Metaphor in everyday language
Understand and use the metaphors built into everyday English: argument is war, time is money, ideas are food, organisations are machines.
In this lesson you will
- Recognise conceptual metaphors in everyday language
- Extend and mix metaphors consciously (and avoid bad mixes)
- Use metaphor for vivid, precise expression
Learn
Much everyday English is metaphorical. ARGUMENT IS WAR: attack a position, defend a claim, shoot down an idea, win/lose an argument. TIME IS MONEY: spend/save/waste/invest time, running out of time.
IDEAS ARE FOOD: half-baked ideas, food for thought, digest information, swallow a claim, a meaty argument. ORGANISATIONS ARE MACHINES: well-oiled, running smoothly, a cog in the machine, gear up.
UP IS MORE/GOOD: prices soared, morale plummeted, a high point, feeling down. UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING: I see, a clear explanation, shed light on, a murky area.
Mixed metaphors combine incompatible images: We’ll cross that bridge when we get to the bottom of it ✗. Extend one image consistently, or drop it.
Examples
- She shot down every argument I made.
- That’s a half-baked plan.
- The team works like a well-oiled machine.
- Sales plummeted after the scandal.
Vocabulary
conceptual metaphor
a pattern of thinking of one thing as another
half-baked
not properly thought through
plummet
fall very fast
mixed metaphor
a combination of incompatible images
murky
unclear, possibly dishonest
Practice
“She attacked every weak point in my argument” reflects…
Speaking
Describe a debate, a busy week and a company using at least one conceptual metaphor family for each (war, money/time, machine).
Writing
Write a paragraph (130–160 words) about learning a language, sustaining one extended metaphor (e.g. a journey or building a house) without mixing images.
Lesson quiz
“Prices soared” reflects…
Review
Key points
- ARGUMENT IS WAR; TIME IS MONEY.
- IDEAS ARE FOOD; ORGANISATIONS ARE MACHINES.
- UP IS MORE; UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING.
- Avoid mixed metaphors.
What you learned
- ✓ I recognise everyday metaphors.
- ✓ I use metaphor precisely.
- ✓ I avoid mixed metaphors.