Similes & Metaphors
After running the race, Ella was as red as a tomato and gasping for air.
👉 What does this simile mean?
→ She was very hot and out of breath.
When I forgot my lines during the play, my teacher told me to break a leg next time.
👉 What does “break a leg” mean?
Good luck
The wind whispered softly through the trees.
👉 What does this personification describe?
The wind was gentle and quiet.
I’ve told you a million times to put your phone away!
👉 What does this exaggeration mean?
The speaker has told them many times.
The snow was a blanket, covering everything in soft silence.
👉 What does this metaphor mean?
The snow covered the ground completely and quietly.
The classroom was an oven by the end of the day.
👉 What does this metaphor mean?
It was extremely hot inside.
We were in the same boat—no one studied for the quiz.
👉 What does this idiom mean?
We were in the same situation.
The tired car groaned as it climbed up the steep hill.
👉 What does this tell us about the car?
It was struggling to keep going.
That movie was so funny I nearly died laughing!
👉 What does this mean?
It was extremely funny.
After the storm, the sun peeked out like a shy child.
👉 What does the simile suggest?
The sun appeared gently and slowly.
When Jacob started playing piano, his fingers were tiny dancers moving across the keys.
👉 What does this metaphor suggest?
He played smoothly and gracefully.
After she apologized, it was time to bury the hatchet.
👉 What does that mean in this context?
To make peace and stop arguing.
The old house watched us from the top of the hill, its windows like tired eyes.
👉 What mood or tone is created?
Eerie or mysterious.
After staying up all night, I’m so tired I could sleep for a year.
👉 What does this exaggeration mean?
You're exhausted.
“Don’t open a can of worms,” Mom warned when I asked about Dad’s old job.
👉 What does this idiom mean?
Don’t bring up a topic that will cause trouble.
Her determination was a fire that refused to go out, even after she failed the first test.
👉 What does the fire metaphor reveal about her character?
She’s persistent and motivated to keep trying.
I was about to ask my crush to dance, but I got cold feet at the last minute.
👉 What does “got cold feet” mean?
To become nervous and back out.
The moon hid its face behind the clouds, as if it didn’t want to see what happened next.
👉 What does this personification suggest about the scene?
Something tense, sad, or ominous is happening.
He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he tries hard.
👉 What is the meaning of this?
He’s not very smart.
Hope is the quiet voice that sings even in the darkest moments.
👉 What figurative device is used, and what does it mean?
Personification/metaphor — hope gives people comfort and strength during hard times.
“Time is a river that carries us forward whether we’re ready or not.”
👉 What deeper meaning does this metaphor express?
Time keeps moving and we can’t control or stop its flow.
When Marcus was caught cheating, the teacher said, “You’ve really dug yourself into a hole this time.”
👉 What does this idiom mean?
He made the situation worse for himself.
The city woke up slowly, stretching its arms as the sun rose over the skyscrapers.
👉 What effect does the personification have on the reader?
It gives the city human life, making the setting feel alive and vivid.
I waited an eternity for my turn to speak, while the clock seemed to stop ticking.
👉 What does this hyperbole emphasize about the moment?
It felt like time was dragging; the wait seemed endless.
The silence in the courtroom was so loud it made my ears ring.
👉 Identify the figurative language and meaning.
Oxymoron; it means the silence was extremely tense and noticeable.