Metaphors and Similes — English Bac STM

Dans le programme du Bac STM

English carries a coefficient of 2 in the Bac Sciences et Technologies Mécaniques (STM) stream. The core subjects are Mathematics and Engineering Sciences (coefficient 7 each), then Physics-Chemistry (coefficient 5). English and Philosophy (coefficient 2) form the margin where candidate rankings and honours are settled. Mastering the structure of a piece of writing matters more here than memorising it.

À l'épreuve

Three parts: Reading Comprehension, Language, and Writing (about 180 words). Reading technical drawings and function diagrams builds the same skill an essay needs: breaking an argument into parts and rebuilding it as a coherent plan.

Objectifs d'apprentissage

Build this into a clear paragraph plan for the Bac STM English essay (coefficient 2)
Define a simile: an explicit comparison using like or as … as
Define a metaphor: a direct identification of one thing with another, with no like or as
Spot metaphors and similes in a reading text and explain their effect
Use a simple metaphor or simile appropriately in your own writing

Notions clés

The simile: an explicit comparison

A simile compares two things openly with like or as … as: “She is as brave as a lion.”, “He ran like the wind.” The comparison word (like / as) is always present.

The metaphor: a direct identification

A metaphor states that one thing IS another, with no comparison word: “Time is money.”, “The classroom was a zoo.” It is stronger and more compact than a simile.

Spotting and using figures of speech

In a reading text, identify the two things being linked and explain what the image suggests (“describing the city as a jungle suggests danger and lawlessness”). In your own writing, one clear image is more effective than several strained ones.

Erreurs fréquentes

Calling every comparison a metaphor: if like or as is present, it is a simile, not a metaphor.

Explaining a metaphor by just restating it: say what it suggests (“a heart of stone” = an unfeeling, hard character), not simply “it means his heart is stone”.

Overloading a paragraph with images: in an argumentative essay, one well-chosen figure of speech is enough; too many weaken the point.

Exemple corrigé

Énoncé

Say whether each sentence is a metaphor or a simile, and explain the second one's effect: (1) “The news hit him like a hammer.” (2) “Her words were daggers.”

Correction

Sentence (1). It uses like, so it is a simile: the news is compared to a hammer.

Sentence (2). It states that the words WERE daggers, with no comparison word, so it is a metaphor.

Effect of (2). Identifying the words directly with daggers suggests they were sharp, deliberate and deeply hurtful — more forceful than saying “her words were like daggers”.

Le cours, puis l'entraînement.

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3 exercices pour t'entraîner

Exercice 1

Easy

Metaphor or simile? “He is as stubborn as a mule.”

Voir la correction

Simile — it uses “as … as” to make the comparison explicit.

Exercice 2

Medium

Turn this simile into a metaphor: “My brother's room is like a battlefield.”

Voir la correction

“My brother's room is a battlefield.” — removing “like” turns the explicit comparison into a direct metaphor.

Exercice 3

Hard

Explain in one sentence what the metaphor “the ship ploughed the sea” suggests about the ship's movement.

Voir la correction

Comparing the ship's motion to a plough cutting through soil suggests slow, forceful, effortful progress that leaves a visible track behind it, rather than light or rapid movement.

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Questions fréquentes

What is the quickest way to tell a metaphor from a simile?

Look for like or as … as. If it is there, it is a simile. If one thing is simply said to BE another, it is a metaphor.

Are metaphors and similes only tested in literature texts?

Mostly, but they also appear in journalistic and persuasive texts, and being able to name and explain them helps in reading-comprehension questions about the writer's style or tone.

Should I use figures of speech in a Bac essay?

A single, clear image can make a point memorable, but an argumentative essay is judged on reasoning and accuracy first — do not force imagery where a plain sentence works better.

English is far from my mechanical specialism — how do I approach it?

Treat it as a system with inputs and outputs: the input is a prompt, the processing is analysis then discussion, the output is a conclusion that settles the question. Learn that flow, apply it to the 31 chapters with two examples each, and one weekly session is enough to raise the mark.

How does this skill affect the Bac STM Writing mark?

Organisation and connective range are explicit scoring criteria. A paragraph that states an idea, links it clearly to a cause or a consequence, and closes it earns marks that a list of unconnected sentences does not.