Conceptual metaphor examples from Lakoff and Johnson: argument is war, time is money, happy is up, and how to spot the thought pattern behind the phrases.
Conceptual Metaphor Examples: Argument Is War Read More »
How to write a metaphor in four steps: name the abstract idea, borrow a concrete thing, keep one image per sentence, and cut it if the line survives.
How to Write a Metaphor That Works in the Sentence Read More »
How to write a simile that sounds like your character: the basic pattern, the ‘would they know this?’ test, and worked examples in three settings.
How to Write a Simile That Fits Your Character and Setting Read More »
Mixed metaphor examples with before and after fixes, the reason they slip into writing, and the Hamlet line that 18th-century editors tried to correct.
Mixed Metaphor Examples, Why They Happen, and Fixes Read More »
Dead metaphor examples with each literal picture traced to a named reference, plus Orwell’s dead vs dying split and when reviving one works.
Dead Metaphor Examples, With the Literal Origin Named Read More »
Simile vs metaphor explained: the one-word difference, what Aristotle said about it, and a decision table for when each is the stronger choice.
Simile vs Metaphor: The Difference and When to Use Each Read More »
Raining cats and dogs in other languages: ropes, halberds, old women with sticks. Each equivalent sourced, plus where the references disagree.
Raining Cats and Dogs in Other Languages: Sourced List Read More »
Idioms that changed meaning, each with its old and new sense dated from named references, plus the fake ‘original versions’ to ignore.
Idioms That Changed Meaning: 8 Shifts, With Dates Read More »
Formal idioms for professional writing, sorted into safe, risky and never for business email, with plain swaps for the phrases readers misread.
Formal Idioms for Professional Writing: Safe, Risky, Never Read More »
Idioms that don’t translate trip up even fluent speakers. See what the research shows learners do with them, and how to write so everyone follows.
Idioms That Don’t Translate: What Happens When You Try Read More »
