How to Use Sensory Words
in Writing
Writers use sensory words to help their readers see, hear, smell, touch and taste what
the paragraph is about.
Sensory words are words that remind us of our five senses:
-sight-sound-smell-touch-taste
What are examples of sensory words for sight?
-shiny-gigantic-scrawny-muscular-dreamy
What are examples of sensory words for sound?
-banging-ringing
-screeching-gushing
-boisterous
What are examples of sensory words for smell?
-fishy-flowery-musty-rotten-putrid
What are examples of sensory words for touch?
-fluffy-bumpy-smooth
-silky-gritty
What are examples of sensory words for taste?
-bitter-juicy-spicy
-crunchy-rubbery
In the morning while I eat my oatmeal. I can smell the scent of toast coming from our toaster.
Let’s look at this paragraph about breakfast:
Think about how it might sound if sensory words were
used in different places:
In the chilly morningwhile I eat my warm and pasty
oatmeal. I can smellthe sweet scent of cinnamon raisin
toast coming from our tiny, tin toaster.
Showing vs. Telling
Instead of just telling their readers something, writers use sensory
words to show them it!
Today, we’ll practice placing sensory words in a paragraph.
See how it changes the paragraph!
Using the Sensory Chart, create a six sentence paragraph including words from each of the columns.
Use two words per column.
Get your sensory words ready…!
