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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Guess the Figurative Language: Spot Metaphors, Similes, and More

Quick, free figures of speech quiz with instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Mckennizie BoodramUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for figurative language quiz on a golden yellow background

This figurative language quiz helps you identify metaphors, similes, and personification in short passages and tell them apart. Get instant feedback, track your score, and build speed with each question. For extra practice, try our simile or metaphor quiz, quiz on figures of speech, or personification and simile quiz.

Which of the following sentences uses a simile?
The wind howled in the night.
He is as brave as a lion.
Time is a thief.
Her smile was the sun.
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using the words 'like' or 'as.' The sentence 'He is as brave as a lion' uses 'as' to compare bravery with a lion. The other sentences are examples of metaphor or personification. Learn more at .
Identify the metaphor in the following options:
She swims like a fish.
The world is a stage.
The leaves danced in the wind.
He ran quickly.
A metaphor makes a direct comparison by stating one thing is another. 'The world is a stage' directly equates the world to a stage without using 'like' or 'as.' The other options include similes or personification. For more detail, see .
Which sentence best demonstrates personification?
The old clock sighed as it struck midnight.
The book weighed a ton.
Her voice was music to his ears.
He fought like a lion.
Personification attributes human qualities to non-human things. In 'The old clock sighed,' the clock is given the human action of sighing. The other options are metaphor, simile, or hyperbole. See more at .
Which sentence is an example of hyperbole?
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
The thunder grumbled in the sky.
She had eyes like an eagle.
His words were a soothing balm.
Hyperbole is deliberate and obvious exaggeration for effect. 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse' overstresses hunger. The other sentences demonstrate personification, simile, or metaphor. Learn more at .
Which word is an example of onomatopoeia?
Fast
Buzz
Bright
Silent
Onomatopoeia imitates the natural sound of a thing. 'Buzz' mimics the sound of a bee. The other words do not imitate sounds. For examples, visit .
Identify the metaphor in this sentence: 'He has a heart of stone.'
The sun smiled down on us.
She worked like a machine.
They laughed loudly.
He has a heart of stone.
A metaphor makes a direct comparison without 'like' or 'as.' 'He has a heart of stone' equates his heart to stone. The other sentences are similes, personification, or literal. Read more at .
Which of the following sentences contains a metaphor?
Her laughter was music to his ears.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
He roared in anger like a lion.
The rain danced on the roof.
In 'Her laughter was music to his ears,' laughter is directly compared to music, making it a metaphor. The others are simile, personification, or literal tongue twister. More at .
Which sentence is an example of an extended metaphor?
The classroom was a zoo, with students roaring for attention, desks scattered like logs, and the teacher trying to restore order.
The river spoke softly to the trees.
The battle was fierce.
Her smile was brighter than the sun.
An extended metaphor continues beyond a single phrase or sentence. The classroom described as a zoo carries the comparison through multiple images. The other examples are single metaphors or other figures of speech. See details at .
Which of the following is a mixed metaphor?
We'll burn that bridge when we come to it.
The thunder grumbled in the sky.
He fought like a lion.
She was a shining star.
A mixed metaphor combines incompatible images or ideas. 'We'll burn that bridge when we come to it' mixes 'burn bridges' and 'cross that bridge when we come to it.' The others are clear single devices. Learn more at .
In the metaphor 'Winter is a blanket,' what does this comparison suggest?
Winter covers the earth gently and insulates it.
Winter is cold like a blanket.
Winter is always welcome.
Blankets are used in winter.
The metaphor equates winter to a blanket, suggesting it envelops and insulates the earth. It implies warmth and coverage, not just coldness or welcome. Metaphors convey deeper qualities beyond literal traits. Read more at .
In the metaphor 'She has the heart of a lion,' the 'lion' is the ____?
Subject
Tenor
Object
Vehicle
In a metaphor, the vehicle is the image used to carry meaning. Here 'lion' is the vehicle conveying bravery. The tenor is the subject being described ('she'). More at .
Which sentence personifies an object?
The pie called my name.
She was as busy as a bee.
He ran faster than the wind.
Time is money.
Personification gives human traits to non-human things. 'The pie called my name' attributes speaking to a pie. The other options are simile, metaphor, or literal. See more at .
Which sentence is a pure metaphor, NOT a simile?
Life is like a highway.
Life is a highway.
He is as bold as brass.
She is quick like a fox.
A pure metaphor makes a direct comparison without 'like' or 'as.' 'Life is a highway' is a direct metaphor. The others use 'like' or 'as,' making them similes. Further reading at .
Which choice best describes the effect of using a metaphor in writing?
It makes language dull.
It creates vivid imagery by linking two ideas.
It provides literal descriptions.
It adds unnecessary complexity.
Metaphors create vivid imagery by connecting disparate concepts, enriching meaning. They go beyond literal description to evoke emotions. This enhances reader engagement. See conceptual overview at .
'Juliet is the sun' from Shakespeare's play is an example of what device?
Hyperbole
Simile
Personification
Metaphor
Shakespeare directly compares Juliet to the sun without using 'like' or 'as,' making it a metaphor. A simile would require 'like' or 'as.' This device enriches poetic imagery. More at .
Identify the literary device in 'Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful.'
Personification
Alliteration
Oxymoron
Metaphor
This line addresses death as if it were a person, giving it human traits - an example of personification. It's not a metaphor or oxymoron, and alliteration is unrelated. See more at .
He barked orders at his soldiers. Which type of metaphor is used?
Dead metaphor
Implied metaphor
Extended metaphor
Direct metaphor
An implied metaphor suggests a comparison without explicitly stating it. 'He barked orders' implies he is like a dog. A direct metaphor would say 'He is a dog.' More at .
In 'The committee demolished the proposal,' what device is at work?
Simile
Metaphor
Hyperbole
Personification
This is a metaphorical use of 'demolished' to describe defeating a proposal. It's not literal destruction, so it's a metaphor. It's not exaggeration, personification, or simile. Learn more at .
Which of the following is NOT a metaphor?
He was drowning in paperwork.
Ideas bloomed in her mind.
Time is money.
Her tears were a river.
'Ideas bloomed in her mind' personifies ideas as flowers blooming. The other options directly compare or equate things metaphorically. For more examples, see .
Emily Dickinson wrote 'Hope is the thing with feathers.' This illustrates which type of metaphor?
Mixed metaphor
Extended metaphor
Implied metaphor
Direct metaphor
Hope is directly equated to a thing with feathers, making it a direct (or explicit) metaphor. It's not extended beyond one phrase or implied indirectly. More at .
In 'Books are mirrors of the soul,' what is the tenor of this metaphor?
Reflection
Books
Mirror
Soul
In metaphor terminology, the tenor is the subject being described - in this case, books. The mirror is the vehicle that conveys meaning. Read more at .
The phrase 'time is a thief' is an example of a ____ metaphor.
Mixed metaphor
Dead metaphor
Extended metaphor
Live metaphor
A dead metaphor has lost its original imagery through overuse. 'Time is a thief' is so common it's considered dead. Live metaphors remain fresh. More at .
Choose the best revision to avoid the mixed metaphor: 'We need to iron out the kinks and then cross the finish line like a well-oiled machine.'
We need to iron out the kinks and then finish the project like a well-oiled machine.
Let's cross the finish line and oil the machine afterward.
We need to iron out the kinks and then cross the finish line smoothly.
We will burn the midnight oil to reach the finish line.
The revised sentence removes conflicting images by using a single metaphor - crossing the finish line smoothly. The original mixed ironing and machine imagery. Clear metaphor usage enhances clarity. See revision guidance at .
Which statement best describes the primary function of metaphor in literature?
It fosters emotional resonance by linking concepts.
It adds decorative language without deeper meaning.
It establishes literal accuracy.
It confuses readers with abstract ideas.
Metaphors link unfamiliar ideas to familiar ones, evoking emotion and insight. They deepen meaning and create resonance beyond literal description. This emotional and conceptual bridge is their core literary purpose. Read more at .
Which of the following sentences contains multiple metaphors?
He is as swift as an arrow.
Her eyes were jewels, sparkling diamonds in the night of her hair.
Time is a river.
She danced like a leaf on the wind.
This sentence uses two metaphors: eyes as jewels and diamonds in her hair compared to night, layering images. The others use single metaphors or similes. For layered metaphor examples, see .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Metaphors -

