Question: My child is in Primary 3 now. Should he memorise idioms and similes for his writing?
Answer: Idioms and similes form a part of the required vocabulary that each student should possess but not the whole.
It is beneficial for students to know the common idioms and similes and make use of a sprinkling in their writing. However, a story with too many idioms and similes can sound rather “artificial” to the reader.
Many students mistakenly believe that the learning of vocabulary is merely about similes and idioms. A well-written story should include other parts of the language like adjectives, adverbs and specific verbs.
An artist creates a painting with different colours and strokes. To write like a true artist, students will need to use a medley of adjectives, adverbs, verbs and idioms to create a descriptive story.
