Lecture 6 Descriptive paragraph

1.

Writing Descriptive
Paragraphs
Lecture 6

2.

…is a paragraph that describes about what a person, object,
place and so on.. look like so that the reader can picture in his or
her mind.
Think about that idea.
Think in specific words and phrases as you write, using
descriptive words.
Ask yourself questions about your idea, relating to the five senses.
What does it look like?
What does it sound like?
What does it smell like?
What does it taste like?
What does it feel like?

3. After you brainstorm, focus and organize….

AFTER YOU BRAINSTORM, FOCUS AND ORGANIZE….
Topic sentence
- introduce the item that the writer will describe
- include about the writer’ s opinion about the item
Supporting sentence
- give background information about the item
- give descriptive detail about the item
- describe more detail about how the writer feel about the
item
Concluding Sentence
- restate the idea in the topic sentence

4. Basic Paragraph Structure

BASIC PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
Topic Sentence (Main Idea)
Major Supporting Detail
Minor supporting detail
Major Supporting Detail
Minor supporting detail
Major Supporting Detail
Minor supporting detail
Closing Sentence
(Restate Main Idea or Make a Prediction)

5. Sample Descriptive Paragraph

SAMPLE DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH
My brother Michael’s bedroom shows his big interest in
fantasy and science fiction. Glow-in-the-dark stars are pasted on the
ceiling where, at night, they glow in the dark. Other stars can be seen
covering the ceiling during the day, giving the appearance of a starry sky.
Movie posters line the walls. There is a poster of The Matrix in a shiny
frame. Below the posters are two black steel bookcases crowded with old
books. Old videos like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Alien are also stacked
on the bookshelves. Anyone entering my brother’s room knows at once
that Michael likes to escape to fantastic places.

6. Describing People

Adjectives to describe yourself, your family, another student, your
teacher.
Height
DESCRIBING
PBuild
EOPLE
Age
tall, short,
medium height
, slim, thin,
overweight, fat,
skinny,
young, elderly,
middle-aged,
teenager, in 20s,
30s
Face
Eyes
Hair Type/Color
round, oval, square,
with scars,
wrinkles, suntanned, pale
big round blue eyes,
large, small, bright,
narrow
bald, straight, curly,
spiky, wavy, short, long
dyed, blonde hair,
red hair, black hair
Clothes: casual, formal , neat , messy
John is a tall, slim man in his mid forties. He has a thin face,
blue eyes and a large nose. His short hair is turning white
He is usually casually dressed. He is a smart man, but
he is very messy. He doesn’t keep his office tidy.

7.

Describing Character - What is he like? Is he nice???
careful,
hardworking,
worried,
cheerful,
active,
curious,
generous,
aggressive,
careless,
sensible,
independent
creative
boring,
imaginative
sensitive,
gentle,
loyal,
trusting,
friendly
stubborn,
patient
moody,
optimistic,
energetic,
confident,
selfish,
shy,
Examples:
1/Our new teacher is so patient. If we don't understand something, she goes
over it again and again until we do.
2/Our English teacher at school is so creative. He is always coming up with
new games that help make learning fun.
3/Tim is so generous. He always helps out the poor people in our community.

8.

APPEARANCE
Medium-Height
Skinny
Brown Eyes
CHARACTER
Reserved
Hard-Working
Patient
Well-balance
PERSON
(Mary)
WHAT
HE/SHE DOES?
a student
part-time cashier
math tutor
HOBBIES
Listening to
pop music
Reading novels
Sewing
Painting

9.

My grandmother
My grandmother was a very lovely woman. Her warm,
loving smile always brightened my day. She was a thin, elderly
woman in her 80s. She had wavy hair and big round blue eyes.
Everything about her was tidy and comforting. When I was
younger, I learned a lot from this energetic and inspiring woman.

10. Using specific Language

USING SPECIFIC LANGUAGE
Using specific language in descriptive
writing helps give the reader a clear mental image
of what something looks, feels, sounds, or smells
like. Read the following examples. Which set of
sentences has a stronger effect?
General Sentences
He bought a vehicles.
We heard a noise.
Suddenly, I smelled food.
Sentence with Specific Language
He bought a 1965 Cadillac.
We heard the sound of breaking glass.
Suddenly, I smelled steak and onions.

11. Using Adjectives in Description Writing

USING ADJECTIVES IN DESCRIPTION WRITING
Adjective are words that describe nouns. Writers
use adjectives to give the reader a more complete picture of
the people, and things they want to describe. Compare the
following pairs of phrases. Notice how the adjectives help
you visualize the object.
a bicycle
a racing bicycle.
A desk
a large, metal desk.
o An adjective can come before a noun. If the noun is
singular, use a/an or the before the adjective.
I own an antique violin.
My mother gave me a big hug.

