Simile Examples for Intermediate Readers

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1. “Food?” Chris inquired, popping out of his seat like a toaster strudel.

2. Grandpa lounged on the raft in the middle of the pool like an old battleship.

3. If seen from above the factory, the workers would have looked like clock parts.

4. The truth was like a bad taste on his tongue.

5. The people who still lived in the town were stuck in place like wax statues.

6. Cassie talked to her son about girls as though she were giving him tax advice.

7. Alan’s jokes were like flat soda to the children, surprisingly unpleasant.

8. My mother’s kitchen was like a holy place: you couldn’t wear your shoes, you had to sit there at a certain time, and occasionally we’d pray.

9. The bottle rolled off the table like a teardrop.

10. The handshake felt like warm laundry.

11. She hung her head like a dying flower.

12. Arguing with her was like dueling with hand grenades.

13. The classroom was as quiet as a tongue-tied librarian in a hybrid car.

14. Janie’s boyfriend appreciated her as an ape might appreciate an algebra book.

15. The clouds were like ice-cream castles in the sky.

16. The shingles on the shack shook in the storm winds like scared children.

17. When he reached the top of the hill, he felt as strong as a steel gate.

18. When the tree branch broke, Millie fell from the limb like a robin’s egg.

19. She swam through the waters like she was falling through a warm dream.

20. They children ran like ripples through water.

21. Mikhail scattered his pocket change in front of the beggars like crumbs of bread.

22. Her hair was as soft as a spider web.

23. Each dollar bill was a like a magic wand to cast away problems.

24. The man held the blanket like a memory.

25. The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.

26. I’m about as awesome as a flying giraffe.

27. You are soft as the nesting dove.

28. Andre charged down the football field like it was the War of 1812.

29. The stars looked like stupid little fish.

30. Her laughter was like a warm blanket or a familiar song.

31. The river flows like a stream of glass

32. Blood seeped out of the wound like red teardrops.

33. Paul carried his science project to school like he was transporting explosive glass.

34. She looked at me like I was speaking in some strange alien tongue.

35. The town square was buzzing like a beehive.

36. Kelsey followed her dreams like most kids would follow a big sister.

37. Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.

38. The robins are as thick today as flakes of snow were yesterday,

39. Her eyes are like the eyes of statues.

40. The gray moss drapes us like sages.

41. The music burst like a bent-up flood.

42. The curtains stir as with an ancient pain.

43. But now her hands like moonlight brush the keys with velvet grace.

44. I flitted like a dizzy moth.

45. The flowers were as soft as thoughts of budding love.

46. The gray of the sea, and the gray of the sky, / A glimpse of the moon like a half-closed eye.

47. Yes, the doors are locked and the ashes are white as the frost.

48. A mist about your beauty clings like a thin cloud before a star.

49. She went like snow in the springtime on a sunny hill.

50. Then I knew those tiny voices, clear as drops of dew.

Simile Examples for Advanced Readers

Here are fifty examples of similes for advanced readers. Remember: a simile is a comparison between two different things using like or as to make the comparison.

1. I dream of silent verses where the rhyme glides noiseless as an oar.

2. Though they knew it not, their baby’s cries were lovely as jeweled butterflies.

3. He kissed her as though he were trying to win a sword fight.

4. The paparazzi circled like vultures above a tottering camel.

5. She was as distant as a remote tropical island, uncivilized, unspoiled.

6. Our hearts, though stout and brave, still, like muffled drums, are beating funeral marches to the grave.

7. He had hidden his wealth, heaped and hoarded and piled on high like sacks of wheat in a granary.

8. Pieces of silver and of gold / Into the tinkling strong-box fell / Like pebbles dropped into a well;

9. The cabin windows have grown blank as eyeballs of the dead.

10. What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

11. Each face was like the setting sun, / As, broad and red.

12. Barefooted, ragged, with neglected hair, she was a thin slip of a girl, like a new moon.

13. A fatal letter wings its way across the sea, like a bird of prey.

14. I will sing a slumberous refrain, and you shall murmur like a child appeased.

15. For she knows me! My heart, clear as a crystal beam / To her alone, ceases to be inscrutable.

16. Leaf-strewing gales utter low wails like violins,

17. He spit out his teeth like stones.

18. Talk of your cold: through the parka’s fold it stabbed like a driven nail.

19. Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh.

