Using appropriate similes
Using similes is a very easy thing to do. Using appropriate similes is much harder. Just like with all
other writing, you need to think about the purpose and audience of your writing when selecting
the right word. For example, in a horror story it might be great to say that someone’s dress was as
red as blood. But the same phrase isn’t so good if you’re describing someone’s cheeks in a
romantic tale!
Take a look at some of the similes below. Each of them is a bad choice in one way or another. For
each simile, try to change the comparison to make it more appropriate to the context. The first
example has been done for you:
1. Her eyes were like two blue circles with big black dots in the centre.
Her eyes were like the glistening blue reflection of summer’s sunlight on the sea
2. He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
3. Her lips were red and full, like tubes of blood
4. The ballerina lifted her leg gracefully, like a dog next to a tree.
5. The little boat slowly drifted across the pond just like a bowling ball wouldn’t.
6. The petal fell from the flower as gently as a man falling from a tall building.
7. The touch of her hand was as cold as an old spanner from the fridge
8. They lay under the hot sun like burgers on a barbecue.
9. Their love was peaceful and secure like a brick wall