    Recognize and select metaphorical expressions in sentences, enhancing your ability to spot direct comparisons without "like" or "as."

  2. Differentiate Similes and Metaphors -

    Distinguish between similes and metaphors by understanding how each device creates imagery, sharpening your quiz-for-figurative-language skills.

  3. Recognize Personification -

    Detect instances of personification in text, attributing human traits to non-human subjects to deepen your comprehension of figurative language.

  4. Analyze Sentence-Level Devices -

    Answer "what figurative language is this sentence" questions by examining context clues, improving your accuracy in the figurative-language-test format.

  5. Apply Figurative Devices -

    Use metaphors, similes, and personification in your own writing by following examples and feedback from the free figurative language quiz.

  6. Explain Figurative Language Effects -

    Articulate how each figure of speech impacts tone and meaning, demonstrating your mastery of figurative language generation.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Metaphor Basics -

    Metaphors directly state that one thing is another to reveal deeper meaning without using "like" or "as," as in Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage." A handy mnemonic is "M for Metaphor, Missing the simile words," which reminds you that metaphors skip comparative terms. Practice spotting metaphors with exercises from Purdue OWL to reinforce this concept.

  2. Simile Spotting -

    Similes draw comparisons using the words "like" or "as," such as "busy as a bee," making them easier to identify in sentences. Remember the trick "S for Simile, See 'like'," to flag these figures of speech quickly. Cambridge Dictionary's examples can help you review common similes in literature and everyday language.

  3. Personification Power -

    Personification assigns human traits or actions to non-human subjects - think "the wind whispered through the trees" - to create vivid imagery and emotional resonance. A simple reminder is "Personify: People in objects," which links human qualities to inanimate nouns. Check out resources from the National Education Association (NEA) for more examples and classroom activities.

  4. Hyperbole Emphasis -

    Hyperbole uses deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, like "I've told you a million times," and is common in both poetry and casual conversation. To spot hyperbole, consider whether the statement is literally possible or meant to dramatize a point. Cambridge's usage guide offers clear hyperbole examples and tips for distinguishing them from factual claims.

  5. Quiz Practice Strategies -

    Sharpen your skills by taking free figurative language quizzes - process of elimination works wonders when identifying metaphors, similes, and personification. Set a timer to simulate test conditions and review instant feedback to strengthen recall and confidence. Websites like Quizlet and educational portals provide tailored practice sets for every skill level.

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