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Composition Revision: Using Your 5 Senses in Your Writing
- Posted By blog-user
- 12/04/2021
Hey everyone! I’m Miss Krittika, a teacher at Lil’ but Mighty. Before we start, let’s see whether you can identify any of the 5 senses I have used to craft the descriptions in the paragraph above. They are:
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the sense of smell
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the sense of hearing
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the sense of sight
Let’s take a look at the same paragraph again. This time I have highlighted and labelled the sentences that show the use of these 3 senses:
I am sure you have managed to pick out the correct sentences and senses from the paragraph! As you can tell, today we’ll be revising how to use our 5 senses effectively in our writing. Let’s go!
First let’s recall what our 5 senses are:
Do you know that we use our 5 senses every day? You are using your sense of sight right this instant to read this blog post. If you can hear your fan or air conditioner whirring, or even your friends chattering away, then you are using your sense of hearing. Amazing right?
Why should we use our 5 senses during writing?
We use the 5 senses description to describe the setting or place in the story. By doing so, readers can visualise the place where the story is happening. As students, you are encouraged to use some if not all of your 5 senses in your composition to engage your readers.
When can we use our 5 senses during writing?
At Lil’ but Mighty, the 5-senses description is always used in the introduction where we provide a place description to show where the main character is. In addition, you are encouraged to use them each time the setting changes in the story! In the paragraph, we should mention the place and provide 2 to 3 sets of descriptions about the people, things, or activities there. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
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What can be seen?
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What can be heard?
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What can be smelt?
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What can be tasted?
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What can be touched or felt?
For instance, in the paragraph that you read at the start of this post, I described what I saw, heard and smelt at my favourite cafe in relation to the things, people and activities found there. If you can imagine the scene in your mind, then I have successfully used the 5 senses description in my paragraph!
As part of our revision, let’s take a look at some example phrases of how each of the different senses work.
The phrases above can be used to describe common settings such as the canteen, the shopping mall, the park and many more! Sometimes, it can be challenging for us to use all of our 5 senses as it may not be applicable to the setting. In such cases, using 2 to 3 senses is sufficient.
Bonus!
Take note that even though we have been describing the place, you should not forget about describing the weather especially if it is important to the story e.g. a rainy day which caused an accident to happen. Here are some descriptions to show how you should use the 5 senses to describe the weather.
Can you think of other phrases using your 5 senses? Share with us in the comments section below! Till we meet again! 😊
Tired of missing the mark? “The Write Recipe: A.I.M.” is going to change that. We are going to hit the bullseye with an easy-to-remember and effective structure to develop your characters.
Enrol now and enjoy the satisfaction of applying a simple strategy that will allow you to create more compelling characters in your next piece of writing!
Ms. Krittika
As a teacher, Miss Krittika is highly motivated in empowering children to become independent and resilient learners. She also believes that every child’s creativity can be unleashed in a safe and open environment. With her penchant for teaching and dedication, Miss Krittika aims to make her classes interactive and effective.
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