20. Like winged stars the fire-flies flash and glance, / Pale in the open moonshine.

21. The breath of her false mouth was like faint flowers, / Her touch was as electric poison.

22. Then, as a hunted deer that could not flee, I turned upon my thoughts and stood at bay, wounded and weak and panting;

23. There are thick woods where many a fountain, rivulet, and pond are as clear as elemental diamond.

24. Years heap their withered hours, like leaves, on our decay.

25. The ripples wimple on the rills, like sparkling little lasses.

26. She was like a modest flower blown in sunny June and warm as sun at noon’s high hour.

27. And the face of the waters that spread away / Was as gray as the face of the dead.

28. As in depths of many seas, my heart was drowned in memories.

29. Then like a cold wave on a shore, comes silence and she sings no more.

30. And shout thy loud battle-cry, cleaving the silence like a sword.

31. My soul is lost and tossed like a ship unruddered in a shoreless sea.

32. The clouds like crowds of snowy-hued and white-robed maidens pass

33. Dreams, like ghosts, must hide away; / ‘Tis the day.

34. The evening stretches before me like a road.

35. I would have hours that move like a glitter of dancers.

36. Toby manipulated the people in his life as though they were chess pieces.

37. And only to think that my soul could not react, but turned on itself like a tortured snake.

38. There are strange birds like blots against a sky.

39. She goes all so softly like a shadow on the hill, a faint wind at twilight.

40. The horse-chestnuts dropped their buds like tears.

41. They walk in awful splendor, regal yet, wearing their crimes like rich and kingly capes.

42. Death is like moonlight in a lofty wood that pours pale magic through the shadowy leaves.

43. I was sick of all the sorrow and distress that flourished in the City like foul weeds.

44. As I read it in the white, morning sunlight, the letters squirmed like snakes.

45. Oh, praise me not the silent folk; / To me they only seem / Like leafless, bird-abandoned oak.

46. The windflowers and the lilies were yellow striped as adder’s tongue.

47. I have seen old ships sail like swans asleep.

48. For the world’s events have rumbled on since those days like traffic.

49. And dance as dust before the sun, light of foot and unconfined.

50. The fishes skim like umber shades through the undulating weeds.

51. Gather up the undiscovered universe like jewels in a jasper cup.

Hyperbole Examples

Hyperbole is a figurative language technique where exaggeration is used to create a strong effect. With hyperbole, the notion of the speaker is greatly exaggerated to emphasize the point. The word “hyperbole” is actually composed of two root words: “hyper” which means “over,” and “bole” which means “to throw.” So, etymologically, “hyperbole” translates roughly to “over throw” or “to throw over.” True to it’s origins, hyperbole or language that is hyperbolic overstates a point or goes a bit too far. Here are fifty examples of hyperbole:

1. Charlie gazed hopelessly at the endless pile of bills stretching across the counter.

2. That woman has no self-control.

3. That was the easiest question in the world.

4. Nothing can bother him.

5. I can smell pizza from a mile away.

6. I went home and made the biggest sandwich of all time.

7. My dad is always working.

8. Patty drank from a bottomless glass of Kool-Aid.

9. Allie has a million pairs of shoes in her closet.

10. Old Mr. Johnson has been teaching here since the Stone Age.

11. Forget knocking it out of the park, Frank can knock a baseball off the continent.

12. The lesson was taking forever.

13. I’ve seen this movie at least 80,000 times.

14. Vanessa never has anything interesting to say.

15. These shoes are killing me.

16. Shauna does everything for him.

17. Christmas will never come.

18. He walked down the road to nowhere.

19. I’d rather French kiss a rattlesnake than miss a gym period.

20. My dad knows everything about cars.

21. Max is the fastest thing on two feet.

22. Basketball is the only thing that ever mattered to him.

23. Nothing can stop these guys.

24. My mom is going to kill me.

25. She can have any boy that she wants.

26. Nobody can beat level six.

27. You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Rita.

28. The sight of them kissing is so gross that it makes me want to puke.

29. We’ll be best friends forever.

30. Now there is no star that is not perfumed with my fragrance.

31. I will never say “never.” �32. Chris won’t drive her home because she lives on the other side of the universe.

33. The only thing that he ever wants to do is play that game.

34. Once I get you in my arms, I’m never going to let you go.

35. John always knows the right thing to say.

36. Phoebe would be content anywhere.

37. Nothing could ever go wrong with his plan.

38. Pam was skinny enough to jump through a keyhole.

39. Jasmine never forgets anything.

40. Everyone knows that.

41. Go to the park? That’s the best idea ever.

42. I’d move mountains for her.

43. Tanya never stops talking.

44. I can’t do anything right.

45. Janet worked her fingers to the bone.

46. Jack was thirsty enough to drink a river dry.

47. She is perfect in everyway.

48. Your dad is the smartest guy in the world.

49. We tried everything that we could.

50. I could listen to that song on repeat forever.

Metaphor Examples

A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things not using the word “like” or “as” to make the comparison. Metaphors can be powerful, but they can also be tricky to identify at times. This page contains 100 metaphor examples.I have separated the metaphors on this page into two lists. The first list contains metaphors that are easier to comprehend and identify. We will call these “easy metaphors,” though they may not be easy to understand. The second list contains fifty metaphors that are more difficult to comprehend. We will call these “hard metaphors.” Another way to consider this would be as a list of metaphors for kids and adults. Without further preamble, here is the list of easy metaphors:

Metaphor Examples for Intermediate Readers

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1. The detective listened to her tales with a wooden face.

