Similes and metaphors — Creative writing for kids

Writer's tip

Like / as … as, or IS — “a simile compares with like or as … as; a metaphor says one thing is another”

1. Simile: uses “like” or “as … as” (as cold as ice, ran like the wind).
2. Metaphor: says one thing IS or WAS another, with no like or as (the moon was a silver plate).
3. Neither: an ordinary sentence that compares nothing (we ate rice for dinner).

Use it for: Descriptive writing, poems, and “identify the figure of speech” questions in English tests.

Worked example: Is this a simile, a metaphor or neither? → simile

✏️ Practice

Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

🏁 Lesson 11 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 🦁 Simile Spinner badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 8 lessons of Part 2 · Making writing vivid. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Similes and Metaphors Worksheet

• Worksheet set 1 (PDF)
• Worksheet set 2 (PDF)
• Worksheet set 3 (PDF)