Worksheet

This resource by the English Department, STP was found free at http://www.english-teaching.co.uk
Copyright  2000 FRET – Free Resources for English Teaching. All rights reserved.
1
Aims of the lesson: To learn about figures of speech.
By the end of the lesson you should know about:
SIMILES
METAPHORS
A simile is a figure of speech where X is compared to Y, using the words AS
or LIKE.
For example: "He was as cold as ice."
"My luve’s like a red, red rose."
A metaphor is a figure of speech where X is compared to Y, and where X is
said to be Y. A metaphor says that X is Y.
For example: "It is raining cats and dogs."
"My bedroom is a tip."
“Juliet is the sun.”
Helpful Hint 1.
‘ARE’ is the plural form of the verb ‘IS’.
For example: The girl is going. / The girls are going.
Helpful Hint 2.
One use of an apostrophe (’) is to show that letters are missing.
For example: The boy’s here = The boy is here.
Authors use metaphors and similes to create IMAGES and PICTURES in our
mind. These images are meant to suggest and hint at MEANING.

2
Identify whether the following are similes or metaphors. Beware,
there are some trick ones in there!
1. "Juliet is the sun." (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.)
2. Tracy felt as sick as a parrot.
3. "...the perfect sky is torn." (Natalie Imbruglia, "Torn")
4. The traffic is murder.
5. Tom is as deaf as a post.
6. "Life’s but a walking shadow." (Shakespeare, Macbeth.)
7. She ran like the wind.
8. I’m as light as a feather.
9. "The sun’s a thief." (Shakespeare, Timon of Athens.)
10. Kitty is the apple of her mother’s eye.
11. "Death lies upon her like an untimely frost." (Shakespeare, Romeo and
Juliet.)
12. Her eyes are as blue as the ocean..
13. "There’s more life in a tramp’s vest." (Stereophonics, "more life in a
tramp’s vest.")
14. Tom is silly.
15. "Everyday is a winding road…" (Sheryl Crow, "Everyday is a winding
road.")
16. My eyes are blue.
17. "England … is a fen of stagnant waters." (Wordsworth.)
18. "Their smiles, wan as primroses." (Keats.)
19. The cucumber is cool.
20.Your beauty shines like the sun.
21. "Love is blind, as far as the eye can see." (The Spice Girls, "Too
Much.")
22. She looked as pretty as a picture.
23. James was as cool as a cucumber.
24. His feet are as black as coal.
25. 'It’s been a hard day’s night / And I’ve been working like a dog."
(Lennon and McCartney.)
In groups, identify the similes and metaphors in the following poems.
Illustrate your poems (using drawings, pictures or clipart) in a storyboard.
Support each of the illustrations with quotations.

3
A Birthday
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a watered shoot;
My heart is like an apple tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickest fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates
And peacocks with a hundred eyes;
Work it in gold and silver grapes,
In leaves and silver fleur-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.
CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI 1830-1894

4
You’re
Clownlike, happiest on your hands,
Feet to the stars, and moon-skulled,
Gilled like a fish. A Common-sense
Thumbs-down on the dodo’s mode.
Wrapped up in yourself like a spool,
Trawling your dark as owls do.
Mute as a turnip from the Fourth
Of July to All Fool’s Day,
O high-riser, my little loaf.
Vague as fog and looked for like mail.
Farther off than Australia.
Bent-backed Atlas, our travelled prawn.
Snug as a bud and at home
Like a sprat in a pickle jug.
A creel of eels, all ripples.
Jumpy as a Mexican bean.
Right, like a well-done sum.
A clean slate, with your own face on.
SYLVIA PLATH (1932-1963)

5
POETRY READING - FORMAT
Response to 'A Birthday' by Christina Rossetti or 'You're' by
Margaret Atwood. (or any other poem for that matter)
In groups, decide (or let your teacher decide) who will be the poet. All
other group members are to be the audience / questioners.
Now, compile a list of questions and answers. The 'poet' and
'audience' must share responsibility for this. You might want to ask
about:
• the title,
• the form and structure,
• rhyme and rhythm,
• use of language,
• imagery,
• why it was written,
• ideas (themes) and messages,
• who was it written for, etc.
Don’t ask 'closed' questions. (A closed question is one that will give a
‘Yes’ or 'No' answer.) Read through your ideas, deciding who will ask
what and when. Make any necessary changes to the running order and
try a final trial run through - without reading.
! The poet will introduce her/himself. (This should be brief,
informative and relevant! It may be wise to undertake some
brief background research.)
! The poet will introduce the poem. ‘I’d like to read you my poem,
"A Birthday". It is a poem about …’
! After the reading, the poet should invite the audience to ask
questions regarding her/his work.
! The audience will do so!
If possible, try to tape or video the readings. I can assure you,
they will make very enjoyable viewing (or listening.) You may
even find yourselves in possession of some 'You've Been Framed'
footage!

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