2. She was fairly certain that life was a fashion show.

3. The typical teenage boy’s room is a disaster area.

4. What storms then shook the ocean of my sleep.

5. The children were roses grown in concrete gardens, beautiful and forlorn.

6. Kisses are the flowers of love in bloom.

7. His cotton candy words did not appeal to her taste.

8. Kathy arrived at the grocery store with an army of children.

9. Her eyes were fireflies.

10. He wanted to set sail on the ocean of love but he just wasted away in the desert.

11. I was lost in a sea of nameless faces.

12. John’s answer to the problem was just a Band-Aid, not a solution.

13. The cast on Michael’s broken leg was a plaster shackle.

14. Cameron always had a taste for the fruit of knowledge.

15. The promise between us was a delicate flower.

16. He’s a rolling stone, and it’s bred in the bone.

17. He pleaded for her forgiveness but Janet’s heart was cold iron.

18. She was just a trophy to Ricardo, another object to possess.

19. The path of resentment is easier to travel than the road to forgiveness.

20. Katie’s plan to get into college was a house of cards on a crooked table.

21. The wheels of justice turn slowly.

22. Hope shines–a pebble in the gloom.

23. She cut him down with her words.

24. The job interview was a rope ladder dropped from heaven.

25. Her hair was a flowing golden river streaming down her shoulders.

26. The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur.

27. Laughter is the music of the soul.

28. David is a worm for what he did to Shelia.

29. The teacher planted the seeds of wisdom.

30. Phyllis, ah, Phyllis, my life is a gray day

31. Each blade of grass was a tiny bayonet pointed firmly at our bare feet.

32. The daggers of heat pierced through his black t-shirt.

33. Let your eyes drink up that milkshake sky.

34. The drums of time have rolled and ceased.

35. Her hope was a fragile seed.

36. When Ninja Robot Squad came on TV, the boys were glued in their seats.

37. Words are the weapons with which we wound.

38. She let such beautiful pearls of wisdom slip from her mouth without even knowing.

39. Scars are the roadmap to the soul.

40. The quarterback was throwing nothing but rockets and bombs in the field.

41. We are all shadows on the wall of time.

42. My heart swelled with a sea of tears.

43. When the teacher leaves her litte realm, she breaks her wand of power apart.

44. The Moo Cow’s tail is a piece of rope all raveled out where it grows.

45. My dreams are flowers to which you are a bee.

46. The clouds sailed across the sky.

47. Each flame of the fire is a precious stone belonging to all who gaze upon it.

48. And therefore I went forth with hope and fear into the wintry forest of our life.

49. My words are chains of lead.

50. But into her face there came a flame; / I wonder could she have been thinking the same?

Metaphor Examples for Advanced Readers

Here are fifty more challenging examples of metaphors. The slashes indicate line breaks.

1. The light flows into the bowl of the midnight sky, violet, amber and rose.

2. Men court not death when there are sweets still left in life to taste.

3. In capitalism, money is the life blood of society but charity is the soul.

4. Whose world is but the trembling of a flare, / And heaven but as the highway for a shell,

5. Fame is the fragrance of heroic deeds, / Of flowers of chivalry and not of weeds!

6. So I sit spinning still, round this decaying form, the fine threads of rare and subtle thought.

7. And swish of rope and ring of chain /Are music to men who sail the main.

8. Still sits the school-house by the road, a ragged beggar sunning.

9. The child was our lone prayer to an empty sky.

10. Blind fools of fate and slaves of circumstance, / Life is a fiddler, and we all must dance.

11. Grind the gentle spirit of our meek reviews into a powdery foam of salt abuse.

12. Laugh a drink from the deep blue cup of sky.

13. Think now: history has many cunning passages and contrived corridors.

14. You are now in London, that great sea whose ebb and flow at once is deaf and loud,

15. His fine wit makes such a wound that the knife is lost in it.

16. Waves of spam emails inundated his inbox.

17. In my heart’s temple I suspend to thee these votive wreaths of withered memory.

18. He cast a net of words in garish colours wrought to catch the idle buzzers of the day.

19. This job is the cancer of my dreams and aspirations.

20. This song shall be thy rose, soft, fragrant, and with no thorn left to wound thy bosom.

21. There, one whose voice was venomed melody.

22. A sweetness seems to last amid the dregs of past sorrows.

23. So in this dimmer room which we call life,

24. Life is the night with its dream-visions teeming, / Death is the waking at day.

25. Then the lips relax their tensionand the pipe begins to slide, /Till in little clouds of ashes,it falls softly at his side.

