Similes create a similarity between two things that are, in fact, quite different. We use the words ‘like’ and ‘as’ to make the comparison.
To learn how to use these correctly, click here.
There are many similes that are used as common expressions in English. You will hear people express that they slept well by saying they ‘slept like a log’. They will tell you that a lecture was very boring by saying ‘it was like watching paint dry’.
There are many standard similes in English. Can you guess the following ones?
While it’s fine to use these in casual speech and writing, they can seem boring and cliche when they are overused. Not don’t worry! With a little creativity and practice, you can invent your own.
Making the effort to create your own similes will make your English fresher and more authentic, and will help you to develop your sense of humor and personal style of speaking.
Let’s play with similes!
1.) The first player thinks of a topic.
2.) Say one or two sentences related to the topic, using a simile.
3.) The next player adds a sentence or two, making another comparison.
4.) Players continue to add sentences until someone can’t continue or a rule is broken.
Rules:
-You can’t repeat an idea that has already been used.
-You can’t use ‘as’ or ‘like’ incorrectly.
-You can’t pause for more than 10 seconds
An example with 2 players:
Theme: Dragon
Player 1: The dragon was as big as a house.
Player 2: I felt like a little mouse in front of a hungry cat.
Player 1: And it was angry, like a cat that had been out in a rainstorm.
Player 2: I tried to run away. I moved as fast as a train.
Player 1: But the dragon attacked, like a dog attacking a piece of meat.
Player 2: Luckily, my friends arrived, yelling like a crowd at a soccer game…
