Transcript Academic writing i

ACADEMIC WRITING I
May 9, 2014
Announcement
Assignment 3 final draft deadline changed, again
New deadline:
Sunday May 11 (11:59 pm)
Today
Descriptive Writing <continued>
Descriptive Writing
Tells a story about a specific thing (object, person, place)
- Appeals to the senses: sights, sounds, smells, taste, feel
A good description is a “word picture”
- The reader can imagine the object/person/place in his or
her mind.
- “Shows” more than it tells.
Descriptive Style
Descriptive writing requires:
- Specific details
- Descriptive vocabulary
Adjectives:
size, color, shape, texture, smell, purpose,
personality, location, etc.
verbs
adverbs
- Sensations and emotions.
Descriptive writing has a “direction”
Descriptive Style
Descriptive writing requires:
- Specific details
- Adjectives:
size, color, shape, texture, smell, purpose,
personality, location, etc.
- Descriptive “action verbs”
Try to avoid “be” verbs.
- Sensations and emotions.
Descriptive Style
Avoiding “be verb + adjective”
i.e.,
The food was unappetizing.
 The pale chicken slices floated limply in a pool of
murky fat.
The sprinkler was refreshing.
 The cool water from the sprinkler sprayed our hot
faces.
Descriptive Style
The tree is very tall.
Improved:
- The tree stretches toward the sky.
- The tree's branches reach far upwards.
- The tree brushes the clouds.
Source: klick.wordpress.com
Descriptive Style
The blanket is colorful.
Improved:
Source: www.sarasews.net
- Rich colors decorate the blanket.
- Deep hues of red, green, and orange cover the blanket.
Descriptive Style
Almond bong bong ice cream is delicious.
Improved:
Source: www.baskinrobbins.co.kr
- The wonderful taste of almond bong bong lingers on the
tongue long after it is gone.
- Almond bong bong tastes of sweet cream, soft
chocolate, and crunchy almonds.
Descriptive Style
Snakes are scary.
Improved:
- Snakes strike fear into my heart.
Source: www.animaldanger.com
- Snakes, quiet and cunning, frighten Tony as though they
were real-life monsters.
Descriptive Style
When she was young,
Jiho was happy when she
visited Woobang Land.
Improved:
Source: klick.wordpress.com
- When she was young, visiting Woobang Land brought joy
and excitement to Jiho.
More descriptive style
- Use more “vivid” adjectives
i.e. The Burj Khalifa is taller than its surrounding buildings.
-The Burj Khalifa towers over the
buildings surrounding it.
-The Burj Khalifa looms over the
buildings surrounding it.
Source: did-you-know-thats.blogspot.com
More descriptive style
- Use adverbs to enhance the adjectives
i.e. The Burj Khalifa is taller than its surrounding buildings.
- The Burj Khalifa towers over the buildings surrounding it.
-The Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it.
-The Burj Khalifa looms impressively over the buildings
surrounding it.
More descriptive style
- Enhance nouns with adjectives or descriptive phrases
The Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it.
- The huge Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it.
- The massive Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it.
- The cloud-brushing Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the
buildings surrounding it.
More descriptive style
- Enhance nouns with adjectives or descriptive phrases
The Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it.
- The 800m high Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the
buildings surrounding it.
- The nearly 1km tall Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the
buildings surrounding it.
- The Burj Khalifa, at nearly 1 km high, towers intimidatingly over
the buildings surrounding it.
More descriptive style
- Use similes
- Using “like” or “as” to compare your subject with something.
The Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it like a giant standing over men.
- The Daegu summer is like living in a sauna all day,
everyday.
More descriptive style
- Personification
- Giving human characteristics to objects
The Burj Khalifa towers intimidatingly over the buildings
surrounding it, mocking them for their small statures.
The house, with its smashed windows and filthy walls, begs
for repairs.
More descriptive style
- Symbol
- Describing your subject as representing an idea (or concept,
or virtue)
The Burj Khalifa, a symbol of Dubai’s financial power, towers
intimidatingly over the buildings surrounding it, mocking them
for their small statures.
The Burj Khalifa, representing human technological prowess,
towers intimidatingly over the buildings surrounding it, like a
giant arm reaching to the sky.
Assignment 4
Write a descriptive essay.
- Choose one of the following:
1. Describe your favorite restaurant.
2. Describe an underdeveloped area that requires help to
improve.
Assignment 4
See example here:
http://www.irsc.edu/uploadedFiles/Students/AcademicSupp
ortCenter/WritingLab/E7-Descriptive-Essay-Guidelines.pdf