Which sentence uses figurative language?

Which sentence uses figurative language?

• A. Figurative language has no cues.
• B. Literal language uses metaphors; figurative language states facts.
• C. Both are identical in meaning.
• D. Literal language states facts; figurative uses metaphor, simile, etc.; look for cues and context.

Answer: (D)

Figurative language means more than the exact dictionary meaning, often using comparisons or imagery to convey a non-literal idea. To spot it, look for hints in the sentence that point to a meaning beyond what the words literally say—things like comparisons (metaphor, simile), vivid imagery, or symbolic language—and consider the surrounding context.

The sentence that describes the difference by noting that literal language states facts while figurative language uses devices such as metaphor and simile—and then suggests looking for cues and context to detect that non-literal meaning—is the best pick. It directly names the kinds of figurative devices and gives a practical way to identify them in text.

The other statements miss the mark: one claims figurative language has no cues, which makes identification impossible; another reverses the relationship between literal and figurative language; and another says both are identical in meaning. Each of those mischaracterizes how figurative language works, whereas the chosen sentence correctly distinguishes them and points to how readers recognize figurative meaning.