Using the five senses
Activity 1
Effective descriptive writing makes use of the five senses.
Can you solve the sense-related anagrams to make the nouns?
GSITH = __ __ __ __ __
GERAIHN = __ __ __ __ __ __ __
CTOHU = __ __ __ __ __
LESML = __ __ __ __ __
ETSTA = __ __ __ __ __
Activity 2
1.
Look around you and note all the things you can see: their size, their shape, their
colour.
2.
Close your eyes and listen to all the sounds outside the building and inside the room.
Make a note of these.
3.
Feel your skin, your hair, your clothing and any objects in your immediate vicinity
(such as the desk, chair etc.)
4.
Eat something slowly and taste it really well. (This is the one occasion you’re allowed
to eat some of your lunch!)
5.
Breathe in and smell. Smell things around you like your leather/plastic bag.
6.
Think of an adjective to describe something you saw, something you heard, something
you tasted, something you felt/touched, and something you smelled.
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Using the five senses
Activity 3
Put each word below into one or more columns according to which sense(s) you use to
perceive it. You can underline the strongest sense for you. One has been done for you as
an example.
There are no right or wrong answers as we all perceive things differently.
Compare your answers with those of a partner.
SIGHT
HEARING
an orange
TOUCH
SMELL
TASTE
an orange
an orange
an orange
an orange
grass
a cat
a river
the moon
rain
a baby
sand
a church/
mosque/temple
silk
coffee
leather
fire
a lemon
a rose
an orchestra
a computer
the English
language
your country
yourself
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Using the five senses
Activity 4
Read the extract below. Make columns with the five senses, as in activity 3, and put the
underlined words into the appropriate columns.
It was a frosty evening in early winter. Her fingers were cold as she
had been typing on the computer. As she peered through the
window, she saw the full moon shining. The clock was ticking on the
shelf and the fire was crackling. She looked at the black and white cat licking and
cleaning its fur by the fire. It was time for supper and as she opened a tin of
salmon, the cat jumped up, smelling the fish and rubbing its head against her legs.
She mixed the fish with some warm rice and sat down in the armchair by the fire
and began to eat. She was hungry and the food tasted good. She
watched the cat sniff at the empty fish tin. The cat padded up to
her and she stroked its head. The cat purred with pleasure.
Suddenly the telephone rang. She picked up the phone and
listened. A gruff voice said …
Now have a look at your list and see what words you have in each list. You should have
several words connected with each sense.
Painting a picture in words using the five senses is a way to make your speaking and writing
more interesting.
Activity 5
Now continue the story, painting your picture with words.
Compare your stories with a partner.
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