A simile compares two things using like or as: “Her hands were as cold as ice cubes.” A metaphor says something is something else: “The classroom was a zoo after the bell rang.” The classroom is not really a zoo, but the metaphor shows how wild it was.
Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration for effect: “I have told you a million times.” Nobody counts a million, but it shows frustration.
When you explain the effect, say what the comparison helps the reader imagine or feel.
Worked example
Is “My little brother is a bottomless pit at dinner” a simile or a metaphor?
- There is no like or as.
- It says he is a bottomless pit, so it is a metaphor.
Answer:a metaphor, showing that he eats a huge amount
Key words
- metaphor
- saying one thing is another
- hyperbole
- exaggeration for effect
- literal
- true, exactly as the words say
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.4.5a