Similes and Metaphors for Kids: Like, As and Is Comparisons (Grade 4 and 5 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are learning similes and metaphors. Both of them compare two different things to help us picture an idea. Writers use them to make their words come alive.

A simile compares two things using the word like or the word as. Her eyes sparkled like stars. The baby was as quiet as a mouse. Look for like or as, and you have found a simile.

A metaphor also compares two things, but it does not use like or as. It says one thing is the other thing. The classroom was a zoo. Of course, it was not a real zoo!

So what does it mean? A zoo is loud, busy and wild. The writer means the classroom was noisy and full of chaos. To understand a comparison, ask what the two things have in common.

Let's compare a simile and a metaphor about the same idea. The snow was like a soft blanket is a simile. The snow was a soft blanket is a metaphor. Both mean the snow covered everything.

Be careful. Not every like is a simile. I like pizza is not a comparison at all. It just tells what someone enjoys. A simile must compare two different things.

Now it's your turn. Simile or metaphor? Her voice was music to my ears. The puppy was as fast as a rocket. Pause and try. The first is a metaphor. The second is a simile, because it uses as.

Great job! Remember, a simile compares using like or as, a metaphor says one thing is another, and you find the meaning by asking what the two things share. Practice similes and metaphors in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!