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Idioms of Comparison – Similes

Byjackspencerprince

Mastering Idioms of Comparison: An Interactive Challenge

Various grammatical constructions are used in English to compare things. The as… as structure is specifically used to compare things with similar or identical qualities.

English is rich with idiomatic phrases using this construction—for example, as stubborn as a mule (to be very inflexible). These expressions are used by native speakers to make the language more vivid and descriptive.

As a non-native speaker, it is often safer to “steer clear of” (avoid) using idioms yourself until you are very comfortable with them; when used incorrectly, they can lead to confusion or even a complete misunderstanding. However, understanding these phrases is vital. When dealing with native speakers, being able to identify that the words you hear are not to be translated literally will significantly boost your comprehension.

The tasks below deal with 32 of the most common “Idioms of Comparison.” How many can you complete correctly?

How to play:

  • On Desktop: Simply drag the correct word into the gap.
  • On Mobile: Tap a word in the box, then tap the gap you want to fill.
  • Definitions: Click “Show Meanings” at the bottom of each section to see the definitions and check your understanding.


Exercise 1: Objects & Predictability

Drag the words or click a word then a gap.

hatter
pancake
feather
clockwork
bell
day
rug
face
As mad as a
As flat as a
As light as a
As regular as
As clear as a
As clear as
As snug as a bug in a
As plain as the nose on your
🎉 Well Done! Section Complete!
As mad as a hatter – completely crazy | As flat as a pancake – totally flat | As light as a feather – extremely light and insubstantial | As regular as clockwork – repeatedly and predictably | As clear as a bell – perfectly clear or audible | As clear as day – easy to see or understand | As snug as a bug in a rug – in an extremely comfortable position | As plain as the nose on your face – very obvious

Exercise 2: Animals & Differences

bat
cheese
pod
fox
nails
bee
mustard
mouse
As blind as a
As different as chalk from
As like as two peas in a
As cunning as a
As hard as
As busy as a
As keen as
As poor as a church
🎉 Excellent Work!
As blind as a bat – utterly blind | As different as chalk from cheese – fundamentally different | As like as two peas in a pod – indistinguishable | As cunning as a fox – smart and clever, tricky | As hard as nails – very tough; unfeeling | As busy as a bee – very busy, hard at work | As keen as mustard – highly enthusiastic | As poor as a church mouse – extremely poor

Exercise 3: Health & Personality

rock
post
fiddle
picture
brass
cucumber
chips
toast
As steady as a
As deaf as a
As fit as a
As pretty as a
As bold as
As cool as a
As cheap as
As warm as
🎉 Great Job!
As steady as a rock – steady, dependable | As deaf as a post – totally deaf | As fit as a fiddle – in good health | As pretty as a picture – very pretty | As bold as brass – overly confident | As cool as a cucumber – calm and relaxed | As cheap as chips – very inexpensive | As warm as toast – nice and warm

Exercise 4: Life & Emphasis

hills
daisy
life
grave
gold
berry
doornail
lord
As old as the
As fresh as a
As large as
As silent as the
As good as
As brown as a
As dead as a
As drunk as a
🎉 All Done! You’re an Idiom Master!
As old as the hills – very old | As fresh as a daisy – healthy and full of energy | As large as life – conspicuously present | As silent as the grave – totally quiet | As good as gold – extremely well behaved | As brown as a berry – very suntanned | As dead as a doornail – dead (used for emphasis) | As drunk as a lord – utterly drunk
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