Sensory details

How Can I strengthen my writing?

Using Sensory Details

When focusing on sensory details, you want the reader to imagine what the topic looks, smells, tastes, sounds, and feels like. Adjectives, words that describe or modify something or someone, are a great way to make your writing come to life.

Writers use sensory details to help readers experience something with all their senses.

I put on my socks.

I put on my socks.

I put on my warm, brand-new, fuzzy socks.

I put on my socks.

I put on my brother's stinky wet socks.

Touch

Sight

we use our hands/body

we use our eyes

sensory words

Smell

we use our nose

Hear

we use our ears

taste

we use our tongue

Note how the sensory adjectives add effective details in the following paragraph.

The sky was pitch black. One lone streetlight cast a dim light on the street. Every now and then, a crumpled leaf rustled down the sidewalk. It was the perfect Halloween night. The dark house towered high above me. I walked carefully walked up the old stone steps. The creaky porch groaned with every move I made. As I walked closer to the door, I noticed a rank smell in the air, as if something inside had been rotting for decades. I considered turning back, but just then I saw the delicious chocolatey cupcakes waiting for the trick-or-treaters on top of a wooden table.

Now it's your turn

Read the narrative paragraph about a cupcake and underline the sensory details.

As everyone finished singing, Jada looked at the cupcake sitting in front of her. A lit, glowing candle sat in the middle of the sprinkles scattered on the icing. After making her wish and blowing out the candle. Jada peeled back the crinkly wrapper. A bit of frosting stuck to her lip as she bit into the chocolate cake. It was sweet and delicious. She noticed her friends were all enjoying their cupcakes, as well. Breathing in the scent of vanilla, she took another bite. Jada enjoyed every bite of her birthday cupcake.

Rewrite

Rewrite each boring sentence by adding adjectives and sensory details.

Luke ate cookies from the bag.

Kate rode her bike through the grass.

Chris sat on the bench eating popcorn.

The racoons were pawing through the garbage.

sensory word bank

• sharp
• shiny
• silent
• wet
• smelly
• smooth
• soft
• soggy
• squeaky
• sticky
• strong
• sweet
• yellow

• green
• heavy
• hot
• juicy
• light
• loud
• noisy
• orange
• purple
• quiet
• red
• rough
• salty

• blue
• brown
• bumpy
• chewy
• cold
• crunchy
• dark
• delicious
• dirty
• disgusting
• dry
• dull
• fluffy

textbooks

1. Write Source - A book for writing, thinking, and learning.
2. Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in one big fat notebook.
3. 180 Days of Writing for Fourth Grade.
4. 180 Days of Writing for Fifth Grade.
5. 180 Days of Writing for Sixth Grade.
6. The Ultimate Writing Guide for Students.
7. Making Better Sentences - The power of structure and meaning.
8. Painless Writing.
9. Texas Test Prep - various books.

THANKS!