26. The olden days: when thy smile to me was wine, golden wine thy word of praise.

27. Thy tones are silver melted into sound.

28. Under us the brown earth / Ancient and strong, / The best bed for wanderers;

29. Love is a guest that comes, unbidden, / But, having come, asserts his right;

30. My House of Life is weather-stained with years.

31. See the sun, far off, a shrivelled orange in a sky gone black;

32. Three pines strained darkly, runners in a race unseen by any.

33. But the rare herb, Forgetfulness, it hides away from me.

34. The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman

35. Life: a lighted window and a closed door.

36. Some days my thoughts are just cocoons hanging from dripping branches in the grey woods of my mind.

37. Men and women pass in the street glad of the shining sapphire weather.

38. The swan existing is a song with an accompaniment.

39. At night the lake is a wide silence, without imagination.

40. The cherry-trees are seas of bloom and soft perfume and sweet perfume.

41. The great gold apples of light hang from the street’s long bough, dripping their light on the faces that drift below, on the faces that drift and blow.

42. From its blue vase the rose of evening drops.

43. When in the mines of dark and silent thought / Sometimes I delve and find strange fancies there,

44. The twigs were set beneath a veil of willows.

45. He clutched and hacked at ropes, at rags of sail, / Thinking that comfort was a fairy tale,

46. O Moon, your light is failing and you are nothing now but a bow.

47. Life is a dream in the night, a fear among fears, / A naked runner lost in a storm of spears.

48. This world of life is a garden ravaged.

49. And therefore I went forth, with hope and fear / Into the wintry forest of our life;

50. My soul was a lampless sea and she was the tempest.

Onomatopoeia Examples

Onomatopoeia is when a word’s pronunciation imitates its sound. When you say an onomatopoeic word, the utterance itself is reminiscent of the sound to which the word refers. Poets use onomatopoeia to access the reader’s auditory sense and create rich soundscapes. It is one of many poetic devices dealing with the sounds of poetry. Many people confuse onomatopoeia with interjections; however, they are two different and distinct concepts. Interjections are one of the eight parts of speech. An interjection is a sudden outburst of emotion or excitement, such as “ouch” or “wow.”

While some onomatopoeic words may be used as interjections, most interjections do not imitate sounds. Contrarily, onomatopoeic words, such as “buzz” or “boom,” always mimic the noises to which they refer. Here are 101 examples of onomatopoeia:

1. The sheep went, “Baa.”

2. The best part about music class is that you can bang on the drum.

3. It is not unusual for a dog to bark when visitors arrive.

4. Silence your cellphone so that it does not beep during the movie.

5. Dad released a belch from the pit of his stomach.

6. The bridge collapsed creating a tremendous boom.

7. The large dog said, “Bow-wow!”

8. Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night?

