Learning Map
EnglishVocabularyusually ages 11–14

Advanced Figurative Language

Understand and interpret figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meaning — including allusion, irony, pun, oxymoron, and extended metaphor — and distinguish between connotation and denotation when analysing or choosing words

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

When your child reads a poem or novel and the author uses irony, a pun, or an unexpected comparison, can they explain what effect it creates and why the author chose those words?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Antonyms & Synonymsages 9–11Connotation/denotation distinction extends KS2 antonyms and synonyms
How Language Choices Affect the Readerages 10–11KS3 figurative language nuance extends KS2 evaluating how authors use figurative language
Figurative Language and Literary Devicesages 11–14Advanced figurative language analysis requires the reading skill of analysing word choice in context
Advanced Figurative Languagethis skill · ages 11–14
Unlocks
Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9E6LA08medium confidenceYear 6 · Language

identify authors’ use of vivid, emotive vocabulary, such as metaphors, similes, personification, idioms, imagery and hyperbole

AC9E5LE04medium confidenceYear 5 · Literature

examine the effects of imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification, and sound devices in narratives, poetry and songs

AC9E5LA08low confidenceYear 5 · Language

understand how vocabulary is used to express greater precision of meaning, including through the use of specialist and technical terms, and explore the history of words

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

EN3-UARL-01medium confidenceEnglish K-10 · Stage 3
EN3-VOCAB-01low confidenceEnglish K-10 · Stage 3

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2E6LA08high confidenceEnglish · Level 6 · Language strand
VC2E5LE04medium confidenceEnglish · Level 5 · Literature strand
VC2E6LE02medium confidenceEnglish · Level 6 · Literature strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

All Vocabulary skills →