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Metaphors in Creative Writing

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Metaphors in Creative Writing

A metaphor describes one thing as if it were another to create a vivid image or suggest a deeper meaning. Read each task carefully. For open-ended tasks, there are many possible answers.

Recognising metaphors

Choose and identify language that makes a direct imaginative comparison.

1.Which sentence uses a metaphor to describe the sound of a performance?

The actors spoke clearly into the microphone.
Tui’s laugh was a burst of fireworks in the quiet hall.
The curtain opened at seven o’clock.
Isla carried the props backstage.

2.In each sentence, write the metaphor that compares one thing with another: “The stage became a ship on a stormy sea.”

3.In each sentence, write the metaphor that compares one thing with another: “Mere’s costume was a patchwork of bright ideas.”

4.In each sentence, write the metaphor that compares one thing with another: “Nervousness was a drum beating inside his chest.”

5.Select the strongest metaphor to complete this line about a busy backstage area: “Backstage was ______.”

a maze of rushing feet and tangled cables
a place behind the curtain
quite crowded
beside the hall

Building original metaphors

Create comparisons that fit the meaning and help a reader picture a scene.

6.Complete the metaphor in a way that makes sense, then explain your comparison: “The spotlight was a because .”

7.Write an original metaphor for a strong wind during the school play. Avoid using “like” or “as”.

8.Choose every technique that can make a metaphor effective in creative writing.

Choose an image that fits the idea being described.
Use specific details that help readers picture the comparison.
Make the comparison so unrelated that readers cannot work it out.
Consider what mood or feeling the comparison creates.
Add descriptive words that strengthen the image.

Plan and write

Use your ideas to shape a short creative piece set around a school play.

9.Choose one starting idea and jot down a possible metaphor: “The audience was a…”, “My imagination became a…”, or “The final scene was a…”.

10.Plan a poem or short story about the moments before a school play begins. Note a main metaphor, what it suggests, two descriptive words, and the feeling you want readers to have.

11.Write a short poem or story about the school play using at least two original metaphors. Use details that help readers picture the scene and feel its mood.