Descriptive Writing for Kids Quiz

1. What is a simile?

1. A comparison using 'like' or 'as'
2. A pair of words that mean the same thing
3. A word that describes a noun
4. A word that sounds like what it describes

2. Which sentence contains a simile?

1. He swam like a fish.
2. She was a shining star.
3. The dog barked loudly.
4. The fire roared and crackled.

3. What does 'sensory language' mean in writing?

1. Using only adjectives and adverbs
2. Using very long sentences
3. Using words that appeal to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch
4. Writing about feelings and emotions only

4. Which sentence is more descriptive?

1. A dog was running fast.
2. The dog ran.
3. The shaggy brown dog bolted across the muddy field.
4. There was a running dog.

5. What is a metaphor?

1. A comparison using 'like' or 'as'
2. A direct comparison that says one thing IS another
3. A word that is the opposite of another
4. A word that names a sound

6. Which sentence contains a metaphor?

1. She had hair like golden silk.
2. The classroom was a zoo.
3. The classroom was as noisy as a zoo.
4. The snow fell like tiny feathers.

7. What is 'personification'?

1. Describing a person in great detail
2. Giving human qualities or feelings to an object or animal
3. Writing a description of a real person
4. Writing in the first person (using 'I')

8. Which sentence uses personification?

1. The flowers danced in the breeze.
2. The flowers smelled sweet.
3. The flowers were like tiny suns.
4. The flowers were red and yellow.

9. Which adjectives best improve this sentence? 'The ___ ___ dog barked.'

1. quite, fast
2. really, loud
3. tiny, white
4. very, big

10. What is 'onomatopoeia'?

1. A comparison using 'like' or 'as'
2. A very long descriptive sentence
3. A word that is the opposite of another
4. A word that sounds like the noise it describes

11. Which sentence uses the best 'show don't tell' technique?

1. Her hands shook, her heart pounded, and cold sweat ran down her neck.
2. She felt extreme fear inside her.
3. She was afraid and nervous and frightened.
4. She was very scared.

12. Complete the simile: 'The old man's hands were as rough as ___.'

1. clouds
2. feathers
3. sandpaper
4. water

13. Which word is an example of onomatopoeia?

1. beautiful
2. enormous
3. quickly
4. splash

14. Which writing technique is used here? 'The ancient castle frowned down at the village below.'

1. Alliteration
2. Onomatopoeia
3. Personification
4. Simile

15. What is alliteration?

1. The repetition of the same starting sound in a group of words
2. Using as many adjectives as possible
3. Words that rhyme at the end of lines
4. Writing in alphabetical order

16. Which sentence uses alliteration?

1. She was happy and excited.
2. The cat ran away quickly.
3. The sly, slithering snake slipped silently away.
4. The tree was tall and green.

17. Which opening sentence would best grab a reader's attention?

1. At midnight, a bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence.
2. It was a dark night.
3. Once upon a time it was night.
4. The story begins on a cold night.

18. What technique is used in: 'The pizza was a cheesy, golden sun on the plate.'?

1. Alliteration
2. Metaphor
3. Onomatopoeia
4. Simile

19. Choose the most vivid verb to replace 'walked' in: 'She ___ through the haunted forest.'

1. crept
2. did walk
3. moved
4. went

20. Which sentence uses the most effective descriptive writing techniques?

1. The sea looked quite rough that day.
2. The sea was big and blue.
3. The vast, grey sea roared like a furious beast, crashing hungrily against the jagged cliffs.
4. There was a large sea nearby.