Writing Techniques

What are "sensory details?"

• details that create an image by describing something using five senses

• details that tell the reader a summary of action

• details that persuade the reader to agree with the writer

• vocabulary words that show common sense

A writer describes the smell of a forest fire. Which of the following would be a good sensory detail to include?

• the number of forests that there are in town

• the fear that she has about the fire spreading

• the strong and smoky smell reminds her of toasting marshmallows

• the number of times she's been to the forest

Which is a good example of show not tell?

• The girl cried
• The girl went to her room, sat on her bed, and cried
• Tears flooded the girl's face
• The girl cried aggresively

Which is the vivid, more descriptive verb?

• sprinted

• went

• sat

• said

Which of the following are quotation marks?

• ?
• "
• '
• ,

______________ each time the speaker changes in a narrative writing.

• skip a line
• make a new paragraph
• use a comma
• put all the dialogue in one paragraph

It was too dark to see in the cave, but I tasted the tang of salt on my lips.  I must be near the ocean!  Excited, I moved toward the salty spray. 
What sense did the writer describe?

• smell
• sound
• taste
• sight

What sensory details help to paint a picture for the reader?

• The pie was good.
• The pie was nasty.
• I could smell the spicy apply pie as I walked in.
• I like the yummy pie.

When using Direct Dialogue put __________________ around a speaker's exact words.

• commas

• speaker tags

• quotation marks

• An indent

Which writing technique did the author use? I took a flying leap into the water, but I wasn't quick enough. The frog hopped just barely out of my reach!

• Action

• Dialogue

• Thought

• Sensory Details