| I see what you mean. I hear you loud and clear. | | | | use give other clues about the way we think. |
| Let me get a handle on that. | | | | I was moved; he's so sharp he'll cut himself; hold |
| Maybe you've used one or more of those | | | | on a minute. These are examples of feeling, or |
| phrases. They're great for colourful, interesting | | | | kinaesthetic language. |
| communication, and they also give clues to how | | | | I'm under a cloud; you're a sight for sore eyes; I |
| the world seems to you. | | | | can see my way forward. All these phrases use |
| It's all to do with using different parts of your | | | | visual imagery. |
| brain. When you know how people think, you can | | | | It was music to my ears; I hear you loud and |
| really capture their imagination with your writing. | | | | clear; to tell the truth. These are samples of |
| With a little practice you can find out the ways | | | | auditory language. |
| people think, by watching their eyes and listening | | | | If you know you have a preference for one way |
| to the words and phrases they use. | | | | of perceiving the world, it's a good idea to |
| The Five Senses | | | | practice using words and phrases that use the |
| We all know about our five senses: seeing, | | | | other channels, to give yourself a wider range. |
| hearing, touching, smelling and tasting. We use | | | | Then you have more choice when you're writing. |
| them all the time and we often find we're drawn | | | | Use the knowledge |
| more to one sense more than the others. | | | | You might like to think about which senses you |
| Many of us are visual types, for example, and are | | | | want your reader to use when they read your |
| struck most by the things we see. Some are | | | | work. |
| auditory and more aware of sounds, while others | | | | Do you want to concentrate on one sense, |
| like to feel and touch things. | | | | maybe drawing a visual picture with the language |
| Amazingly, you can tell which sense a person's | | | | of colour, shape, and sight? Or maybe you want |
| using at any one time, just by looking at their | | | | the reader to recall sounds, so you use a ringing |
| eyes. | | | | bell metaphor or write about tune, harmony or |
| Watch the eyes | | | | listening. |
| Take a while to watch people when they talk. If | | | | How about mixing them up, using auditory |
| their eyes go up to look at the sky, they're | | | | language about a landscape? Then your reader will |
| thinking visually. If they look down, they're noticing | | | | use more than one of his senses. This can both |
| how they feel, and if their eyes move sideways, | | | | enrich the work and also make it meaningful to |
| it's a sign that they're concentrating on sound. | | | | more readers. |
| This is because the areas of the brain that deal | | | | Or, for a piece of writing that's likely appeal to |
| with senses are in slightly different places, and | | | | everyone in some way you can check that |
| brain scanning shows that the direction of our | | | | you've used language from each of the five |
| eyes can indicate which bit of our brain is most | | | | senses. |
| active. | | | | By watching and listening, you can find the kind of |
| Knowing more about how others notice the world | | | | language that works for you and the people |
| is a great tool in a writer's kit. We can write more | | | | around you. With that tool in your kit, you can |
| meaningfully, by talking the same language as the | | | | find endless ways to be clearer, get on peoples' |
| audience. | | | | wave length and make connections. |
| Listen to the wordsThe words and phrases we | | | | |