Composition Unit 3
Similes and metaphors A simile compares two things by saying one thing is like another. A metaphor compares two things by saying one thing is actually the other. Writers use similes and metaphors to make their descriptions more vivid and effective. Read ‘Simile Poem’ and ‘What is … the Sun?’ by Wes Magee, then answer the questions that follow.
The sun is light, bright and fun. The river is long and twisting. The tree tops are bristly. The stars sparkle.
Simile Poem The sun is like a yellow balloon Hanging in the sky The river’s like a giant snake Winding slowly by. The trees are like huge brushes With their handles in the ground The stars are like great diamonds The biggest ever found. Wes Magee
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