Simile, Metaphor, and Personification

Literary devices are the tools that writers use to make their language vivid, engaging, and memorable. In the SET Stage 1, you may be asked to identify literary devices in a comprehension passage or to explain their effect. In Stage 2, using these devices in your own writing will make it stand out and earn higher marks. This lesson covers three of the most important devices: simile, metaphor, and personification.

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Simile

A simile compares one thing to another using the words "like" or "as".

Examples

• "Her eyes sparkled like diamonds."
• "The soldier stood as still as a statue."
• "The fog crept in like a thief in the night."

Why Writers Use Similes

Similes help the reader picture what is being described by comparing it to something familiar. They make descriptions more vivid and interesting.

How to Talk About Similes in the SET

When explaining a simile in the Stage 1 comprehension, always say what is being compared to what and what effect it creates:

Example question: "What does the simile 'Her smile was like sunshine' suggest?"

Strong answer: "The simile compares her smile to sunshine, suggesting that her smile is warm, bright, and brings happiness to those around her — just as sunshine lifts people's spirits."

Worked Example

Passage: "The river wound through the valley like a silver ribbon."

What is being compared? The river is compared to a silver ribbon.

What is the effect? The simile suggests the river is narrow, winding, and gleaming — the word "silver" adds a sense of beauty and light.

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Metaphor

A metaphor says one thing is another (rather than saying it is like another). It does not use "like" or "as".

Examples

• "The classroom was a zoo after lunch."
• "Time is a thief."
• "Her voice was velvet, soft and smooth."

Extended Metaphors

An extended metaphor continues the same comparison across several sentences or even a whole paragraph:

"The exam was a mountain. Each question was a steep cliff face to climb. Some students scrambled quickly upwards; others clung desperately to the rocky ledges of half-remembered facts."

Simile vs Metaphor

Simile	Metaphor
Uses "like" or "as"	Does NOT use "like" or "as"
Says something is similar to something else	Says something is something else
"Her eyes were like stars."	"Her eyes were stars."

How to Talk About Metaphors in the SET

When analysing a metaphor, explain what the comparison suggests about the subject:

Example question: "What does the metaphor 'Time is a thief' mean?"

Strong answer: "The metaphor compares time to a thief, suggesting that time takes things away from us — such as youth, opportunities, and memories — without us noticing, just as a thief steals silently."

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