Figurative Language:

Authors use figurative language to create a special effect or feeling. Figurative language helps the reader understand the text better and better imagine the events and the characters.

To figure out the meaning of an idiom, look for clues in the passage.

Example: I like my new neighborhood, and the water park across the street is the icing on the cake.

Meaning: The neighborhood does not have cake or icing, but the context of the sentence tells the reader that the speaker already likes the neighborhood, and the water park makes it even better.