By the terms: are the compared entities simple or composite? By number and sequence: is one subject linked to several models, several subjects to one model, or several corresponding pairs arranged in a particular order?
By the ground: is the similarity a simple attribute or a configuration formed from several details, and is it explicitly stated? By the particle: is a comparison marker present or omitted?
These classifications are complementary analytical perspectives. The next textbook section examines aghrāḍ al-tashbīh, the rhetorical purposes of making a comparison.