Similes & Metaphors Quiz

1. What is the key difference between a simile and a metaphor?

1. A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to compare; a metaphor says one thing directly IS another
2. Metaphors must compare living things; similes can compare anything
3. Similes are always longer than metaphors
4. Similes are used in poetry; metaphors are used in prose

2. Which is a simile?

1. His words were daggers.
2. She sang like an angel.
3. The classroom was a zoo.
4. Time is money.

3. Which is a metaphor?

1. He is as strong as an ox.
2. She moved as gracefully as a swan.
3. The internet is a spider's web of connections.
4. The stars twinkled like diamonds.

4. Complete this famous simile: 'As blind as a ___.'

1. bat
2. night
3. stone
4. wall

5. What is an 'extended metaphor'?

1. A metaphor that continues and develops over several sentences or a whole text
2. A metaphor used at the end of a poem
3. A very long simile using 'like' or 'as'
4. Two metaphors placed next to each other

6. Which metaphor suggests someone is very cold and emotionless?

1. She has a heart of gold.
2. She has a heart of stone.
3. She has a warm heart.
4. She wears her heart on her sleeve.

7. Identify the simile in Shakespeare's famous line: 'All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players.'

1. There is no comparison here — it is a literal statement
2. This contains a simile: the world is compared 'like' a stage
3. This is a metaphor, not a simile — it says the world IS a stage
4. This is personification, not a simile or metaphor

8. Complete this simile to describe speed: 'He ran as fast as ___.'

1. a rock
2. a wall
3. lightning
4. pudding

9. Which of these is a dead metaphor (a metaphor so overused it no longer feels like a comparison)?

1. Her voice was honey.
2. Life is a battle.
3. The classroom erupted with laughter.
4. The leg of the table.

10. Which simile best conveys the idea of confusion?

1. As bright as a button
2. As clear as day
3. As confused as a chameleon in a bag of Skittles
4. As cool as a cucumber

11. What effect does using a metaphor have compared to a literal description?

1. It creates a stronger, more vivid image and can carry deeper meaning
2. It is always shorter
3. It is only appropriate in poetry
4. It makes writing more formal

12. Complete this famous metaphor: 'Life is not a bed of ___.'

1. clouds
2. rocks
3. roses
4. stars

13. Which sentence contains a mixed metaphor (two metaphors that don't logically fit together)?

1. She is a shining star.
2. The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.
3. Time is a thief that steals our youth.
4. We must iron out the teething problems and get the ship back on track.

14. Which simile best describes very heavy rain?

1. It rained like a dripping tap.
2. It rained like a gentle breeze.
3. It rained like a sunny day.
4. It rained like cats and dogs.

15. What is a 'visual metaphor'?

1. A metaphor about colours
2. A metaphor only used in poetry
3. A metaphor that compares two visual objects
4. An image or picture that represents an idea without using words

16. Identify the type of comparison: 'The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.' (W.J. Turner)

1. Metaphor — the moon IS directly described as a galleon
2. Onomatopoeia — the words sound like the sea
3. Personification — the moon is given human qualities
4. Simile — it compares the moon to a galleon using 'like'

17. Which simile most effectively describes a very loud noise?

1. It was as loud as a hum.
2. It was as loud as a pin dropping.
3. It was as loud as a thunderclap.
4. It was as loud as a whisper.

18. What is the metaphor in Martin Luther King's phrase: 'We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream'?

1. It is personification because water cannot roll down
2. Justice and righteousness are compared to a flowing stream using 'like', making it a simile
3. Justice is described as already flowing, which is a metaphor
4. There is no metaphor — it is a simile using 'like'

19. Which metaphor for time is most negative in tone?

1. Time is a gift to be cherished.
2. Time is a river, always flowing forward.
3. Time is a thief that steals our youth.
4. Time is an opportunity waiting to be seized.

20. Create the most effective simile to complete: 'After the marathon, his legs felt like ___.'

1. a forest
2. jelly
3. running shoes
4. steel