9. My brother can burp the alphabet.

10. Both bees and buzzers buzz.

11. The cash register popped open with a heart warming ca-ching.

12. The bird’s chirp filled the empty night air.

13. Her heels clacked on the hardwood floor.

14. The clanging pots and pans awoke the baby.

15. If you want the red team to win, clap your hands right now!

16. The cadets swelled with pride when they heard the clash of the symbols at their graduation ceremony.

17. The dishes fell to the floor with a clatter.

18. Nothing annoys me more than rapidly clicking your pen.

19. The bride and groom were not surprised to hear the familiar sound of clinking glasses.

20. The horse’s hooves clip-clopped on the cobblestones.

21. Those clucking chickens are driving me crazy!

22. The dim-witted pigeon repulsed us with its nerve crawling coo.

23. If you’re going to cough, please cover your mouth.

24. The prisoner was terrified to hear the crack of the whip.

25. We roasted marshmallows over the crackling fire.

26. The two-year old crashed into the cabinet.

27. The cabinet opened with a distinct creak.

28. Dissatisfied with her work, Beth crinkled up the paper and threw it in the trash.

29. The swamp frogs croaked in unison.

30. The teacher heard the distinct crunch of ruffled potato chips.

31. Jacob could not sleep with the steady drip-drop of water coming from the sink.

32. The root beer fizzed over the top of the mug.

33. The flag flapped in wind.

34. Did you forget to flush the toilet?

35. Daryl gargled the mouthwash.

36. The wounded soldier groaned.

37. As Tom got closer, the dog began growling.

38. Juan had a hard time hearing the teacher over his grumbling stomach.

39. When Mom asked Tommy how his day went, Tommy just grunted.

40. Vince gulped down the Mountain Dew.

41. The patient sounded like he was hacking up a lung.

42. If you have the hiccups, you should try drink a glass of water.

43. The snake slithered and hissed.

44. If you see anyone coming, honk your horn.

45. The wolves howled at the moon.

46. The new pencil sharpener hummed efficiently.

47. They knew that the principal was coming because they heard the jingle of his keys.

48. Someone is knocking on the door.

49. That cat will keep meowing until you pet it.

50. John was disturbed by the strange moaning.

51. The cow aggressively mooed at the passing freight train.

52. Janet murmured the answer under her breath.

53. While lounging in the slop pile, the pigs oinked excitedly.

54. The hail pattered on the tin gutter.

55. When he saw the cheese, the mouse could not help but to peep excitedly.

56. The lunch lady plopped a scoop of something on Kristen’s tray.

57. Billy will cry if you pop his balloon.

58. After eating the knight, the dragon let out a puff of smoke.

59. Most cats purr if you pet them behind the ears.

60. The kind man shared his bread with the quacking ducks.

61. My favorite singers have raspy voices.

62. Tim would have stepped on the snake had he not heard the rattle of its tail.

63. The race-car driver revved his engine.

64. Our peaceful dinner ended when the phone began ringing.

65. I secretly ripped up the birthday checks that my grandmother sent me.

66. The lion’s mighty roar could be heard across the Savannah.

67. The earthquake rumbled the foundations of our house.

68. When the wind blew the leaves rustled.

69. He took off so quickly that his tires screeched.

70. When Reuben saw what he thought was a ghost, he shrieked like a woman.

71. I love the sound of bacon sizzling on a weekend.

72. You could hear the slap echo across the valley.

73. The thirsty dog slurped the dirty water from the puddle.

74. The young girl smacked her lips and spoke rudely.

75. Frank smashed the can on his head.

76. After making a rude remark, Jade snapped her fingers and rolled her neck.

77. Having never left the city, Juan eagerly sniffed the country air.

78. Tommy made me laugh so hard in the lunchroom that I snorted milk out of my nose.

79. The paintball splattered against the windshield.

80. Fat Pat did a cannonball in the pool and made a big splash.

81. Mr. Morton told the student to spit out his gum.

82. Angie sprayed her neighbor with the hose.

83. Mark tried sneaking in the house but the squeak of his shoes woke up Mom.

84. Jenna ran around the lunchroom squealing like a pig.

85. When he sat down, the young boy squished the unfortunate critter in his pocket.

86. The musician used a coin to strum the guitar.

87. Shaun loved the swish of the basketball net.

88. Mitchel gently tapped the ball into the hole.

89. Time just keeps on ticking.

90. Bobby threw his books down with a thud.

91. That thump made us jump.

92. If you see him, toot your horn.

93. The rain trickled down the gutter.

94. Birds tweeted long before Twitter did.

95. The lawyer chased after the wail of the sirens.

96. The bullet whizzed by his ear.

97. Bob’s big dogs woofed at the unfortunate mail main.

98. Beth’s little dog would not stop yapping.

99. Spaceman Spiff zapped the alien with his ray-gun.

100. Ronald zipped up his sleeping bag.

101. The race car zoomed past the finish line.

100 Beautiful and Ugly WordsBy Mark Nichol

One of the many fascinating features of our language is how often words with pleasant

associations are also quite pleasing on the tongue and even to the eye, and how many words, by

contrast, acoustically and visually corroborate their disagreeable nature — look no further than

the heading for this post.

Enrich the poetry of your prose by applying words that provide precise connotation while also

evoking emotional responses. (Note the proportion of beautiful words to ugly ones in the

compilation below; it’s easier to conjure the former than the latter, though I omitted words

associated with bodily functions, as well as onomatopoeic terms.)

Notice how often attractive words present themselves to define other beautiful ones, and note

also how many of them are interrelated, and what kind of sensations, impressions, and emotions

they have in common. Also, try enunciating beautiful words as if they were ugly, or vice versa.

Are their sounds suggestive of their quality, or does their meaning wholly determine their effect

on us?

