Read the following sentences and identify metaphors and similes. Write M for metaphor and S for simile.
He ran as fast as a cheetah.
S
The world is a stage.
M
The night was as dark as coal.
S
He sang like an angel.
S
Her voice was music to his ears.
M
The classroom was a zoo.
M
The baby slept like a log.
S
Her smile was as bright as the sun.
S
The lake was a mirror, reflecting the sky.
M
Explanation
(i) This is a simile because it uses 'as...as' to compare his running speed to a cheetah. (ii) This is a metaphor because it directly states 'the world is a stage' without using 'like' or 'as,' implying that life is like a theatrical performance. (iii) This is a simile because it uses 'as...as' to compare the darkness of night to coal. (iv) This is a simile because it uses 'like' to compare his singing to an angel's voice. (v) This is a metaphor because it directly states 'her voice was music,' comparing her voice to music without using 'like' or 'as.' (vi) This is a metaphor because it directly compares the classroom to a zoo, implying it was chaotic, without using 'like' or 'as.' (vii) This is a simile because it uses 'like' to compare the baby's deep sleep to a log. (viii) This is a simile because it uses 'as...as' to compare the brightness of her smile to the sun. (ix) This is a metaphor because it directly states 'the lake was a mirror,' comparing the lake's reflective surface to a mirror without using 'like' or 'as.'