Teaching Similes and Metaphors

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Similes and metaphors are the two workhorses of figurative language, and students meet them constantly — in poems, stories, and everyday speech. Both make a comparison to paint a picture; the only difference is how. Teach that one difference clearly and students can tell them apart and, better, start using them in their own writing. This guide covers how to teach similes and metaphors in grades 3–5 and pairs with the printable similes and metaphors worksheets for practice.

A simile and a metaphor both compare two unlike things to make writing vivid. The difference is a single move: a simile uses a signal word (like or as); a metaphor says one thing simply is another.

Similes Use Like or As

A simile compares using the signal words like or as:

• She is as brave as a lion.
• The car ran like the wind.

Because the signal words are right there, similes are the easier of the two to spot — teach them first.

Metaphors Say One Thing Is Another

A metaphor drops the signal word and states the comparison directly — it says one thing is the other:

• The classroom was a zoo.
• Time is money.

The classroom was not literally a zoo, of course — a metaphor is an imaginative comparison, not a fact.

The Difference in One Test

Give students one question: does it use like or as? If yes, it is a simile. If it says one thing is another with no signal word, it is a metaphor. That single test resolves almost every case.

A Teaching Sequence That Works

1. Both compare to paint a picture.
2. Similes first — the like/as signal makes them easy to spot.
3. Metaphors — the direct comparison with no signal word.
4. The one-question test to tell them apart.
5. Write your own — students craft a simile and a metaphor for the same thing.

Where Students Get Stuck (and How to Help)

1. Calling every comparison a simile

Students default to “simile.” Fix: the one-question test — no like/as means it is a metaphor.

2. Taking a metaphor literally

“The classroom wasn’t really a zoo!” Fix: name it as an imaginative comparison — it means the class felt wild and noisy.

3. Comparing two similar things

“A cat is like a kitten.” Fix: figurative comparisons join unlike things — the surprise is what makes the picture.

Where This Connects

• Idioms. The other big piece of figurative language: teaching idioms.
• Vocabulary overall. Figurative language fits the routines in vocabulary instruction strategies.
• Reading. Similes and metaphors appear constantly in poems and stories — naming them aids comprehension.
• Writing. A well-chosen comparison is one of the fastest ways to make student writing vivid.