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Heywire: Sussing out the similes in a footy game

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Teenage boy smiles as he is presented with an award
Heywire: Sussing out the similes in a footy game

SUBJECTS:  English

YEARS:  7–8, 9–10


If you've ever tried to describe an experience to a friend and said, 'It was just like', you were using a simile.

Similes and their close pals metaphors are figures of speech that writers of all sorts of texts use. As you listen to this Heywire audio story, explore Taylor Smith's use of them in his recount of a Saturday morning football game.

Could you write or record a similar story about yourself and/or your community?

The ABC's Heywire competition calls for stories from 16-22 year olds in regional Australia. Enter to get your story featured on the ABC and score an all-expenses-paid trip to the Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra. More: https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/


Things to think about

  1. 1.Explain the difference between a similes and a metaphor. If you're not sure what that difference is, use the internet or a reference book to find out. Write an example of each.
  2. 2.Which simile is used to describe:
    • the impact of the coach yelling 'Alright boys'?
    • the sight of the boys crowding around their coach?
    • the shock of the cold weather on the boys' skin?
    • What does Taylor mean when he says 'you pour your heart into a game of footy'?
    • Which metaphor describes:
      • the game at the final siren?
      • the sudden relief afterwards?
  3. 3.Pick one simile and one metaphor from Taylor's story. Explain what each adds to the image he is describing. Why do you think writers use similes and metaphors in their work? Choose a different moment in Taylor's story, such as the pre-game moment of tranquillity. Write your own simile or metaphor to add to his description.
  4. 4.Poetry is another form of writing that frequently makes use of similes and metaphors to enrich imagery. Try writing your own poem about your favourite activity. Use metaphors and similes to create vivid images for your audience.



Date of broadcast: 31 May 2013


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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