Beautiful Words

Amorphous: indefinite, shapeless

Beguile: deceive

Caprice: impulse

Cascade: steep waterfall

Cashmere: fine, delicate wool

Chrysalis: protective covering

Cinnamon: an aromatic spice; its soft brown color

Coalesce: unite, or fuse

Crepuscular: dim, or twilit

Crystalline: clear, or sparkling

Desultory: half-hearted, meandering

Diaphanous: gauzy

Dulcet: sweet

Ebullient: enthusiastic

Effervescent: bubbly

Elision: omission

Enchanted: charmed

Encompass: surround

Enrapture: delighted

Ephemeral: fleeting

Epiphany: revelation

Epitome: embodiment of the ideal

Ethereal: celestial, unworldly, immaterial

Etiquette: proper conduct

Evanescent: fleeting

Evocative: suggestive

Exuberant: abundant, unrestrained, outsize

Felicity: happiness, pleasantness

Filament: thread, strand

Halcyon: care-free

Idyllic: contentedly pleasing

Incorporeal: without form

Incandescent: glowing, radiant, brilliant, zealous

Ineffable: indescribable, unspeakable

Inexorable: relentless

Insouciance: nonchalance

Iridescent: luster

Languid: slow, listless

Lassitude: fatigue

Lilt: cheerful or buoyant song or movement

Lithe: flexible, graceful

Lullaby: soothing song

Luminescence: dim chemical or organic light

Mellifluous: smooth, sweet

Mist: cloudy moisture, or similar literal or virtual obstacle

Murmur: soothing sound

Myriad: great number

Nebulous: indistinct

Opulent: ostentatious

Penumbra: shade, shroud, fringe

Plethora: abundance

Quiescent: peaceful

Quintessential: most purely representative or typical

Radiant: glowing

Redolent: aromatic, evocative

Resonant: echoing, evocative

Resplendent: shining

Rhapsodic: intensely emotional

Sapphire: rich, deep bluish purple

Scintilla: trace

Serendipitous: chance

Serene: peaceful

Somnolent: drowsy, sleep inducing

Sonorous: loud, impressive, imposing

Spherical: ball-like, globular

Sublime: exalted, transcendent

Succulent: juicy, tasty, rich

Suffuse: flushed, full

Susurration: whispering

Symphony: harmonious assemblage

Talisman: charm, magical device

Tessellated: checkered in pattern

Tranquility: peacefulness

Vestige: trace

Zenith: highest point

Ugly Words

Cacophony: confused noise

Cataclysm: flood, catastrophe, upheaval

Chafe: irritate, abrade

Coarse: common, crude, rough, harsh

Cynical: distrustful, self-interested

Decrepit: worn-out, run-down

Disgust: aversion, distaste

Grimace: expression of disgust or pain

Grotesque: distorted, bizarre

Harangue: rant

Hirsute: hairy

Hoarse: harsh, grating

Leech: parasite,

Maladroit: clumsy

Mediocre: ordinary, of low quality

Obstreperous: noisy, unruly

Rancid: offensive, smelly

Repugnant: distasteful

Repulsive: disgusting

Shriek: sharp, screeching sound

Shrill: high-pitched sound

Shun: avoid, ostracize

Slaughter: butcher, carnage

Unctuous: smug, ingratiating

Visceral: crude, anatomically graphic

Adjectives for Describing the People in Your Stories

Here’s a brief list of adjectives you can use to describe all of the

characters involved in your story. They are listed alphabetically

with a brief dictionary definition of the word. Overcome

writer’s block with this online course , and keep the words

flowing.

articulate: the ability to speak fluently and coherently; synonyms include eloquent, fluent, persuasive, and expressive.

bossy: enjoys giving out orders to others, domineering; synonyms include pushy, overbearing and controlling.

careful: avoiding danger, or doing things with thought and attention; synonyms include cautious, alert, wary, diligent, scrupulous, deliberate, and attentive.

defiant: showing resistance and disobedience; synonyms include resistant, obstinate, uncooperative, and noncompliant.

energetic: showing an excessive amount of activity or vitality; synonyms include spirited, animated, bouncy, bubbly, and active.

frustrated: expressing distress or annoyance especially because of a character’s inability to change or complete something; synonyms include defeated, disappointed, and crushed.

giving: being of a generous nature; synonyms include generous.

honest: free of deceit and untruthfulness, sincere; synonyms include truthful, sincere, frank, open, and straight.

imaginative: having or showing creativity or inventiveness; synonyms include creative, inspired, inventive, and resourceful.

joyful: feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness; synonyms include happy, cheerful, jolly, and joyous.

kind: having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature; synonyms include loving, affectionate, caring, and good-natured.

lazy: unwilling to work or use energy; synonyms include inactive, sluggish, idle, and lethargic.

messy: untidy or dirty; synonyms include dirty, grubby, and grimy.

nervous: a person who is easily agitated or alarmed, tends to be anxious or high strung; synonyms include anxious, edgy, and neurotic.

obnoxious: a person who is annoying to others around him; synonyms include unpleasant, nasty, repugnant, and insufferable.

prim: someone who acts stiffly formal and respectable, someone who shows disapproval of anything seen as improper; synonyms include proper, formal, stuffy, and prudish.

quiet: a person who makes little or no noise; synonyms include silent, hushed, and shy.

reliable: someone who can be trusted and consistently performs well; synonyms include dependable, genuine, and trustworthy.

stubborn: someone unwilling to change their attitude or position on something especially when shown good arguments or reasons against their position; synonyms include obstinate, strong-willed, and inflexible.

tricky: someone who is crafty, deceitful, or sly; synonyms include sharp, calculating, slick, and slippery.

unique: a person who is unlike any other or goes against the grain of society; synonyms include individual, special, and distinctive.

vain: a person who has a high opinion of their appearance, abilities, or worth; synonyms include conceited, narcissistic, egotistic, and self-obsessed.

wild: a person who is uncontrolled or unrestrained in their actions; synonyms include unrestrained, unruly, disorderly, and rowdy.

