The water was great on my forehead.

1. When you support your ideas with details, your readers are able to visualize and understand what you are expressing.

2. What is missing from these sentences? The water was great on my forehead. Dogs are great pets. When you support your ideas with details, your readers are able to visualize and understand what you are expressing.

3. ORIGINAL The water was great on my forehead. REVISED The refreshing water felt cool and soothing on my aching forehead. ORIGINAL Dogs are great pets. REVISED Dogs make the best pets because they bark to warn of danger, they love to play, and they are waiting to greet you when you return home. When you support your ideas with details, your readers are able to visualize and understand what you are expressing. Notice how adding details makes these sentences clearer and provides support for the writer’s ideas.

4. When you add details, you provide important information about the main idea or give readers a clearer picture of the characters in your story.

5. You can add details in a variety of ways. Click on the way you want to explore. Menu • Sensory Details • Similes and Metaphors • Examples • Facts and Statistics • Reasons

6. Sensory details are words and phrases that appeal to the five senses. You use them to help readers experience something in the same way you experienced it. Sensory Details Sight blue round shimmering water Sound scream whisper rustle of leaves Touch silky rough as soft as a kitten Taste bitter spicy as sweet as hot chocolate Smell burnt perfumed like pine needles

7. Sensory Details Sensory details are words and phrases that appeal to the five senses. You use them to help readers experience something in the same way you experienced it. Sight blue round shimmering water Sound scream whisper rustle of leaves Touch silky rough as soft as a kitten Taste bitter spicy as sweet as hot chocolate Smell burnt perfumed like pine needles

8. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumes glistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

9. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumesglistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

10. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumes glistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

11. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumes glistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

12. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumes glistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

13. Sensory Details Identify the sensory details in this paragraph. sight sound touch taste smell The stage was a rainbow of colors. Scenery of green, orange, blue, and lavender made the dull brown walls disappear. The shimmering costumes glistened under the bright lights. The audience could not tell if the sweet aroma drifting from the stage was real or imaginary. The scent was so powerful that our mouths began to water and I tasted strawberries. Suddenly, as if to take our minds off the fragrance in the air, violins played the opening measures of a song. I felt my heart begin to beat faster. The actors swayed and sang to the music. The play had begun.

14. Similes and Metaphors A simile is a comparison of unlike things and uses the words like or as.

15. Similes and Metaphors A simile is a comparison of unlike things and uses the words like or as. The stage was as colorful as a rainbow.

16. Similes and Metaphors A simile is a comparison of unlike things and uses the words like or as. The stage was as colorful as a rainbow. A metaphor directly compares two unlike things and does not use like or as.

17. Similes and Metaphors A simile is a comparison of unlike things and uses the words like or as. The stage was as colorful as a rainbow. A metaphor directly compares two unlike things and does not use like or as. The stage spotlight was a bright sun.

18. Similes and Metaphors What are the simile and metaphor in this paragraph? simile metaphor Lake Pleasant is loveliest just before the sun sets. The waves move gently onto the shore, and a warm breeze brings the scent of flowers. The water is a mirror filled with the reflections of clouds. When the darkness falls, the water rests as still as glass.

19. Similes and Metaphors What are the simile and metaphor in this paragraph? simile metaphor Lake Pleasant is loveliest just before the sun sets. The waves move gently onto the shore, and a warm breeze brings the scent of flowers. The water is a mirror filled with the reflections of clouds. When the darkness falls, the water rests as still as glass.

20. Similes and Metaphors What are the simile and metaphor in this paragraph? simile metaphor Lake Pleasant is loveliest just before the sun sets. The waves move gently onto the shore, and a warm breeze brings the scent of flowers. The water is a mirror filled with the reflections of clouds. When the darkness falls, the water rests as still as glass.

21. Similes and Metaphors What are the simile and metaphor in this paragraph? simile metaphor Lake Pleasant is loveliest just before the sun sets. The waves move gently onto the shore, and a warm breeze brings the scent of flowers. The water is a mirror filled with the reflections of clouds. When the darkness falls, the water rests as still as glass.

22. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like.

23. What are the examples in this paragraph? A sports center could solve our soccer league’s problems, such as a too-small field, being forced to practice in an empty parking lot, and the lack of a permanent playing field with goal posts. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like.

24. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like. Notice how examples identify the specific problems faced by the soccer league. A sports center could solve our soccer league’s problems, such as a too-small field, being forced to practice in an empty parking lot, and the lack of a permanent playing field with goal posts.

25. Which terms in this sentence should be made clearer with examples? Some books include several different writing forms. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like.

26. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like. Which terms in this sentence should be made clearer with examples? Some books include several different writing forms.

27. ORIGINAL Some books include several different writing forms. REVISED Some books, such as my reading and social studies textbooks, include several different writing forms, like short stories, essays, and biographies. Examples An example is used to show what the whole is like.

28. Facts and Statistics A fact is a statement that can be proved. A statistic is a fact expressed in numbers. Statistics explain the significance of facts.

29. Fact: The first CD was made near Hanover, Germany, on August 17, 1982. Statistic: Since 1982, more than 200 billion CDs have been sold. Facts and Statistics A fact is a statement that can be proved. A statistic is a fact expressed in numbers. Statistics explain the significance of facts.

30. How could statistics help you better understand how big the largest dinosaurs were? Plant-eaters from the late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods were huge. Facts and Statistics A statistic can often be used to add details to a fact.

31. This statistic clarifies the length and weight of the biggest dinosaurs. Plant-eaters from the late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods could be 115–130 feet long and weigh between 80–100 metric tons. Facts and Statistics A statistic can often be used to add details to a fact.

32. What vague words could be replaced with facts and statistics to make this argument stronger? A lot of people in our community think fast-food restaurants should not be built near schools. Students choose to eat fast food more often than healthy food. These choices lead to poor eating habits and weight gain. The number of young people who are overweight is alarming. Facts and Statistics A statistic can often be used to add details to a fact.

33. Facts and Statistics A statistic can often be used to add details to a fact. What vague words could be replaced with facts and statistics to make this argument stronger? A lot of people in our community think fast-food restaurants should not be built near schools. Students choose to eat fast food more often than healthy food. These choices lead to poor eating habits and weight gain. The number of young people who are overweight is alarming.

34. Notice how adding statistics strengthens the argument in this paragraph. REVISED In our community, almost 90 percent of the people that I asked think fast-food restaurants should not be built near schools. Students choose to eat fast food more often than healthy food. These choices lead to poor eating habits and weight gain. The number of young people who are overweight is alarming. According to a study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is a 5.2 percent increase in obesity in students whose schools are near fast-food restaurants than in students whose schools are not near fast-food restaurants. Facts and Statistics A statistic can often be used to add details to a fact.

35. Reasons Reasons are the “why” behind your statements. They support your main idea and help readers believe what you are writing. When you revise, be sure every reason is supported with enough detail.

36. What is the reason provided in this paragraph? What details support the reason? Students in public schools should be required to wear uniforms. Parents and teachers prefer uniforms to everyday clothes. Students won’t get in trouble for wearing certain clothing, and uniforms cost less. Also, teachers say uniforms will be less distracting, and so students will learn more. Reasons Reasons are the “why” behind your statements. They support your main idea and help readers believe what you are writing. When you revise, be sure every reason is supported with enough detail.

37. Reasons Reasons are the “why” behind your statements. They support your main idea and help readers believe what you are writing. When you revise, be sure every reason is supported with enough detail. What is the reason provided in this paragraph? What details support the reason? Students in public schools should be required to wear uniforms. Parents and teachers prefer uniforms to everyday clothes. Students won’t get in trouble for wearing certain clothing, and uniforms cost less. Also, teachers say uniforms will be less distracting, and so students will learn more.