A simile compares one thing to another. Similes use 'like' or 'as' to make the comparison.

Similes allow you to make sometimes bizarre connections in the reader's mind. For example, in the poem here, the author compares her father's singing to a screeching bandsaw. Chances are, her father didn't actually sound like that but it makes the reader think that sometimes the singing was an awful noise like a bandsaw.

Clever similes can be very entertaining and sometimes funny. Try to avoid simile cliches such as 'fast like a cheetah'. Be creative and make comparisons that seem quirky or fun...you will definitely hook the reader with clever comparisons.

Take a look at some of these creative similes that some Year 5/6 students came up with. Which ones paint the best picture in your mind? Do any seem too out there to work?

Don't be satisfied with your first simile. Keep trying and creating new ones until you find your clearest or most absurd image.

This video clip shows how similies are used in songs, tv and movies. We use similes all the time because comparsions between things we know develop a strong picture in our mind.