Adjectives Used to Describe Setting, Action, and People

When describing setting and action, there are a number of

different adjectives you can use. You can use simple adjectives,

compound adjectives, and proper adjectives. It’s important to

note that when using more than one descriptive adjective,

you’re going to need to write them in their proper order. You

can read an article that details the order adjectives should

be written in .

Using Simple Adjectives

The most basic of adjectives, these can be used to describe

feelings, time, sound, quantity, taste, appearance, size, age,

shape, and material. Examples of simple adjectives used to

describe feelings include amused, confused, and depressed.

Time can be expressed with simple adjectives using words like

ancient, early, long, old, or short. Adjectives like loud or low can

describe sound.

You can use adjectives like enormous, huge, or small to describe

quantity. Numbers can also be used to describe exact

quantities. Taste can be described using words like bitter,

sweet, and spicy. Appearance adjectives can include colors like

blue, brown, and green. Size can also be described using

appearance adjectives like small, large, short, or tall. The same

can be said for age and shape – old, young, round, and square.

Material can also be described in the same manner with words

like soft, rough, and silky. Join the novel writing workshop

for help with your story .

Compound Adjectives

Compound adjectives involve hyphenating two or more words to

allow those words to work together to create an adjective. You

can use these compound adjectives to describe many of the

same things simple adjectives can be used to describe. They can

make a great difference when writing. See the two examples

below. Take a class to learn how to write with flair .

First Example

The little girl was only three years in age. She chased after a red ball,

laughing in excitement. Grabbing the round rubber ball, she ran back

toward her mother.

Second Example

The three-year-old chased after the red rubber ball, laughing in

excitement. She caught it and ran back toward her mother.

As you can see, adding a compound adjective will allow you to

describe the little girl’s age without requiring a completely

separate sentence.

Proper Adjectives

These particular adjectives are derived from proper nouns. You

can use them to describe people and settings. For example, you

could describe a tricky American man or a quiet Christian girl.

You could also describe a Peruvian restaurant or Catholic

church. Proper adjectives like this are great to give a lot of

detail in just a few words.

Final Note

Like any word usage, adjectives should be used properly. Too

many, and you could lose your reader to your description. Too

few, and your reader won’t have a clear idea of what people

look like, where they are, or even what they’re doing. When

picking your adjectives, make sure they add to your writing, and

don’t throw too many into one sentence.

