Similes and Metaphors Worksheets
Similes and metaphors both compare two unlike things to paint a picture. A simile signals the comparison with like or as (slept like a log); a metaphor skips the signal and states it outright (homework is a mountain). Fourth graders sort figurative phrases by which tool they use.
By grade
What students need to know
A simile compares with like or as: brave as a lion. A metaphor says one thing IS another: the classroom was a zoo.
This skill runs from 4th grade through 6th grade. Pick a grade above for level-matched sentences, teaching notes, and worksheets.
Similes and Metaphors across the grades
4th Grade
Similes and metaphors both compare two unlike things to paint a picture. A simile signals the comparison with like or as (slept like a log); a metaphor skips the signal and states it outright (homework is a mountain). Fourth graders sort figurative phrases by which tool they use.
5th Grade
Fifth graders sort quickly and start asking the better question: what do the two compared things share? A temper and a volcano share sudden eruptions; that shared ground is what the writer wants noticed. Naming the type is step one; explaining the comparison is the skill.
6th Grade
Sixth graders treat similes and metaphors as author's choices: a simile keeps a polite distance (her voice was like music) while a metaphor commits completely (her voice is music). Recognizing which tool a writer picked, and why, feeds directly into literary analysis.