Page 201 - English Vocabualry In Use 3 (Upper Intermediate)

97 Similes

A As ... as

As … as similesareeasytounderstand.Ifyouseethephraseas dead as a doornail,youdon’tneed
toknowwhatadoornailis,simplythatthewholephrasemeans‘totallydead’.Butrememberfixed
similesareusuallyinformalandoftenhumorous.Thosemarked*arenegativeandcouldoffend.Use
alltheseexpressionswithcareandkeepthemgenerallyaspartofyourreceptivevocabulary.

Creatingapictureinyourmindcanoftenhelpyourememberthesimile:

asblindasabat* asthinasarake* asstrongasanox asquietasamouse

Somecanberememberedaspairsofopposites.
asheavyaslead/led/≠aslightasafeather asdrunkasalord*≠assoberasajudge
asblackasnight≠aswhiteassnow(particularlyusedinfairytales)
Somecanberememberedbysoundpatterns.

asgoodasgold(thisisusedaboutchildren’sbehaviour)
ascoolasacucumber asbusyasabee
Someotherusefulphrasesusingas...as:
ThebedwasashardasironandIcouldn’tsleep.
I’llgivethisplantsomewater.Thesoil’sdryasabone.
He’sasmadasahatter*.HecrossedtheAtlanticinabathtub.

Shetoldtheteacher,asboldasbrass,thathislessonswereboring.
You’llhavetospeakslowlyandclearly-he’sasdeafasapost*.
Don’tworry.Passingthisexamisaseasyaspie.
Sheknewtheanswerasquickasaflash.
ThePrincess’sskinwasaswhiteassnow.[beautifullywhite]
Whenhesawit,hisfacewentaswhiteasasheet.[palewith
fear/horror]
ThefishwasbadandIwasassickasadog.[vomiting] WhenItoldhim,hisface
Sheranoffwithmymoney-Ifeltassickasaparrot.[badfeeling wentasredasabeetroot.
of disappointment/frustration]

Language help

You can usually make a simile using as … as can be, e.g. I need a drink; I’m as thirsty as can be.

B Like

Myplanworkedlikeadreamandtheproblemwassoonsolved.[workedverysmoothlyandwell]
Becarefulthebossdoesn’tseeyou-shehaseyeslikeahawk.[seeseverything]
Nowonderhe’sfat.Heeatslikeahorseanddrinkslikeafish*.
Didyousleepwell?Yes,thanks,likealog.
Sorry,Iforgottoringhimagain.I’vegotamind/headlikeasieve![beveryforgetful]
Thebossislikeabearwithasoreheadtoday.[inaverybadtemper]
Shegoesaroundlikeabullinachinashop*.[behavinginaveryclumsy,insensitiveway]
Criticisingthegovernmentinhispresenceislikearedragtoabull.[certaintomakehim
very angry]

200 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate