Simile
A simile compares two things using the words “like” and “as.” Examples include:
busy as a bee
clean as a whistle
brave as a lion
stand out like a sore thumb
as easy as shooting fish in a barrel
as dry as a bone
as funny as a barrel of monkeys
they fought like cats and dogs
like watching grass grow
Metaphor
When you use a metaphor, you make a statement that doesn’t make sense literally, like “time is a thief.” It only makes sense when the similarities between the two things become apparent or someone understands the connection.
Examples include:
the world is my oyster
you are a couch potato
time is money
he has a heart of stone
America is a melting pot
you are my sunshine
Personification
Personification gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas. This can really affect the way the reader imagines things. This is used in children’s BOOKS, poetry, and fictional literature. Examples include:
opportunity knocked on the door
the sun greeted me this morning
the sky was full of dancing stars
the vines wove their fingers together to form a braid
the radio stopped singing and stared at me
the sun played hide and seek with the clouds
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is an outrageous exaggeration that emphasizes a point, and can be ridiculous or funny. Hyperboles can be added to fiction to add color and depth to a character. Examples are:
You snore louder than a freight train.
It's a slow burg. I spent a couple of weeks there one day.
She is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company.
I had to walk 15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
The fire swallowed the entire forest.