Personification
Giving human qualities to things that aren't human — making your writing come alive!
What is personification?
Personification gives human qualities — actions, feelings, or traits — to animals, objects, or ideas. It's a type of figurative language that makes writing more vivid and interesting.
Human qualities
Human qualities include: feelings (angry, happy), actions (running, whispering, dancing), and traits (lazy, greedy, kind). When we give these to objects or nature, that's personification.
Examples
- The wind whispered through the trees.
- The sun smiled down on us.
- The waves danced on the shore.
- The old car groaned and complained.
Why writers use it
Personification helps readers picture the scene more clearly. It creates emotion and atmosphere. Saying "the storm raged" is far more powerful than "the storm was bad".
Key Vocabulary
Personification in Action
Literal (plain):
The leaves fell off the tree.
With personification:
The leaves let go of the branches and tumbled to the ground.
Literal (plain):
The fire was burning.
With personification:
The fire leapt and grabbed at everything in its path.
Literal (plain):
The clock ticked slowly.
With personification:
The clock dragged its feet, refusing to move quickly.
Knowledge Check
Question 1
Which sentence uses personification?
Question 2
In the sentence "The stars winked at me from above," what human quality is given to the stars?
Question 3
Which of these is NOT an example of personification?
Question 4
Why do writers use personification in their stories and poems?
Lesson Summary
- ✓Personification gives human qualities — feelings, actions, or traits — to non-human things (objects, nature, animals).
- ✓Examples: "The wind whispered," "The sun smiled," "The fire grabbed at everything."
- ✓It is different from a simile — similes compare using "like" or "as"; personification assigns human traits directly.
- ✓Writers use personification to create vivid images, atmosphere, and emotional connection in their writing.