7+ Creative Writing: How to Use Similes and Metaphors to Secure an Offer

For parents preparing their children for the 7+ entrance exams at elite London schools such as St Paul's, Westminster Under, King's College or Highgate, the competition is fierce.

​At this level, "correct" English is the bare minimum. To secure an offer, your child’s creative writing needs flair and sophistication. The most effective way to achieve this? Mastering figurative language.

​In this guide, we’ll break down why examiners like similes and metaphors, provide "plug-and-play" examples for your weekly practice, and share a strategy to move your child’s writing into the top 10% of the cohort.

Why Do 7+ Examiners Care About Metaphors?

​When a marker at a top-tier prep school reads a story, they aren't just checking for full stops and capital letters. They are looking for a child who can "show, not tell."

​Standard Writing: "The wind was cold and loud."

​7+ Mastery Writing: "The wind howled like a lonely wolf, its icy breath rattling the windows."

​The second sentence demonstrates a mature grasp of atmosphere. It tells the examiner that the child isn't just reciting a story, they are crafting something unique.

The 7+ Figurative Language Bank

Encourage your child to choose one of these for their next practice paper. Overloading a story with metaphors can make it "clunky," but using three high-quality examples is a paradigm for 7+ success.

1. Settings: Creating an Atmosphere

​Simile: The forest was as dark as the bottom of a well.

​Metaphor: The skyscrapers were silver giants touching the clouds.

​2. Characters: Describing People

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Simile: His mind was as sharp as a razor.

​Metaphor: Her smile was a ray of sunshine on a rainy day

​3. Weather: Setting the Mood

​

Simile: The thunder rumbled like a heavy, angry drum.

​Metaphor: The sun was a golden coin in the sky

​4. Movement: Adding Energy

​

Simile: She moves as silently as a drifting cloud

​Metaphor: She was a blur of neon as she crossed the finish line.

​5. Emotions: Showing, Not Telling

​Simile: His heart thumped against his ribs like a trapped bird.

​Metaphor: Fear was an icy hand gripping his shoulder.

The "Mastery Strategy": The Verb Swap

To take their writing to the next level, they need to swap out "is" or "was". "The sun was a golden coin" is good, but it’s static. To reach the elite 7+ standard, we recommend the "Verb Swap."

​Replace the boring verb ("was," "is," "had") with an Action Verb to make the metaphor come alive.

Basic: The wind was like a wolf

Better: The wind howled like a wolf

Best: The wind hunted through the trees like a wolf looking for prey

The Strategy: Next time your child writes a simile or metaphor, ask them: "Can you change 'was' to a word that describes what the object is doing?"

How to Implement This at Home

​The "Metaphor of the Day": During the school run or dinner, pick a category (like "The Weather") and ask your child to come up with one simile.

​The Rule of Three: In their practice papers, have them tick off three boxes at the top of the page: [ ] Setting Simile, [ ] Character Metaphor, [ ] Movement Simile.

​Use High-Quality Resources: Creative writing is a muscle that needs the right "weights" to grow.

Our 7+ Creative Writing exercise (available on our product page) is designed specifically for the London entrance exam circuit. It provides the space children need to bridge the gap between school-level English and the 7+ standard.