Choose Figurative Language for a Purpose

Use comparisons that support a specific image or feeling.

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5 questions0m 0s

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Name the quality you want to convey before choosing a comparison. A simile uses like or as; a metaphor presents one thing as another. Judge the connection to the intended effect, not whether the wording sounds elaborate.

Worked example

To suggest fragile hope, 'Her hope was a candle in the wind' connects hope with something easily extinguished. A comparison about a steel wall would suggest a different quality.

1. Which simile best supports a stated goal of showing nervous, restless movement? His fingers rested like stones His fingers fluttered like leaves in a gust His fingers were as still as a photograph

2. Which sentence is a metaphor rather than a simile? The question felt like a locked door The question was as puzzling as a maze The unanswered question was a locked door

3. A writer wants a slow, peaceful pace. Which comparison fits that goal? The afternoon drifted like a leaf on still water The afternoon cracked like a whip The afternoon charged like a runaway cart

4. Why might 'Her whisper exploded like thunder' conflict with a goal of subtle reassurance? All comparisons involving sound are wrong Its loud, forceful image works against that stated goal Similes must always be literal

5. What is the most useful revision check for a figurative phrase? Is it the longest phrase available? Does it contain a rare animal name? Does its shared quality reinforce the intended meaning?

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