Metaphors: Saying One Thing Is Another

Understand metaphors, which compare two things by saying one is the other.

A metaphor also compares two unlike things, but without using 'like' or 'as'. Instead, it says one thing IS the other. 'The classroom was a zoo' does not mean there were animals. It means the class was wild and noisy, like a zoo. To understand a metaphor, ask: What is being compared, and what quality are they sharing? Read: 'After the long hike, my legs were jelly.

' Legs and jelly share wobbliness, so the metaphor means the legs felt weak and shaky. Compare the simile 'My legs were like jelly' with the metaphor 'My legs were jelly. ' The metaphor is more direct and often feels stronger. Both create a picture in your mind.

• 1A metaphor says one thing IS another.
• 2No like or as is used.
• 3Find the shared quality to understand it.