1. Metaphor

2. Metaphor
• Implied comparison between two unlike
objects based on a common
quality/characteristic.
• Unlike similes that use the words “as” or “like”
to make a comparison, metaphors state that
something(A) is something else (B).
• Hence, we see A in terms of B!
Instead of Jack is as tall as a giraffe (simile)
We say that Jack is a giraffe! (metaphor)

3. Why metaphors?
• Metaphors enliven language
• Poets use metaphor as a way of explaining
or referring to something in a brief but
effective way(clever)
• Metaphors create a mental picture and gets
us to think of the comparison between the
two.

4. Instead of ‘many people
or big crowd’..
‘Sea of people’ describes the huge
mass of people better!

5. Examples
• The climbers gathered at the foot of
the mountain.
• All the world's a stage.
• My form teacher has a heart of stone.
• Her home is a prison.

6. Bulldozer 1
A strong heavy machinery that clears everything in its path.

7. Bulldozer 2

8. • Metaphors are not confined to poetry.
• Like most literary devices, they are also
used in everyday life.

9. • Overheard in the classroom… “the
three monkeys at the back.. Pay
attention!”
• “You are such a pig!”
• “He’s the apple of the eye”
• “Mr Lim barked at us when we talked
in class.

10. Metaphor– 14 Apr
shot down
Rejected
The committee shot her ideas down one by one as they
were too costly to implement.
Go out the window
Gone, wasted
All my hard work in the Geography Project went out the
window when my computer crashed and I had no back
up.

11. Metaphor– 15 Apr
a breeze
Easy, not difficult
The test was a breeze for David as he had done his
revision on that topic earlier.
smooth sailing
a situation where progress is made without any
difficulty
Once you've passed that exam, it will be smooth sailing
to graduation.

12. Metaphor – 16 Apr
Up to scratch
to be of a good standard
The company is able to sell whatever product they come
up with as they have a great marketing team whose work
is really up to scratch.
Know the ropes
to be able to do something well
Our new Sales Director has a lot of experience and really
knows all the ropes.

13. Metaphor – 21 Apr
Light of someone’s life
Someone who brings happiness or joy
Jane is smiling a lot these days. She seems like a
different person after she met the light of her life, David.
light at the end of the tunnel
the end of a difficult period
The graduating classes have been under a lot of stress
due to the O levels. After yesterday’s English paper, they
can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

14. Metaphor– 22 Apr
Drowning in something
Struggling with or finding it hard to cope with a
certain task
The new intern needs more time to get used to the job.
He is drowning in paperwork since the first week.
To ride on a wave
to take advantage of popular opinions or feelings
The politician came to power riding on a wave of public
discontent towards the cost of living in the country.

15. Metaphor– 23 Apr
A wooden face
Showing a lack of emotion
It was hard to tell whether Jane liked the idea or not
as she had put on a wooden face throughout the
meeting.
Out of the woods
To no longer be in danger or difficulty
The club has been given funding for another year
but it’s not out of the woods yet.

16. Metaphor– 24 Apr
fever pitch
a state of very strong emotion
Excitement among the waiting crowd was at fever pitch
minutes before the superstar’s arrival.
fire in one’s belly
Having a strong determination to succeed
The team captain has fire in his belly and would not
allow his teammates to give up even though the
opponent was last year’s champion.

17. Metaphor– 25 Apr
Lukewarm response
A reaction that is not enthusiastic
Mr Lim was annoyed when his suggestion of doing VIA
in June was met with a lukewarm response from the
class.
Poured cold water
To be critical or discouraging of an idea
The form teacher poured cold water on Steve’s idea of
having a class outing overseas as it was too costly.

18. Metaphor– 29 Apr
In the dark
Not informed or aware of a situation
Andy kept his wife in the dark about the surprise party
he was organising for her.
A dark horse
Someone who may win an event that he is not expected
to win
I think Scotland are dark horses to win the next World
Cup. They are much better than what people think.

19. Metaphor– 5 May
A fork in the road
A moment in life when you have to make a defining choice
Jeremy hit a fork in the road after his secondary school
graduation. He had to decide between the course he
desired in polytechnic or listen to his parents’ wish of going
to a junior college.
Rocky road
A difficult period of time
James has been going down quite a rocky road ever since
his divorce.