Sense Words Tutorial Services Mission del Paso Campus

Sense words are words that relate to one or more of the five senses: hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, and seeing. Many of them can be adjectives, but they can also act as verbs, adverbs, and other parts of speech, depending on how they are used in a sentence. Words are the tools of a writer. The more words he or she is able to command, the better the writing can be. Some of the most important tools for the writer are sense words that help to focus images and actions. For example, the following description of a lake shore is from a book by Marilynne Robinson titled Housekeeping. Notice how the writer uses a combination of sound, touch, smell and sight words to help the reader imagine the scene. Some of these stones were a mossy and vegetable green, and some were as white as bits of tooth, and some of them were hazel, and some of them looked like rock candy. Farther up the beach were tufts of grasses from the year before and leafless vines, and sodden leaves and broken ferns, and the black, dull, musky, dormant woods. The lake was full of quiet waves, and smelled cold, and smelled of fish.@ Sound Words: Sound words appeal mainly to the sense of hearing. Notice that many of the sound words in the following list are verb forms that end in ing. In such a form, words usually function as adjectives, adverbs, or parts of verbs. banging cracking hushing rapping snarling barking crashing jangling rasping snoring bawling croaking jingling rattling stuttering belching crunching laughing ringing tapping blaring crying moaning ripping tearing booming dripping mooing rumbling tinkling burping exploding mumbling rustling thudding buzzing fizzing murmuring scratching thumping chattering gagging muttering screaming ticking chiming gasping noisy screeching twittering chirping giggling peeping singing warbling clanging grating piercing slamming wheezing clapping growling pinging shouting whimpering clicking grunting plopping silent whining clinking gurgling popping splashing whispering cooing hissing quacking squawking whizzing coughing honking quiet snapping whooping Taste and Smell Words are words relating to taste and smell. Often, they can apply to both senses. For this reason, they are combined here. Read over the list, noting the words that you dont know. Acid doughy mellow pungent spicy acidic earthy mildewed putrid spoiled acrid fishy minty rancid stagnant alkaline floury moist rank stale aromatic flowery moldy raw sugary biting fresh musky rich sweaty bitter fruity musty rotten sweet bland gamey oily rubbery tangy burnt garlicky perfumed salty tasteless buttery hearty pickled scented tough cold hot piney sharp vile crisp lemony plastic sour vinegary crusty medicinal

Touch Words: Touch words suggest the sense of touch or texture. Read over the list of touch words, noting the ones you dont know. Abrasive feathery knobbed sandy spongy biting fine lacy scalding steamy boiling fluffy leathery scorching steely bubbly foamy light scratchy sticky bulky freezing lukewarm scummy stifled bumpy furry matted shaggy stinging burning fuzzy metallic sharp stony bushy glassy moist silky stubby clammy gluey mushy slick tangled coarse grainy numbing slimy tender cool greasy oily slippery tepid cottony gritty piercing sloppy thick crisp gushy plastic smooth tickling cushioned hairy pocked smothering tough damp hard pointed soapy velvety downy heavy prickly soft warm drenched hot pulpy sopping waxy dripping humid rocky soupy wet dry icy rough spiky wiry dusty keen rubbery splintered woolly Sight Words Relate mainly to seeing. Read over the list of sight words, noting the words with which you are unfamiliar. Angular dull hideous pale splintered ashen dusty huge pocked spongy attractive elegant immense pointed spotted beautiful feathery jutting powdered square boiling fiery keen prickly steamy bright fine knobbed pulpy stubbly brilliant flat lacy rocky stunning bubbling fluffy large rough swollen bulky flushed lean round tall bumpy foamy leathery ruffled tangled burning foggy light sandy thick bushy fragile lit scummy thin clean furry long shaggy tidy clear fuzzy lopsided sharp translucent cluttered gigantic lovely shimmering transparent coarse glassy matted shiny twinkling colorless glimmering messy short ugly curved gorgeous metallic silky wavy dark grainy muddy slick waxy dazzling graceful muscular slimy wet dim greasy mushy small wide dotted hairy narrow smooth wiry downy handsome neat sooty wrinkled drenched hard nondescript sparking woolly dripping hazy oily spiky Saved C: Sense Words