Literary term
Metaphor
A comparison that says one thing is another, without 'like' or 'as'.
What it means
A metaphor describes one thing as if it literally were another, transferring the qualities of the second onto the first. Unlike a simile, it does not use 'like' or 'as'. The comparison is stated directly, which makes it feel more immediate and complete.
Writers use metaphor to compress meaning and to make an abstract idea concrete. A reader feels it rather than simply understanding it.
Why it matters in the exam
In an IGCSE reading question on a writer's effects, naming a metaphor earns nothing on its own. The marks come from explaining what the metaphor makes the reader see or feel, and why the writer chose it. In your own writing, a fresh metaphor lifts description above the ordinary.
Example
"The classroom was a pressure cooker by the final week" turns exam tension into something the reader can almost feel building.
How to use it
When you meet a metaphor, ask what two things are being compared and what the comparison adds. Then write about the effect, not the label. What does calling the classroom a pressure cooker suggest about heat, confinement and the risk of bursting?
When you revise, collect two or three metaphors from your reading and write a sentence on the effect of each. This trains you to move quickly from spotting to explaining in the exam.
Unsure how "Metaphor" earns marks? A trial hour with an experienced teacher shows it in a real answer.