Graceful

Clumsy

Awkward

Nimble

Clever

Dull

Obtuse

Meek

Anemic

Frightened

Timid

Vigilant

Cautious

Capable

Adequate

Absent-minded

Adventurous

Daring

Indifferent

Apologetic

Hideous

Horrid

Dreadful

Ghastly

Revolting

Nasty

Cruel

Cheeky

Obnoxious

Disrespect

ful

Contrary

Ornery

Subtle

Optimistic

Courageou

s

Cowardly

Gullible

Arrogant

Haughty

Naïve

Curious

Stubborn

Brazen

Modest

Humble

Proud

Dishonest

Righteous

Greedy

Wise

Tricky

Loyal

Relaxed

Tranquil

Lazy

Rambunctious

Erratic

Fidgety

Lively

Still

Famished

Surprised

Startled

Sullen

Terrified

Furious

Annoyed

Sullen

Groggy

Alert

Tense

Cranky

Gloomy

Irritable

Lonely

Exhausted

Ecstatic

Cheerful

Delighted

Blithe

Content

Carefree

Demanding

Challenging

Effortless

Simple

Fantastic

Marvelous

Splendid

Brilliant

Superb

Striking

Stunning

Gorgeous

Picturesque

Lovely

Charming

Enchanting

Delicate

Pleasant

Monstrous

Immense

Enormous

Massive

Brawny

Bulky

Towering

Rotund

Cavernous

Puny

Minute

Diminutive

Microscopic

Petite

Slight

Bitter

Frosty

Sweltering

Scorching

Blistering

Muggy

Stifling

Oppressiv

Cozy

Eternal

Ceaseless

Perpetual

Endless

Temporary

Intimidatin

Menacing

Miserable

Dangerous

Delinquent

Vile

Quarrelsome

Hostile

Malicious

Savage

Stern

Somber

Mysterious

Shocking

Infamous

Ingenious

Thrifty

Generous

Prudent

Stingy

Spoiled

Anxious

Nervous

Impatient

Worried

Excited

Courteous

Compassionate

Benevolent

Polite

Amusing

Entertaining

Creative

Precise

Eccentric

Decrepit

Ancient

Rotten

Whimsical

Dense

Desolate

Disgusting

Dismal

Opulent

Idyllic

Lavish

Edgy

Trendy

Peculiar

Rancid

Fetid

Foul

Filthy

Repulsive

Lousy

Fluttering

Soaring

Sparkling

Gilded

Verdant

Glowing

Askew

Dowdy

Gaunt

Sloppy

Serious

Grave

Intense

Severe

Heavy

Solemn

Absurd

Ridiculous

Sluggish

Dawdling

Meandering

Scarce

Copious

Muffled

Lulling

Creaky

Shrill

Piercing

Slimy

Grimy

Gauzy

Mangy

Swollen

Parched

Crispy

Spiky

Slick

Fuzzy

Lumpy

Plush

Wrinkly

Slick

Glassy

Snug

Stiff

Paper 3. Question 2. Examiner Tips-   Narrative

Narrative compositions 

Decide on a tense and then stick to it; do not jump between present and past. The normal narrative tense is past and those who try to write in the present usually forget to do so after a while, so it is safer to start off in the past.

Know what your last sentence is going to be before you write your first. A narrative has to build up to a climax and lead towards a conclusion which is planned before it starts or it will end lamely or incomprehensibly, or the pace will be too slow or too fast.

Don’t try to do too much; you can’t cover many events and many years in one short composition. Select key moments and skip over the rest, changing the pace according to the intensity of the moment.

Do not try to include too many characters (three are enough) or to give them all speech.

For the top grade, complexity of narrative and structure is required e.g. framing the story; flashback or forward time jump; two parallel strands being brought together. However, do not attempt these devices unless you are sure you can manage them.

Use dialogue by all means (if you can punctuate and set it out correctly) but don’t overdo it. You shouldn’t turn your story into a play, nor should you dilute the effect of occasional and significant moments of speech by giving the characters trivial things to say throughout.

If you do use dialogue, find synonyms for ‘he said/she said’ or it becomes tedious and predictable.

Even narrative needs description. The characters and places need details to bring them alive and to allow the reader to be able to imagine them.

Choose first or third person and stick with your choice; and do not switch narrative viewpoint, as this is confusing for the reader

Do not use a first person narrator if you want to die at the end of your story! It is generally safer to use third person narration as it gives you more flexibility and a wider viewpoint.

Do not end your story with ‘And then I woke up in hospital’, or ‘It was all a dream’. Try to avoid clichés of any kind, including stereotyped characters and predictable outcomes.

Use similes, but avoid obvious ones such as ‘as red as a rose’. Make comparisons unusual, but still apt, by giving them a moment’s thought and making them more specific e.g. ‘as red as a matador’s cape’.

Straightforward stories do not get higher than C grade marks; details help create originality and engage reader interest, which is what is needed for a B grade, so use plenty of them.

Narrative needs tension, but you should not exaggerate; too much gore or too many unlikely events become ridiculous, and fear is more believable when it is mental rather than physical.

It is better to think of something that actually happened to you, or someone you know, or which you read in a book or saw in a film, than to try to make up something entirely from scratch, as it will sound more convincing if it based on real or fictional experience. You are then, however, free to adapt, embellish and exaggerate the original idea to make it relevant and memorable, rather than just retelling the plot synopsis or giving a factual account.

Keep a balance in the different parts of the narrative. An over-long introduction reduces the effect of the middle section where things build up to a climax, and you need to leave yourself time to create a memorable ending.

Stories need a conclusion, where things are either resolved or left unresolved as a cliff- hanger (though on the whole readers prefer to know how a story ended.). You must not give the impression that you stopped writing because you ran out of time, ink or ideas.

Paper 3. Question 2. Examiners   Tips.

Openings to compositions are important as they either engage the reader or they don’t, and this affects the examiner’s attitude from the beginning.

It is essential that you choose a question out of the six available which you understand and which suits your writing abilities, as students are rarely equally proficient in all three writing genres.

The three genres of question are marked differently for Content and Structure; They are marked according to the same mark scheme for Style and Accuracy. The style of expression of the three genres is very different, so you need to be aware of the characteristics of each.

Whichever type of essay you choose, it should be planned first. If after 5 mins you have only managed to collect a few ideas for your choice of title, switch to another one. The plan should contain between 6 to 10 points or ideas, which can be developed into paragraphs, if the essay is going to be of a suitable content and length. Aim for approx. 8 paragraphs and 400 words

Generally, maturity of content and expression is required for higher marks i.e. maturity for a 16 yr old.

This is the only part of the 0500 exam in which you can show off your range of personal vocabulary, so make good use of the opportunity.