To make a story or a poem more interesting, a writer often tries to use words to create a picture inside the reader's head.

A simile is when you say that something - a person or place, animal or thing - is LIKE something else. A simile always uses the word ‘as’ or ‘like’. Here are some examples of similes:

"The dragon flew as fast as the wind."

"The Naming Pool glittered like a mirror."

A metaphor makes an even stronger image in the reader's head. When you use a metaphor, you are saying that a person, place, animal or thing IS some thing else (not just LIKE it!). Metaphors are stronger images than similes. They don’t mean exactly what the words say. Here are some examples of metaphors:

"My headteacher is a dragon."
"The Mayor glared with eyes of ice."

Can you find any more examples of similes and metaphors in the Story Scroll stories?

Why not try our simile or metaphor quizzes

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