Free printable worksheet · About 15 minutes · Ages 9 to 11

Five senses setting planner

Describe a place through sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, then turn the notes into a vivid paragraph. Print it from this page or download the PDF.

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Academy11+

Free 11+ creative writing worksheet

Five senses setting planner

About 15 minutes

Name

Date

Imagine you are standing in your setting. What can you notice with each sense? Write notes in each box, decide on the mood, then write a paragraph describing the place.

Example: a fairground at closing time

See: a dark Ferris wheel, popcorn tubs rolling across the grass. Hear: one generator still humming.

Smell: burnt sugar and diesel. Touch: a sticky handrail, cold metal. Taste: the last of the candyfloss.

Mood: lonely. 'The Ferris wheel stood against the sky like a giant's forgotten bicycle wheel.'

My setting

Time of day and weather

I can see

Near and far

I can hear

Loud and quiet

I can smell

I can feel

Under my feet, in the air

I can taste

In the air or on my tongue

The mood is

One word, then why

My best simile or metaphor for this place

Describe the setting

Use at least four senses. Start with the thing the reader would notice first.

Tips for parents

Sound and smell are usually the senses children forget. Ask, 'What would you hear if you shut your eyes?'
Practise in real places: the kitchen while dinner cooks, the park in the rain, a car park at night. Five minutes of noticing is excellent preparation.
Encourage a mood that changes through the paragraph, for example from calm to uneasy. It's a simple way to build tension.

Written the story? Get feedback on it

Once the plan becomes a story, get it marked: your child writes to exam-style prompts, typed or handwritten, and you get feedback on what went well and what to improve. There's a free 7-day trial.

Get feedback on a story

Enter the writing competition

Put the practice to use: a free writing competition every month for Years 4, 5 and 6, with one prompt, feedback on every entry and winners featured on the site.

See the writing competition

More free creative writing worksheets

See all 10 creative writing worksheets · Download this sheet (PDF)

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Questions parents ask

Why use the five senses in 11+ creative writing?

Using more than sight makes a setting feel real and lets the reader imagine being there. Examiners often look for descriptive detail and a clear atmosphere, and sounds, smells and textures are the quickest way to show both.

Does my child need to use all five senses every time?

No. Taste in particular can feel forced. Three or four senses, chosen because they fit the mood, are better than five squeezed in.

Is the 11+ writing task a story or a description?

It depends on the school or area: some set a story, some a description, some a choice of tasks. This sheet helps with both, because almost every good story has a strong setting.