Using the Five Senses
Sensory writing paints pictures, plays sounds, and even shares smells with the reader.
Examples
- Sight: The sunset splashed orange and pink across the clouds.
- Sound: The kettle hissed and clicked in the quiet kitchen.
- Smell: A warm, buttery smell drifted from the bakery.
- Touch: The sand was cool and silky between my toes.
- Taste: The lemonade was sharp and fizzy on my tongue.
Try It
- Pick a place (park, market, library). Write one sentence for each sense.
- Underline vivid verbs and precise nouns.
- Combine into a short paragraph (5–7 sentences).
Step-by-step sensory writing
- Choose a place and draw a quick picture to help your ideas.
- List two details for each sense (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).
- Pick the strongest detail for each sense and turn them into full sentences.
- Put the sentences together, and add one sentence that shows how the character feels because of these details.
Model paragraph
The market smelled of sweet oranges and hot bread. Stalls flashed bright cloths and the shouts of sellers wove like music between the stalls. A cat brushed past my shins, its fur warm and rough. I bit the sticky toffee and my tongue fizzed with sugar — I felt wide awake and happy.
Practice ladder
- Beginner: Write 5 short sentences, one for each sense.
- Intermediate: Write a paragraph using three senses and a feeling sentence.
- Challenge: Use sensory detail to show a change in mood (e.g., calm → afraid).
Quick Checks
- ✓Did I use at least three senses?
- ✓Are my details specific and not generic?
Sensory word bank
Sight & colour words
- amber, glossy, flickering, shadowy
- speckled, polished, sparkling
Sound & movement words
- clattered, hummed, whispered, roared
- pattered, rustled, tinkled
Edit to add sensory detail (mini-lesson)
Before:
It was nice at the market.
After:
The market smelled of warm bread and sharp oranges; voices rose and fell like waves as sellers called their prices.
Tip: swap general words (nice) for small, precise sensory details.
Model answers — Try It
Place: Park
Sight: kite-dotting-blue sky; Sound: laughter and the squeak of swings; Smell: cut grass and sunscreen; Touch: cool metal on the slide; Taste: a sticky toffee apple.
Combined paragraph (example): The playground smelled of cut grass and sticky toffee. Kites dotted the blue sky and a chain of children ran laughing. The slide’s metal was cool on my palms after the sun. I bit my toffee and sugar stuck to my teeth — I felt wide-eyed and joyful.