Writers use figurative language to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind. Two of the most common types are the simile and the metaphor. Both compare one thing to another, but they do it in slightly different ways.
A simile compares two things using the words like or as. For example: "The ruckman jumped like a kangaroo." The word like tells us this is a comparison — the ruckman is not actually a kangaroo, but he jumps in a similar way.
A metaphor compares two things by saying one thing is another, without using like or as. For example: "The full-back is a brick wall." The full-back is not literally a wall, but calling him one shows how tough and immovable he is. The metaphor makes the comparison directly and with extra force.
The key difference is simple: if you can spot like or as joining the two things, it is a simile. If the sentence states that one thing is another, it is a metaphor.
Simile: "The midfielder was as quick as a cheetah." — uses as ... as, so it is a simile.
Metaphor: "The captain is the heart of the team." — says the captain is the heart, so it is a metaphor.
Swap test: try changing "is" to "is like." If the sentence still makes sense, you were looking at a metaphor. If it already has "like" or "as," it is a simile.
Read each sentence below. Decide whether it is a simile or a metaphor. Write your answer on the line.
Now that you can tell similes and metaphors apart, it is time to write your own. The trick is to start with a subject, then think of something that shares a quality with it.
To write a simile, choose a subject and a quality, then add like or as. "The crowd was as loud as a jet engine." The subject is the crowd, the quality is loudness, and the comparison is a jet engine.
To write a metaphor, state that the subject is the thing you are comparing it to. "The crowd was a roaring ocean." We drop like and go straight to calling the crowd an ocean.
Good comparisons are fresh and specific. Instead of "He was fast like a car," try "He was as fast as a sprinting emu." The more vivid the picture, the better the figurative language works.
Subject: a high mark. Quality: soaring high.
Simile: "He flew for the ball like a eagle riding a thermal."
Metaphor: "He was a rocket launched at the footy."
Ask yourself: what does my subject remind me of? That second thing becomes your comparison.
Each sentence below is missing a key word. Fill in the blank with like, as, or a word that turns the sentence into a metaphor. Then tick the box to say whether you have written a simile or a metaphor.
Each metaphor below is used in an AFL context. Match it to the meaning that best fits by writing the correct letter on the line.
Write two short sentences about an AFL game. One must be a simile and one must be a metaphor. Underline the word like or as in your simile. For the metaphor, underline the part where you say one thing is another.
Your simile:
Your metaphor:
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