Similes and Metaphors

Simile A comparison using LIKE or AS His feet were as big AS boats.

I am hungry as a horse. You run like a rabbit. She is happy as a clam.                                                                                                                                                                                                     She is happy as a clam. He is sneaky as a snake.

Metaphor Her hair IS silk. A metaphor states that one thing is something else. It is a comparison, but it does NOT use like or as to make the comparison. A metaphor is a bit more sophisticated than a simile because readers have to recognize the comparison on their own. Her hair IS silk.

The girl was a fish in the water. The clown was a feather floating away.

Remember that similes and metaphors are forms of figurative language Remember that similes and metaphors are forms of figurative language. Readers should understand that we are not to take the comparison literally. Instead of meaning that one thing is another, literally; it is just a way to get us to see that first thing in a new way. So if we said: The boy is a sneaky snake. We aren’t saying that the boy is literally a snake…but using that metaphor helps us see that character (the boy) in a new way.

Simile or Metaphor???? The baby was like an octopus, grabbing at all the cans on the grocery store shelves. As the teacher entered the room she muttered under her breath, "This class is like a three-ring circus!" The giant’s steps were thunder as he ran toward Jack. The pillow was a cloud when I put my head upon it after a long day.

Simile or Metaphor???? I feel like a limp dishrag. Those girls are like two peas in a pod. The fluorescent light was the sun during our test. No one invites Harold to parties because he’s a wet blanket. The bar of soap was a slippery eel during the dog’s bath. Ted was as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs.

Brian was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball back over the net. This metaphor compares Brian to a wall because __________. a. He was very strong. b. He was very tall. c. He was good at tennis. d. His body was made of cells. Joyet 2004

We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadn’t been such a hog. Tammy was being compared to a hog because she __________. a. looked like a hog b. ate like a hog c. smelled like a hog d. was as smart as a hog Joyet 2004

Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind. The metaphor compares Cindy to a mule because she was __________. a. always eating oats b. able to do hard work c. raised on a farm d. very stubborn Joyet 2004

The cat was compared to a bolt of lightning because he was _______. The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey. The cat was compared to a bolt of lightning because he was _______. a. very fast b. very bright c. not fond of fleas d. very old Joyet 2004

Even a child could carry my dog, Dogface, around for hours. He’s such a feather. This metaphor implies that Dogface: a. is not cute b. looks like a bird c. is not heavy d. can fly Joyet 2004

Simile and Metaphor Game Find a partner. You have 10 minutes to come up with as many similes and metaphors for the word Mrs. Wilcox gives you. You will get 1 point for each simile and 2 points for each metaphor. They must be written so that Mrs. Wilcox can read them.

Chocolate Make as many similes and metaphors as you can for this word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIBdDiPi-o0