Which skill would be important for a student to master nonliteral language?

Mastering nonliteral language, such as idioms, metaphors, and sarcasm, significantly relies on a student's ability to understand context. Context provides the necessary background that helps interpret phrases and expressions that do not have a direct, literal meaning. For instance, the phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" cannot be understood literally; instead, recognizing the contextual cues that indicate it is a figurative way to say it is raining heavily is crucial. By understanding context, students can grasp the nuances of language that go beyond mere word meanings and thereby improve their overall language comprehension and communication skills.

The other skills listed, while valuable in different ways, do not directly facilitate the understanding of nonliteral language as effectively as context comprehension does.