A simile likens or compares one thing, action, or relation to something else of a different kind or quality using like or as to signal a comparison.
Similes are used becausethey stress out a certain feature of a thing; comparisons made in a simile appear unusual. Mental images of the comparison are formed by the listener or the reader as it increases the understanding of what the speaker or writer is trying to impart.
Strategy for Using Similes
The steps below are itemized to build a better understanding on similes.
1. "As" and "Like" are clues to detect similes
2. Determine the two things being compared
3. Study the two things being compared
4. Create a mental image of the comparison
5. Define or interpret what the speaker or writer is trying to convey
Commonly used similes using Like and As
Like is used to signal the comparison:
bright like sunshine
ears like an elephant
eats like a pig
eyes like a hawk
fits like a glove
fought like cats and dogs
moves like a turtle
rough like sandpaper
runs like a cheetah
shaking like a leaf
sings like a bird
swims like a dog
takes it like a man
talks like a monkey
bright like sunshine
rough like sandpaper
ears like an elephant
shaking like a leaf
"But, like a thirsty wind, to roam about." -William Wordsworth, English poet