Transcript Description Essay

DESCRIPTION ESSAY
WHAT IS DESCRIPTION ESSAY?
• Descriptive Essays follow the basic structure of essay format:
1. 5 paragraphs
2. Present Tense
3. Third person
• Descriptive Essays focus on observations made using the five
senses:
1. Sight
2. Sound
3. Smell
4. Taste
5. Touch
HERE’S ANOTHER EXAMPLE:
In a large box out in the garage,
surrounded by gumboots,
shovels and old paint tins, is a
scene of joy. The happy mother
lies on a tatty red and yellow
blanket, her litter at her belly.
She licks them, and looks up
with watchful brown eyes when
we bend over to see. The tiny
puppies, blind and almost
hairless, scramble over one
another, searching for their
mother.
• What brings this scene to life?
• Write down the words that help
the reader visualize this scene.
Word Power
• Descriptive writing is writing with flair. It
means using words so that they paint a
picture for the reader, but doing so in ways
that often surprise the reader. Here are
some of the tools available to you:
Similes
Comparisons using the
words “like” or “as” (
simile)
• The surface of the moon is
like crumpled sandpaper
• I felt as nervous as a fish
out of water
• As clear as crystal
Metaphors
Comparisons minus cue
words
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My tears were a river
I died with embarrassment
Her heart was on fire
He hit the wall of exhaustion
Adjectives
Words which describe or
modify nouns
• The tall, thin man entered
the spooky room with
measured steps. Inside the
room deep shadows
crouched in wait for him.
Adverbs
Words which describe or
modify verbs
• The jets dived steeply out of the
sky, tumbling rapidly as they
maneauvered gracefully past
each other.
• USE ADVERBS TO DESCRIBE A
FIREWORKS DISPLAY.
(1 – 2 SENTENCES)
Interesting verbs
• It is worthwhile taking the time to think about the verb for
the situation you are trying to bring to life. Often a carefully
chosen verb can transform a so-so passage into something
quite different.
• He ran.
• He jogged.
• He fled.
• He sprinted away.
• He stormed off.
TASK
• Rewrite the following passage,
changing each verb to a more
interesting one. You might like
to check your thesaurus, but be
careful of your choice of words:
• The teacher waved at the coach
to stop the game. However the
coach was interested in the play
and didn’t do as suggested.
Surprised by this response, the
teacher took the opportunity to
yell out, ‘STOP!’
CHARACTER, PLACE AND
ACTION
• The best descriptions have a focus. They aren’t just lists of
everything in the scene thrown together. Try concentrating
on character – bring it to life!
Their jeans brushed the polished floor, scuffed running shoes
squeaking in unison as the two teenagers crossed the crowded space
from the music shop to the food court. One of them, her hair -jagged
tufts of red and green, smirked at the looks of disbelief the pointy stud in
her bottom lip drew. The other, eyes narrowed and searching, curled his
lip in a silent snarl, reached deep into the pockets of his black coat and
pulled out a crumpled shopping list.
The girl walked with a swagger that suggested she was not to be
crossed. Her eyes were pin-points, and her nostrils flared with disdain at
what she saw around her: losers. Everyone round her was a loser, and
nothing would change that.