Cliches Worksheets
About These 15 Worksheets
This group of worksheets will quickly help you understand and recognize cliches in language. Cliches are overused expressions or phrases that have become predictable or lacking in originality due to their frequent use.
To explain cliches, let’s look at an example – “It’s raining cats and dogs.” This phrase is considered a cliche because it is a common and overused expression to describe heavy rain. Cliches often convey a familiar meaning but lack freshness or creativity.
Cliches worksheets provide exercises and activities that help you identify and analyze cliches in writing. These worksheets typically contain sentences or passages where you have to recognize and replace cliches with more original or creative language.
By working on these worksheets, you will learn how to:
Identify Cliches – Cliches worksheets help you develop the skill of recognizing cliches in language. By reading sentences or passages, you learn to identify expressions or phrases that have become cliches due to their overuse. This skill helps you become more aware of common cliches in everyday language.
Understand Lack of Originality – Cliches worksheets allow you to analyze the lack of originality in cliches. You explore how the repetitive use of certain phrases or expressions can make writing predictable or uninteresting. By recognizing cliches, you become more aware of the need for fresh and original language in your own writing.
Enhance Writing Skills – By identifying cliches, cliches worksheets help you improve your writing skills. You develop a stronger sense of language and style, encouraging you to find more creative and unique ways to express ideas. This practice enhances your ability to communicate effectively and engage readers with fresh and original language.
Avoid Common Language Pitfalls – Cliches worksheets help you become more conscious of using cliches in your own speech and writing. By recognizing cliches, you learn to avoid relying on them excessively and instead strive for more original and authentic expression. This awareness helps you communicate in a more unique and compelling manner.
Appreciate Creative Language – Cliches worksheets foster an appreciation for creative and original language. By replacing cliches with more unique expressions, you develop an understanding of the value of fresh and inventive writing. This skill allows you to appreciate and create language that is distinct and captivating.
Why Do Writers Use Cliches In Literature?
Writers generally try to avoid using cliches in literature because they can make the writing feel unoriginal or lacking in creativity. However, there are instances where writers intentionally use cliches for specific purposes. Here are a few reasons why writers may use cliches in literature:
Satire or Parody – Writers may use cliches as a form of satire or parody, intentionally employing them to mock or exaggerate common and overused expressions. By purposefully using cliches in an exaggerated or humorous way, writers can draw attention to the unoriginality or predictability of certain language patterns.
Characterization – In some cases, writers may use cliches to characterize specific individuals or groups in their stories. By having a character use cliches in their speech or thoughts, the writer can depict that character as unoriginal or lacking in depth. This can be a deliberate choice to convey a specific personality trait or to contrast with other characters who use more original or nuanced language.
Contextual Authenticity – There are situations where using a cliche might be appropriate for the context of the story. For example, if a character is intentionally speaking in cliches to emphasize their adherence to conventional wisdom or to reflect a specific cultural or social group, the use of cliches can help establish that authenticity.
Subversion – Writers may purposefully use cliches and then subvert them to create surprise or challenge reader expectations. By initially presenting a cliche and then providing an unexpected twist or deviation, the writer can generate intrigue and engage the reader in a new and unexpected direction.