Spoonful #69: SENSATIONAL SIMILES

A SIMILE is "a figure of speech that compares two different things using LIKE or AS. For younger writers, it's fun to figure out what commonly used similes mean. For more advanced writers, coming up with unique and tailored similes can really enhance your stories and essays. Read on for some examples!

Here are some commonly used similes used in sentences. If you have younger children or students, ask them what they think the similes mean. Afterward, you can challenge them to dream up their own similes. 

My heart is like an open book. 

A clambake is American as apple pie. 

Every day, Mr. Wilson comes from from work hungry as a bear.

Without my glasses, I'm blind as a bat. 

My friend is sly as a fox and always manages to steal my cookies.
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How do you create unique, tailored similes? By relating them to the interests or passions of different characters. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate my point:

My driving instructor let out a sigh like a tire rapidly losing air when I failed to use my blinker for the third time. 

When Mr. Hall's giant pumpkin failed to win first prize, he drooped like a thirsty sunflower. 

I hope I've inspired you to go forth and create some unique, tailored similes for your own stories and essays!

Happy 4th of July weekend! Take care, everyone. 

Sincerely,

Laura Fineberg Cooper
A Spoonful of Grammar

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