Reflecting on the Cleanliness of a House: A Simile

What literary device is used in the phrase "This house is as clean as a whistle"?

A) Metaphor

B) Connotation

C) Simile

Answer:

The correct answer option is C.) Simile.

A simile is a phrase that uses a comparison to describe. For example, “life” can be described as similar to “a box of chocolates.” So, you know you’ve spotted a simile when you see the words like or as in a comparison. In this case, the sentence uses the word "as" to describe how clean the house is and it is comparing the house to a whistle because of how clean it is. Therefore, the correct option is C.

The phrase "This house is as clean as a whistle" is an example of a simile. A simile is a comparison that uses like or as, and in this case, it compares the cleanliness of the house to the purity of a whistle. It is not a metaphor, which directly compares two unlike things, and it does not have any connotations attached to it.