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I'm writing a letter to my friend, and want to same something like:

> "While writing this letter, the air is grey and smells strongly of smoke"  
>  (discussing forest fires near my town).

I'm stuck on how to describe smell of the smoke. The best I have so far is:

> 手紙{てがみ} を かきながら、くうき は はいいろ そして かおり は とても けむい です。

It just doesn't sound right. How do I describe this strong smell of smoke with
the air?

EDIT: Spell-o こうき → くうき
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2019-11-29T21:06:15.470
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2019-11-30T18:45:45.803
2019-11-30T18:45:45.803
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question
grammar
How to describe a strong smell of smoke
> 手紙{てがみ} を かきながら、こうき は はいいろ そして かおり は とても けむい です。

I think the structure of sentence you've prepared is good.

But, the word choice is a bit off. 香{かお}り is used for good smell, odor, aroma,
etc., which is often used for girl's name.

However, this time you want to imply "bad smell". You should use 臭{にお}い for
the stink, terrible smell and something like unpleasant one. And,
煙{けむ}い/煙{けむ}たい is perfect to describe the smell of the smoke. Maybe, you don't
have to use におい for this sentence if the situation is clear.

Note that the same pronunciation, but different kanji : 匂{にお}い is neutral to
describe for the smell.

* * *

「こうき」 should be 「くうき」 as @snailcar suggested. I am not so sure about what "the
air is grey" is implying though, I imagine "the sky is grey". So,
空{そら}が灰色{はいいろ} should be what you want to say.

The clause : "While writing this letter," might be implying the contrast of
the room inside where you are writing the letter and the outside of your room.

So, I suppose 手紙{てがみ}を書いていますが/書いているけれど should be more appropriate than
`手紙{てがみ}をかきながら`, which seems saying just things going on concurrently.

All in all,

> 手紙{てがみ}を書{か}いていますが、空{そら}は灰色{はいいろ}、そして臭{にお}いはとても煙{けむ}(た)いです。
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2019-11-30T02:28:02.997
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2019-11-30T02:28:02.997
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answer