Double your figurative language: turn similes into metaphors

Are you a fan of 2-for-1 bargains? 

I am!

So, here’s a trick to double your child’s figurative language vocabulary bank. 

Here, we will learn one simile, change it slightly and make it a metaphor.

Example

Simile: He was stuck like glue.

Metaphor: He was glue – stuck fast and unable to move.

Be careful, though ...


Sometimes, the meaning can change slightly when we change a simile into a metaphor, so we must be aware of this.

For example, the simile, ‘as cold as ice,’ suggests something is cold. In contrast, the metaphor, ‘She was ice,’ could indicate a character frozen in fear or with an emotionless personality.

Would you like to try some at home?

Home Challenge 

Below is a list of similes and metaphors. Can you change them into the other? For some of them, you may need to slightly alter the sentence for it to make sense.

Definition of simile and metaphor

A simile is when you compare two different things to show a similarity. Similes say something IS LIKE something else.

A metaphor is when you say something IS something else (not just like it).

Similes

1. She was as wise as an owl.
   
   Example of turning it into a metaphor: She was a wise owl.
   
   
2. They were as graceful as swans.
3. He swam like a fish.
4. He was as cold as ice.
5. It was as light as a feather.
6. They were stuck like glue.

Metaphors

1. The classroom was a zoo.
   
   Example of turning it into a simile: The classroom was like a zoo.
   
2. She is an open book.
3. Her blood was boiling.
4. His mind was a puddle.
5. He had a heart of gold.
6. The sky was a blanket of cotton.
   
   

Happy writing!

Anna