Instructions
The setting of a story is where and when it takes place. But a great author does more than just describe a place; they use the setting to create a mood, which is the feeling or atmosphere the reader gets from the story. A story set in a graveyard at midnight will have a very different mood from a story set at a sunny beach party!
In this worksheet, you will practice using descriptive language and sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to build a specific mood in your writing.
Activity 1: Mood Match
Read the three setting descriptions below. Match each description to the mood it creates from the word bank. Write the mood on the line provided.
Description A:
The library was a haven of silence. Soft light filtered through the tall, arched windows, illuminating the gentle drift of dust in the air. The only sounds were the quiet rustle of a turning page and the slow, steady ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner. The air smelled of old paper and leather polish.
This description creates a _________________________ mood.
Description B:
The starting gun echoed through the stadium, and a roar erupted from the crowd. Runners surged forward, their feet pounding a frantic rhythm on the track. Under the glare of the bright floodlights, every muscle strained, and the air was electric with the shouts of coaches and the cheers of the spectators.
This description creates a _________________________ mood.
Description C:
The floorboards groaned with every cautious step. A single bare bulb flickered overhead, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to lunge from every corner. A constant, rhythmic dripping sound echoed from somewhere deep within the basement, each drop landing with a sharp plink that made her heart jump.
This description creates a _________________________ mood.
Activity 2: The Five Senses of Mood
To create a strong mood, you need to appeal to the reader's senses. Imagine you are describing an old, abandoned funfair. Your goal is to create a creepy and unsettling mood. Brainstorm some sensory details you could include.
- Sight: (What creepy things would you see?)
Example: A rusty Ferris wheel swaying silently, a grinning clown face with chipped paint.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ - Sound: (What unsettling noises would you hear?)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ - Smell: (What strange or unpleasant smells might be there?)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ - Touch: (What would things feel like?)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Activity 3: Mood Makeover
Below is a very simple, neutral sentence. Your job is to rewrite it twice. First, rewrite it to create a magical and wondrous mood. Second, rewrite it to create a gloomy and depressing mood. Use strong verbs, vivid adjectives, and sensory details!
Neutral Sentence: A boat sat on the water.
Rewrite 1: Magical and Wondrous Mood
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Rewrite 2: Gloomy and Depressing Mood
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Answer Key
Activity 1: Mood Match
Description A: This description creates a Calm & Peaceful mood.
Description B: This description creates a Joyful & Energetic mood.
Description C: This description creates a Tense & Anxious mood.
Activity 2: The Five Senses of Mood
Answers will vary. Here are some examples of good answers.
- Sight: A broken carousel horse lying on its side; tangled strings of faded lights; overgrown weeds cracking through the pavement; shadows stretching from empty stalls.
- Sound: The groan of metal in the wind; the distant, tinny echo of forgotten calliope music; the skittering of unseen creatures in the dark; a gate creaking on its hinges.
- Smell: Damp earth and mildew; the faint, sickly-sweet scent of rotting popcorn; rust and decay.
- Touch: The splintered wood of a game stall; the cold, slick feel of rain on metal; a sticky film on a ticket booth window; the tickle of a spiderweb.
Activity 3: Mood Makeover
Answers will vary significantly. The goal is to use descriptive language to create the intended mood. Below are two possible examples.
Rewrite 1: Magical and Wondrous Mood
Example: A glistening silver boat, carved from pure moonlight, floated upon a sea of shimmering stars. Its glowing sail, spun from captured nebulae, billowed gently in a celestial breeze, ready to carry its passenger to worlds of pure imagination.
Rewrite 2: Gloomy and Depressing Mood
Example: A splintered, forgotten dinghy wallowed in the grey, greasy water of the harbour. A thick, cold fog clung to its rotting hull, muffling all sound and dripping dismally from a frayed rope that tethered it to the crumbling pier.