Simile vs Metaphor: Easy Differences With Examples
A simile compares two things using the words like or as. A metaphor says one thing is another thing. This simile vs metaphor guide gives you the difference in one minute, five examples of each, three quick ways to tell them apart, a careful note on analogies, an eight-question quiz with answers, and activities you can use with students in grades 3 to 8.
Simile vs metaphor in one minute
Both figures of speech compare two things that are not the same. The only difference is how the comparison is written. Metaphor vs simile is really one comparison written two ways.
| Figure | How it compares | Clue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simile | Says one thing is like another | The word like or as | Her laugh was like sunshine. |
| Metaphor | Says one thing is another | No clue word; often is, was or are | Her laugh was sunshine. |
What is a simile
A simile uses like or as to compare. The comparison is stated, not literal: nobody thinks the baby below is really a mouse.
- The baby was as quiet as a mouse.
- He ran like the wind.
- The snow was like a white blanket.
- She is as brave as a lion.
- My backpack is as heavy as a rock.
Not every sentence with the word like is a simile. I like pizza has no comparison in it. A simile needs two different things being compared.
What is a metaphor
A metaphor skips the clue word and says one thing is another. Here are five metaphor vs simile examples in metaphor form:
- The classroom was a zoo.
- Time is a thief.
- The stars were diamonds in the sky.
- Her backpack was an anchor.
- The lake was a mirror this morning.
A metaphor is not literal either. Time is a thief is not about a real thief. It means that time takes things from us, like moments that slip by. Working out what a metaphor means is an inference, which is the skill we describe in our post on reading comprehension strategies.
How to tell a simile from a metaphor
Look for like or as
If the comparison uses like or as, it is a simile. Check that the word is making a comparison and is not just a verb or a time word.
Ask whether it says is or was
If the sentence says one thing is, was or are another thing, with no like or as, it is a metaphor.
Turn one into the other
Change Her smile was a sunrise to Her smile was like a sunrise. The first is a metaphor and the second is a simile. Students who can move a comparison back and forth understand the difference.
| Sentence | Clue | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The pillow was as soft as a cloud. | as … as | Simile |
| The pillow was a cloud. | was, no clue word | Metaphor |
| He runs like the wind. | like | Simile |
| Her room is a jungle. | is, no clue word | Metaphor |
| The road was like a ribbon. | like | Simile |
Simile vs analogy vs metaphor
The simile vs analogy vs metaphor question confuses a lot of students, so here is a short, careful answer. A simile and a metaphor are two ways of writing a comparison. An analogy is a comparison used to explain something: it shows how two things are alike so that a reader understands an idea.
For example, A cell is like a factory: both take in materials and make products is an analogy. It uses a simile to start, then goes on to explain the likeness. A simile or metaphor on its own, such as The stars were diamonds, usually paints a picture and does not explain anything.
A quick simile vs metaphor quiz
Read each sentence and decide whether it is a simile or a metaphor. The answers are below the quiz.
- The snow was a white blanket over the town.
- Her voice was as soft as a whisper.
- The kitten’s fur is like velvet.
- The moon is a silver coin.
- My little brother is as busy as a bee.
- The playground was a beehive at recess.
- The road was like a long gray ribbon.
- The library was an island of quiet.
Answers
- Metaphor (no clue word)
- Simile (as … as)
- Simile (like)
- Metaphor (is)
- Simile (as … as)
- Metaphor (was)
- Simile (like)
- Metaphor (was)
Simile vs metaphor games and activities
Similes make a gentle first step, because like and as give students a clue to look for. Once they can spot those, move on to metaphors, where there is no clue word.
Sort cards
Write sentences on cards and have students sort them into two piles. Turn it into a simile vs metaphor game by letting teams race, with a point for each correct card and a check of the clue word.
Finish the comparison
Give students half a comparison: The snow was as white as … or The wind was a …. They finish it, then read their sentences aloud for the class to name as a simile or a metaphor.
Turn a plain sentence into a simile and a metaphor
Start with The night was dark. A simile version is The night was as dark as ink. A metaphor version is The night was a black curtain. Strong describing words help here, so keep our list of adjectives handy.
Find them in a read-aloud book
Choose a picture book or chapter and ask students to raise a hand when they hear a comparison. Write each one on a chart and sort it together. For a weekly plan that fits this kind of practice next to reading and grammar, see our guide to ELA worksheets for 4th graders.
Practice material
When students are ready for written practice, the Simile and Metaphor Worksheets are the next step. They have identification, true or false, fill in the blank, meaning and short answer sections, with a full answer key and lesson plan (grades 5 to 8).
For younger students who are meeting figurative language for the first time, the Alliteration and Onomatopoeia Worksheets are a 40-page set for grades 3 to 5 with a lesson plan, student worksheet, answer key and answer sheet. Alliteration and onomatopoeia are sound devices, not comparisons, so they make a good companion rather than a replacement.
To cover several figures of speech together, the Figurative Language Worksheets Bundle has three packets (similes and metaphors, personification and idioms, alliteration and onomatopoeia), 129 pages in total, listed for grades 3 to 8.
Frequently asked questions
Is “as brave as a lion” a simile?
Yes. It compares a person to a lion using as … as. It does not say the person is a lion, only that the two are alike in one way.
Can a sentence be both a simile and a metaphor?
A single comparison is one or the other. A longer sentence can hold two comparisons, such as Her smile was a sunrise, bright as morning, which has a metaphor followed by a simile.
Are idioms the same as metaphors?
No. An idiom is a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from its words, such as break the ice. A metaphor is a comparison you can work out. Some idioms began as metaphors, but not every metaphor is an idiom. The Figurative Language Worksheets cover simile, metaphor, personification and idioms in a 40-page packet for grades 6 to 8, with a lesson plan, answer key and 70 questions across 6 sections.
What grade learns simile and metaphor?
It depends on the school, so we can only point to the grade ranges of our own materials. The Simile and Metaphor Worksheets are listed for grades 5 to 8, the Alliteration and Onomatopoeia Worksheets for grades 3 to 5, and the Figurative Language Worksheets Bundle for grades 3 to 8.
