Understanding Metaphors: Tenor, Vehicle & Effect

This lesson is designed to help students understand the purpose and function of metaphors, so they can confidently identify and analyse them in a meaningful way in their exams, rather than simply spotting techniques.

The lesson includes:

• A clear explanation of what a metaphor is, including the key ideas of tenor and vehicle

• Retrieval and practice tasks to reinforce understanding

• A guided language analysis using a GCSE English Language Paper 1 past question (the T-Rex extract), where students identify the tenor and vehicle within the writer’s metaphors

• Sentence starters and scaffolding to support students in explaining meaning and effect