Sensory Details

​Sensory Details

By Lindsey Planchon

Sensory Details

What are they?

Sensory details are a way to create imagery within a narrative. They use the five senses to help create clear images for readers. They are a type of figurative language.

The five senses are sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. The advanced terms are visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile

Multiple Choice

Sensory details are...

• visual elements without sensory appeal

• elements that only describe emotions
• abstract concepts unrelated to perception
• descriptive elements that appeal to the senses

"The heat was rising from the blacktop as the students walked outside. They brought their hands up to shield their eyes as they passed through the doorway."

SHowing

"It was hot outside. The sun was shining".

Telling

Showing Versus Telling

Visual (sight)

Visual sensory details are the most commonly used, especially with students.

For sight, you want to include details such as colors, shapes, appearances, size. If you are as specific, it helps!

Words like: green, enormous, square, shiny - the shiny, green car

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences does NOT contain visual sensory details?

• The sentence that describes a sound or feeling without visual elements.
• The sentence that vividly describes a sunset with colors and shapes.

Auditory (sound)

• For sound, you want to include details such as loud or quiet sounds, as well as speech and how you hear someone speak.

  Words like: softly, roar, whisper, quietly, sharp, shout - dogs barking loudly

Multiple Choice

Which of the following words would be helpful to create auditory sensory detail?

• whisper, clang, buzz, scream
• said, spoke, discussed, told

• For taste, you want to include details that describe flavor

  Words like: sour, sweet, burnt, spicy, warm, cold, juicy - a bag of salty chips

​Gustatory

• For smell, you want to include details that describe the quality of the smell 

  Words like: disgusting, musty, delicious, fresh, rotten - delicious bread baking in the oven

​Olfactory

Olfactory and Gustatory

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The baking cake filled the kitchen with the aroma of vanilla.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Tactile

​Touch

• For touch, you want to include details of how something feels

  Words like: soft, hard, solid, liquified, sharp, fuzzy, dry - I pet the soft, fuzzy bunny

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The warm summer air smelled of freshly cut grass.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The streets glistened like shiny ornaments after the rain.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The flashing blue lights from the police cruiser lit up our dark house.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

Ice crackled and pinged against the family room window like a baseball striking a bat.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The music shook and vibrated the walls like the tail of a rattlesnake.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The prickly feathers of the boat stuck to my neck.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The puppy's nose was dry like sandpaper.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The television buzzed as it shut off, and the furnace sighed one last time before the house fell silent.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The cinnamon-scented candle reminded me of the Big Red gum my father chewed.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The cows went out to graze in the dark green rolling pastures.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The slivered moon sat in the sky like an old fingernail clipping.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The beach air smelled of seaweed and salt.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The heavy guilt felt like an x-ray vest draped across our legs.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

 

Which sensory detail is used in the sentence?

The sand was hot and grainy like my morning grits.

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch

• Taste

Multiple Choice

During a creative writing class, Mason was asked to focus on sensory detail. What does sensory detail primarily focus on in writing?

• Dialogue structure

• Creating vivid imagery through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch

• Character backstory

• Plot Development

Multiple Choice

In the following passage, which sense is being used to describe the setting?

• “Elijah walked into the cozy café, where the aroma of fresh coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the faint sound of jazz music playing softly in the background.”

• Sight

• Smell

• Hearing

• Taste

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is sensory writing?

• Before leaving the grocery store, I headed to the meat department.

• I was slapped in the face by the stench of seafood rotting in the case.

• My cart was full, so I decided to pass on my dream dinner of crab cakes.

• I paid the lady and wheeled the cart out to my car.

Multiple Choice

During a class project, Luna described the classroom. Which of the following sentences best uses sensory details to create a vivid image?

• The room was very quiet.

• The room was filled with the soft hum of the air conditioner and the faint scent of lavender.

• The room was empty.

• The room was painted blue.

Multiple Choice

Charlotte and David are writing a story. How can sensory details enhance the reader's experience in their narrative?

• By providing factual information

• By creating a more immersive and engaging atmosphere

• By explaining the plot

• By developing the characters' backstories

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is sensory writing?

• Before leaving the grocery store, Aria headed to the meat department.

• Aria was slapped in the face by the stench of seafood rotting in the case.

• Aria's cart was full, so she decided to pass on her dream dinner of crab cakes.

• Aria paid the lady and wheeled the cart out to her car.

