In English grammar, we use several types of words as descriptors. Adjectives, adverbs, similes, and metaphors are some that you might have heard of.
Adjectives and adverbs add more detail to a sentence. Metaphors and similes are more complicated, but are we timid mice when it comes to learning language conventions? No, we’re as brave as lions! So read on to understand more.
This post deals with metaphors, but understanding the difference between metaphors and similes helps.
Metaphors and similes are devices that make a comparison, but although a simile says one thing is like something else, a metaphor says that one thing actually is something else.
So, “Are we timid mice?” is saying that we are actually mice. But we’re not four-legged, squeaking animals. It’s a metaphor.
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But “brave as lions” is saying we’re like lions, so that’s a simile. We can tell it’s a simile because as is telling us the phrase is a comparison.
Metaphors say that someone (or something) is something else as a way of describing the person (or thing).
They’re useful in telling us something about someone’s personality, appearance, or behavior.
If you think you might have confused metaphors and similes in your writing, our experts would be happy to check it for you!
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