What Is a Simile?

This is a question students frequently ask when learning about the different types of figurative language. Some other common questions include:

• What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?
• Why do similes use the words ‘like’ and ‘as’?
• What are some examples of similes?

This classroom poster helps answer some of those questions!

Similes are one of authors and poets’ most commonly used literary devices. A simile compares two objects based on things they have in common, using the words “like” or “as” in the comparison statement.

An example of a simile used on this poster is: The boy is as fast as lightning.

How to Make the Most of This Similes Poster

This poster has been created to support your teaching of figurative language. You may wish to use it in the following ways:

1. Print the poster on tabloid paper and display it in your classroom as a reminder of what similes are.
2. As you teach similes to your students, provide a smaller version of the poster to paste into their workbooks.
3. Use the resource as a language display by adding examples of similes around the poster.

Download, Print, Teach!

Use the Download button to access your color PDF document.