Simile

Definition

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. It helps the reader picture something by connecting it to something they already understand.

For example: “The frost covered the garden like a white blanket.” Here, the frost is compared to a blanket — two very different things — but the comparison helps us imagine the scene vividly.

Similes are one of the most common literary devices and one of the easiest to use well in 11+ creative writing. Examiners look for them as evidence that a pupil can use figurative language to enrich their descriptions.

Examples from Literature

Some of the best similes come from books you may already know:

• “He was as tall as a young tree.” — Roald Dahl, The BFG. This simple simile instantly helps us picture the Big Friendly Giant’s enormous height.
• “The corridor stretched ahead of them like a dark throat.” — J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This simile creates a feeling of danger and unease.
• “Her voice was like honey dripping from a spoon.” — A common simile that suggests a voice is smooth, sweet, and slow.

Notice how each simile does more than describe — it creates a feeling. The best similes add atmosphere and emotion to your writing, not just visual detail.

Using Similes in 11+ Writing

To score well in the 11+ creative writing paper, your similes should be:

• Original: Avoid overused comparisons like “as white as snow” or “ran like the wind.” Examiners have read these thousands of times. Instead, try to create your own: “The snow settled on the rooftops like icing sugar dusted over a cake.”
• Relevant: Your simile should match the mood of your writing. In a spooky scene, compare things to shadows, cobwebs, or cold things. In a happy scene, use warm, bright comparisons.
• Precise: A good simile helps the reader understand something more clearly. “She smiled like something nice” is vague. “She smiled like a cat who had found the cream” tells us she looked pleased and perhaps a little mischievous.

Top tip: try writing a simile for each of the five senses. What does the scene look like, sound like, smell like, feel like, or taste like?

Common Mistakes

• Using clichés: Phrases like “as busy as a bee” or “as cold as ice” are so familiar that they have lost their impact. Always try to create a fresh comparison.
• Mixing up similes and metaphors: Remember, a simile always uses “like” or “as.” If your sentence says something is something else (“her eyes were diamonds”), that’s a metaphor, not a simile.
• Overloading your writing: Using a simile in every sentence makes your writing feel cluttered. Space them out and let each one stand out.
• Comparisons that confuse: Make sure your simile actually helps the reader. “The car was as fast as a particularly energetic platypus” might be creative, but it does not create a clear image.

Examiner Tips

11+ examiners have shared what they look for when marking similes in creative writing:

• Show you know the technique: Using even one effective simile demonstrates that you understand figurative language.
• Make it earn its place: Every simile should add something — atmosphere, emotion, or clarity. If removing it does not change the sentence’s impact, it probably is not needed.
• Vary your devices: Do not rely on similes alone. Combining a simile with a metaphor or personification elsewhere in your piece shows a wider range of skill.

Practise writing three different similes for the same scene. Choose the one that best fits the mood, and you will develop an instinct for quality over time.