Identify the sentence that contains a metaphor.

• A. It's time to go now.
• B. Time is a thief.
• C. The rain fell softly on the roof.
• D. He ran quickly.

Answer: (B)

Metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison by saying one thing is another, without using like or as. In “Time is a thief,” time is being identified as a thief, giving the sense that it steals moments and opportunities. That direct equivalence is the hallmark of a metaphor. The other sentences describe time or events in ordinary terms or with imagery that doesn’t involve a direct substitution of one thing for another. So the sentence with the metaphor is the one that says time is a thief.