Imagery

Using Sensory Detail

What is imagery?Imagery is language that describes

something that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled (the 5 senses).

Imagery is when the writer has used such good description in their writing that the reader can “imagine” the scene being described.

Imagery is descriptive writingWhen you are writing, you want to

make it descriptive and paint an original picture.

You want to describe something in an original and unique way.

Remember you want those reading your writing to be able to imagine what you are describing!

Remember:Be originalBe creativeStretch your imaginationFor example, instead of this:

• The hot, yellow sun went behind the mountain and covered the valley in red.

The sun cut itself on a sharp peak and bled into the valley.—John Steinbeck

Try this:

Sight

The sun’s beams shimmered and danced on the ocean’s gentle waves.

Smell

The fragrance of the roses drifted through the room like elusive ghosts.

SoundAlthough they

could not see outside the cabin, they could hear the eerie tapping, tapping, tapping, of his knife upon their door.

Taste

The cheesecake’s exquisite flavor traveled from his tongue to his spine.

TouchThe icy breeze

gently brushed against the hair on her neck, and goose-bumps shortly followed.

What did you notice about those examples?They contained other types of figurative

language.Imagery also contains descriptive diction

too.Remember to consider connotation when

choosing diction.

So keep in mind…Imagery is a type of figurative

language that can contain any or all of the 5 senses but also uses specific diction and other figurative language such as:

personification

similealliterationmetaphoronomatopoeia

repetition

etc.

Let’s take another look!

The sun’s beams shimmered and danced on the ocean’s gentle waves.

The fragrance of the roses drifted through the room like elusive ghosts.

personification

simile

Although they could not see outside the cabin, they could hear the eerie tapping, tapping, tapping, of his knife upon their door.

The cheesecake’s exquisite flavor traveled from his tongue to his spine.

repetition personification

The icy breeze gently brushed against the hair on her neck, and goose-bumps shortly followed.

Hopefully you also notice all the good diction:

ShimmeredFragranceElusiveEerieExquisiteIcy personification