IXL | Identify similes and metaphors | 5th grade language arts

Which sentence uses a metaphor?

The wave was a towering wall rising from the sea.

The wave rose from the sea like a towering wall.

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Learn with an example

question

Which sentence uses a simile?

The car engine was a lion's roar.

The car engine sounded like a lion's roar.

key idea

Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that compare two things that are not actually alike.

A simile compares two things by saying that one is like the other. Similes often use the words like and as.

My sister runs like a cheetah.

The sister's running and a cheetah's running are compared using the word like.

A cheetah is known for running fast, so the simile means that the sister also runs fast.

The cat's fur was as dark as the night.

The cat's fur and the night are compared using the word as.

The night is dark, so the simile means that the cat's fur is also dark.

A metaphor compares two things by saying that one of them is the other. Unlike similes, metaphors don't use the word like or as.

The snow formed a blanket over the town.

The snow and a blanket are compared without the word like or as.

A blanket is a large piece of cloth that completely covers a bed. The metaphor makes the reader imagine that the snow becomes a blanket, covering the town completely.

Using similes and metaphors in your writing can help you create an interesting picture for the reader.

solution

This sentence uses a simile:

The car engine sounded like a lion's roar.

The words engine and roar are compared using the word like.

This sentence uses a metaphor:

The car engine was a lion's roar.

The words engine and roar are compared without the word like or as.

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