12. Using Adjectives in Description Writing

USING ADJECTIVES IN DESCRIPTION WRITING
Adjectives have only one form. Use the same adjective
with singular and plural nouns.
a lovely bracelet
two lovely bracelets
An adjective can come after be . When two adjectives
two adjectives come after be, separate them with and.
These shoes are comfortable.
My father’s expression is wise ad serious.
Nouns can also function as adjectives. In the following
examples, the first noun describes the second noun.
a rose garden
a pocket knife

13. Order of adjectives

ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

14. Using Be to Describe and Define

USING BE TO DESCRIBE AND DEFINE
Use the verb be to describe the subject of a sentence. You can use either a
noun or an adjective after be.
You can use be+ adjective to describe conditions, physical characteristics, age,
and personality.
Physical
Condition
Characteristic
Age
He is ready. I am strong. My daughter is six.
Personality
Gabriela is well-ballenced.
You can use be+ noun (or noun phrase) to identify or define something, or to
describe occupations and relationships.
Identifying
Relationships
Describing Occupations
Describing
It is a map.
He is a waiter.
We are classmates.

15. Using Be to Describe and Define

USING BE TO DESCRIBE AND DEFINE
In academic writing the contracted forms of the verb be
are not acceptable. Use the full form of the verb in both
affirmative and negative sentences.
The marmoset is a small mammal.
They are not responsible for the research.

16. Using Be to Describe and Define

USING BE TO DESCRIBE AND DEFINE
Be with Adjectives
SUBJEC
T
BE
ADJECTIVE
I
Am
Am not
Healthy.
He
She
Is
Is not
Athletic.
You
We
They
Are
Are not
Young.
Be with Nouns
SUBJECT BE
NOUN PHRASE
I
Am
An honest
Am not person.
He
She
Is
Is not
You
We
They
Are
Brothers.
Are not
A dancer.

17. Metaphors and Similes for Descriptive Writing

METAPHORS AND SIMILES FOR
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
What is a Simile?
A simile is a comparison
between two things using
the words "like" or "as".
It shows that one thing is
similar to another.
Why Use a Simile?
Similes help make
descriptions clearer and
more creative. They show
the reader how two
things are alike in some
way.
Examples of Similes:
"Her smile is like the sun."
• This means her smile is bright
and warm, just like the sun.
"The car was as fast as a cheetah."
• This means the car was very
fast, just like a cheetah, the
fastest animal.
"The water was as cold as ice."
• This means the water was very
cold, similar to ice.

18. Metaphors and Similes for Descriptive Writing

METAPHORS AND SIMILES FOR
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
What is a Metaphor?
Examples of Metaphors:
A metaphor is a comparison
between two things without
using "like" or "as." Instead,
you say that something is
something else, even if it is not
literally true.
Why Use a Metaphor?
Metaphors are used to make
descriptions stronger by
saying that one thing is
another. This helps create a
more vivid picture in the
reader’s mind.
"Time is money."
• This means time is valuable,
just like money.
"The world is a stage."
• This means life is like a play,
and everyone is acting their
part.
"My teacher is a walking
dictionary."
• This means the teacher
knows a lot of words and
information, just like a
dictionary.

19. How to Use Metaphors and Similes in Descriptive Writing

HOW TO USE METAPHORS AND SIMILES IN
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Example for Describing a
Person:
Example for Describing a
Place:
Simile: "Her eyes are like
stars in the night sky.“
This shows that her eyes are
bright and shiny.
Metaphor: "He is a lion
on the football field.“
This shows that he is brave
and strong, like a lion, when
playing football.
Simile: "The room was
as quiet as a library."
This shows that the
room was very quiet,
like a library.
Metaphor: "The
classroom was a zoo."
This shows that the
classroom was very
noisy and chaotic,
like a zoo.

20. Key Differences Between Similes and Metaphors

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIMILES
AND METAPHORS
Simile: Uses "like" or "as" to compare two things.
Example: "The clouds are like cotton.“
Metaphor: Says something is something else,
even though it is not literally true.
Example: "The clouds are cotton in the sky."

21. Why Use Metaphors and Similes?

WHY USE METAPHORS AND SIMILES?
1. Make your writing more interesting: Instead
of simple descriptions, they make the writing
more creative.
2. Help the reader imagine better: The reader
can see the picture in their mind more easily
when you compare things.
3. Add emotion: They can help show how
something feels, not just what it looks like.