Read the following sentence.

• He wandered lonely as a cloud.

Here a person is being compared to a cloud. We used the expression ‘as’ to make this comparison. This is an example of a simile. A simile compares two persons or things which are not similar using like or as.

• They fought like lions.
• She is as pretty as a doll.

Now read the following sentence.

• Her eyes were diamonds.

Here we say that one thing is the same as the other without using like or as. A metaphor is an implied simile.

Simile vs. Metaphor worksheet

Say whether the figure of speech used in the following sentences is a simile or metaphor.

1. The kitten was as black as coal.

2. He doesn’t sleep at night. He is an owl.

3. He is scared of all insects. He is a chicken.

4. She is a rising star.

5. Thank you for helping me when I was in trouble. You are an angel!

6. He sits in front of his television the whole day. He is a couch potato.

7. They fought like lions.

8. He is as blind as a bat.

9. We were as poor as church mice.

Answers

1. Simile

2. Metaphor

3. Metaphor

4. Metaphor

5. Metaphor

6. Metaphor

7. Simile

8. Simile

9. Simile