Multiple Choice

The wind whispered through the tall pines, carrying with it the earthy scent of the forest. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling the forest floor with patches of light and shadow. Mia paused, listening to the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. She felt a sense of peace enveloping her, deep within the heart of nature.

Question: What sensory details are used to describe the forest?

• "tall pines" "earthly scent," "patches of light and shadow"

• "distant call of a bird," "sense of peace," "deep within the heart of nature"

• "wind whispered," "sunlight filtered," "rustle of leaves"

• "Mia paused," "listening," "peace enveloping her"

Multiple Choice

The cityscape glowed with the lights of skyscrapers, creating a dazzling panorama against the night sky. Cars honked and people bustled along the sidewalks, their voices blending into a lively urban symphony. Sarah stood on her apartment balcony, taking in the vibrant energy of the city below.

Question: What visual details are used to describe the cityscape?

• "glowed with the lights of skyscrapers," "dazzling panorama"

• "cars honked," "people bustled along the sidewalks:

• "lively urban symphony," "vibrant energy"

• "Sarah stood on her apartment balcony," "vibrant energy"

Multiple Select

The cityscape glowed with the lights of skyscrapers, creating a dazzling panorama against the night sky. Cars honked and people bustled along the sidewalks, their voices blending into a lively urban symphony. Sarah stood on her apartment balcony, taking in the vibrant energy of the city below.

Question: Which phrase from the passage describes the sounds of the city? (pick 2)

• "Cars honked"

• "Sarah stood on her apartment balcony"

• "The cityscape glowed with lights"

• "People bustled along the sidewalks"

Multiple Choice

The old diary was a treasure trove of memories, its pages yellowed with age and delicate to the touch. Amy carefully turned each page, reading tales of love, loss, and adventure penned by someone long gone. She marveled at the intimate glimpses into another era captured within those weathered sheets.

Question: What physical details describe the old diary?

• "pages yellowed with age," "delicate to the touch"

• "a treasure trove of memories," "tales of love, loss, and adventure"

• "Amy carefully turned each page," "glimpse into another era"

• "someone long gone," "weathered sheets"

Multiple Choice

The waves crashed against the rocky cliffs, sending up plumes of spray that caught the sunlight. Seagulls wheeled overhead, their cries mingling with the sound of the surf. Tom sat on a weathered bench, watching the endless dance of the ocean, feeling small against the vastness of the sea.

Question: Which does not describe the visual and auditory details of the scene by the ocean?

• "waves crashed against the rocky cliffs," "plumes of spray," "Seagulls wheeled overhead"

• "caught the sunlight," "sound of the surf," Tom sat on a weathered bench"

• "watching the endless dance of the ocean," "feeling small against the vastness of the sea"

• "sent up plumes of spray," "their cries mingling"

Multiple Choice

The aroma of spices filled the air as Maria entered the bustling market, her eyes drawn to the colorful array of fruits and vegetables. Vendors called out their wares, each stall a riot of vibrant hues and textures. Maria eagerly sampled a slice of ripe mango, savoring its sweetness amidst the lively chaos.

Question: Which does not contain sensory details that describe Maria's experience at the market?

• "aroma of spices filled the air," "colorful array of fruits and vegetables"

• "vendors called out their wares," "riot of vibrant hues and textues"

• "Maria eagerly sampled a slice of ripe mango," "savoring its sweetness"

• "entered the bustling market." "eyes drawn to"

Multiple Choice

What am I describing using sensory details:

I pulled up to my house and instantly started to gag. The sharp, putrid smell was so thick in the air that it even assaulted my taste buds. I scanned my yard for the furry white and black body before making a run for it. I knew the smell would linger for hours, maybe even days.

• A garbage can

• A skunk

• My messy van

• My neighbor's garage

Multiple Choice

What sensory detail does the sentence describe?

The soft, warm sand by the dunes gave way to coarse sand packed hard by the incoming waves.

• Sight

• Smell

• Taste

• Touch

Multiple Choice

What sensory detail does the passage describe?

When he opened his eyes, Tay was sure he was still dreaming. When he had fallen asleep, he’d still been surrounded by tall buildings, a gray sky, and an endless line of cars on the highway. Now, after rubbing his eyes, all he could see was the brilliant, sparkling blue of the ocean. The tall buildings had been replaced by palm trees waving gently in the breeze, the traffic replaced by an endless stretch of golden sand.

• Sight

• Hearing

• Taste

• Smell

• Touch