Sensory Details in Literature

Questions and Answers

By using metaphors and allegories

By using specific, concrete details (correct)

By using vague descriptions

By using long, elaborate sentences

Things that can be touched, held, or sensed by the five senses (correct)

Hard, physical structures like buildings or sidewalks

Solid, proven facts in research writing

Emotional or abstract concepts like love or freedom

Because it's a format that is easily adaptable to different cultures

Because it's a universal way to learn new things

Because it's a way to escape reality

Because stories are embedded in our DNA (correct)

A black iPhone 5 with a hot pink protective case Signup and view all the answers

To engage the reader's senses and create a vivid mental image Signup and view all the answers

To engage the reader's senses and create a vivid experience Signup and view all the answers

A simile is a comparison using 'like' or 'as', while a metaphor is a direct comparison Signup and view all the answers

Creating a chart of sensory details Signup and view all the answers

It evokes a sense of peace and tranquility Signup and view all the answers

To help the reader experience specific, concrete details Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Specific, concrete details draw readers into a story.
Specific means exact, e.g., "the oldest weeping willow in City Park" instead of "a tree".
Imagine the story and see it in your mind's eye to come up with specific details.

Concrete details in narrative writing refer to things that engage the five senses (see, hear, taste, touch, and smell).
Examples of sensory language include descriptions of the sun rising over a snowy hillside, hearing church bells, and feeling cold, clean air.
To come up with sensory details, try listing as many entries as possible for each sense.

Metaphors and similes are powerful tools to help readers experience specific, concrete details.
Similes use "like" or "as" for comparisons, e.g., "her hair flowed in the wind, like streamers on a faraway kite".
Metaphors make direct comparisons, e.g., "the electricity of a smile" or "a silence that glitters".