25 Allusion Sentence Examples and Figure of Speech Activities

Practicing figurative language can be a challenge for some learners. Teaching it in a way that is accessible for everyday life requires a bit of creativity and a lot of patience! These clear allusion sentence examples can help you get started.

Any English language study will necessarily include figurative language. The use of allusion creates a unique opportunity to expand the way we communicate. In fact, I like to teach that it can be a kind of work of art using language as the medium.

The Value Of Figurative Language Activities

For some children, figurative language can be a significant challenge. For example, children with learning differences often find figurative language to be a source of confusion and concern.

In order to help, it is essential to create activities that bring real life language into practice.

Examples of figurative language activities to support a struggling learner

• Studying song lyrics
• Reciting poetry
• Describe a favorite work of art
• Text messages with similes using emojis

More Figurative Language Activities are available HERE.

Examples Of Sentences Using Allusion

These sentences are excellent examples to get a learner started in understanding bow to use allusion in figurative language.

• Sam is young and hungry for success.
• The smell of donuts is like kryptonite to me.
• She showed up looking like Venus.
• That was always my Achilles’ heel.
• I wish I could just click my heels and be back home.
• You’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
• If I’m not home by curfew, I might turn into a pumpkin.
• He felt like he won a golden ticket.
• It’s like I’m pushing a boulder uphill every day.
• Getting him to decide is like pulling a sword out of a stone.
• That girl is the Einstein of his math class.
• We call my aunt’s mean dog he who must not be named.
• Now might be a good time to put on my thinking cap.
• You can’t beat listening to the king. Elvis Presley is a god.
• It is hot as Hades in here without the AC.
• My son is the Shakespeare of his school. He has done so many plays.
• It took a Herculean effort for her to learn to read.
• It’s like opening Pandora’s box when you try to figure this out.

The Difference Between Allusion and Illusion

Although the terms illusion and allusion sound similar, they are not the same. Many learners struggle with this and will often mix them up.

They are also so close in terms of their spelling, it only adds to the confusion. Let’s define each and illustrate their differences.

Allusion

An allusion is a reference, typically brief, to a person, place, thing, event, or other literary work with which the reader is presumably familiar. As a literary device, allusion allows a writer to compress a great deal of meaning and significance into a word or phrase. However, allusions are only effective to the extent that they are recognized and understood by the reader, and that they are properly inferred and interpreted by the reader. If an allusion is obscure or misunderstood, it can lose effectiveness by confusing the reader.

LiteraryDevices.net

There are five main types of allusion:

1. Historical Allusion
2. Mythological Allusion
3. Literary allusion
4. Religious Allusion
5. Cultural Allusion

Illusion

An illusion is a false illustration of something, a deceptive impression, or a false belief. Literally speaking, an illusion is something that is false and not factual. It tricks the human brain into thinking an unreal into a real. In other words, it is meant to mislead the perception of readers, and deceive their senses. Writers deceive readers’ sense of sight, touch, taste, and sounds, making them imagine what is happening, by illustrating certain details.

LiteraryDevices.net

When helping students understand the concept of allusion, it may be helpful to blatantly distinguish between the two, in order to avoid any future confusion.

Additional Resources For Language Arts Study

• 17 Figurative Language Activities For Middle School And High School
• Learning Language Arts Through Literature For My Dyslexic Child
• A Creative and Flexible Approach To Language Arts