million things to do' true? Why?
- Ask your partner: what does 'my sister is a tornado' mean? Is it real?
- Compare two sentences: 'It is cold' and 'It is freezing cold.' Which is hyperbole?
- Your team must agree: is 'the stars are diamonds in the sky' a metaphor?
- Act out a clock ticking and ticking. Show time passing with your body.
- Describe what 'my backpack is as heavy as a mountain' tells you about the bag.
- Explain: does the sun really smile? What does 'the sun smiled' mean?
- Ask your partner: have they ever said something was 'a million times' too loud?
- You have 40 seconds to present: find one example of personification at home.
- Stand up and show with your hands: a river flowing like it is alive.
- Your team must agree: is 'my dog is a furry ball' a metaphor or hyperbole?
- Explain to the class: what does 'the night was dark as ink' help you see?
- Compare 'I am tired' and 'I am so tired I could sleep for a year.'
- Act out a flower opening up and yawning in the morning sun.
- Ask your partner: is 'the rain danced on the roof' real or make-believe?
- Describe: if someone says 'I have told you a billion times,' are they exaggerating?
- You have 30 seconds to present: your favourite metaphor or hyperbole from today.