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Why use Imagery?
Helping the reader to imagine the other senses in your story will make it feel realistic. We do not experience life as just visual images, so being able to imagine what the characters in your story experience using other senses brings the story alive. It is not necessary to describe all five senses for every event or action in your story. Use the senses that suit the scenario.
In the tables below, there are some scenarios. Some of the descriptions for the different types of imagery have been filled in for you. Fill in the rest.
Using imagery to add details to a scenario (Teacher's example)
Boom! The deafening sound of thunder clapped across the dark sky. I was stuck at a crowded bus shelter, trying to wait out the heavy rain. The downpour made everything outside the bus shelter a blur. I could barely see what was beyond the bus stop. The repetitive sound of the pitter patter of the rain, cars swooshing by on the wet road and the birds rattling filled the commuters’ ears. The earthy scent of the wet grass filled the air. Tiredly, Tom lay his hands on the bus stop’s armrest and the cool touch of the water droplets on it made him shiver in cold.
Imagery - student samples
Which of the 5 senses did each student use? Do the descriptions create a visual image as you read each paragraph?
Ayden
The rain pattered as they dropped from the dark and gloomy sky. The downpour was making everything outside the shelter a blur. I was stuck at a bus shelter during a thunderstorm, I reached my hand out and felt the wet and slippery rainwater hoping that it would stop. An earthy scent rose from the grass as I stared into space.
Kavya
I quickly dashed to a nearby bus shelter in the nick of time before it had started to rain. As I caught my breath, the first few droplets of rain had started to fall. The nearby people started to rush towards the bus shelter while making big splashes on the muddy ground. I could start to smell the earthy scent rising from the grass. Shoes were submerging in the watery soil. The kids in the bus shelter were putting their hands out to feel the cold droplets in the rain. Everyone’s hands were so they could feel some warmth. Despite the bus having to come 10 minutes before, it still had not arrived. “Pitter Patter” the pattern had continued for the past half an hour. People’s murmurings could be heard as they impatiently waited for the bus to arrive. Thunder could be heard every few minutes. People were all making shivering sounds due to that cold.
Ysabel
“I got to go, sorry Amelia!” My friend apologized. As she ended the call, i looked at my surroundings, however, there was a thunderstorm going on and the rain was making everything outside the bus shelter a blur, and there was also darkness due to the thick clouds overhead. There was an earthy scent rising from the nearby grass. The sound of crashing thunder roaring furiously was terrible. Quiet and tolerable the first moment to booming and crackling the next, making me cover my ears in fear. I touched the metal seat taking in the details of it. The metal seat at the bus shelter was cold due to the heavy winds sometimes making me slide to the left. Thankfully, my clothes were warm after staying in the sun a while ago, making me comfy and cozy. Almost.
Amber
I was about to leave my house when it started raining cats and dogs. I went to a bus shelter to wait for the rain to become lighter before going to meet my friends for lunch. The rain was making everything outside the bus shelter a blur, enveloped in darkness due to the thick clouds. Sounds of the heavy rain poured down onto the ground while I was stuck at the bus shelter. I could smell the earthy scent rising from the grass, my hands immediately became wet when I reached out to feel the rain, The rain water felt cold. I could hear the wind howling and I felt a strong gush of wind blowing in my direction.
Dini
Scene: parents are fighting again, and you are in your room, listening in .
I squinted through the ajar corner of the door, trying to make sense of the faint silhouettes that were visible from the dimly lit kitchen. I could see their hands waving madly through the air, faces contorted in rage.”Again?” I mumbled wearily, rubbing my eyes.my parents had always fought with one another,thinking I was asleep when it was their voices that were keeping me up.were their drunken heads so full of alcohol that they couldn't comprehend the fact that they were extremely loud and chaotic while fighting?”Wine makes your brain so thick you can't think,anyway. “I whispered to myself, squinting again to try to see what they were doing.
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