Mr Ward's CLASS
Structuring a Descriptive EssayA descriptive essay simply describes something or someone by appealing to the reader’s senses: sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Select a subject ?Observation is the key to writing a good description. For example, if you are writing about a place, go there and take notes on the sights, sounds, and smells. A descriptive essay paints a picture for the reader, using descriptive devices and the senses. Create a thesis statement that informs the reader who or what you are describing. Examples: “The wooden roller coaster in Coney Island is a work of art.” “My bedroom is an ocean sanctuary.” Select dominant details ?Select only the details that support the dominant impression (your thesis statement). Organize details ?The paragraphs in a descriptive essay can be structured spatially (from top to bottom or from near to far) or chronologically (time order) or from general to specific. Descriptive essays can also use other patterns of organization such as narrative.Use descriptive words ?Do not use vague words or generalities (such as good, nice, bad, or beautiful). Be specific and use sensory, descriptive words (adjectives). For example: ?I ate a good dinner. OR I devoured a steaming hot, cheese-filled pepperoni pizza for dinner. ?Provide sensory details:?Smells that are in the air (the aroma of freshly brewed coffee)?Sounds (traffic, honking horns)?Sights (“The sun scattered tiny diamonds across dew-covered grass as it peeked out from beyond the horizon.”)?Touch (“The texture of the adobe hut’s walls resembled coarse sandpaper.”)?Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tart (“Giant goose bumps formed on my tongue when I accidently bit into a sliver of lemon.”) Draw a logical conclusion?: The conclusion may also use descriptive words; however, make certain the conclusion is logical and relevant. ?Create images for the reader! Introductory paragraph:First paragraph sets the stage: where the action happened, when it happened, and to whom it happened. Note descriptive words.First body paragraph:Note how writer provides details, translating an experience into written words that permit the reader to visualize the situation. Note descriptive details.Second body paragraph:Note use of details, especially adjectives. Writer makes use of figurative language.Personification: “willows stood gallantly”Third body paragraph:Writer continues to appeal to readers' senses with visually descriptive words. Imagery:Note how the writer creates images for the reader by appealing to the senses.Conclusion:Essay ends with strong concluding sentence.Whenever I found myself feeling claustrophobic or overwhelmed in the city, I would close my eyes and think of Grandma and Grandpa's country home. It was the most peaceful place I had ever been, and even now, decades later, I could still remember every detail of my last visit:Rocks and dirt clods clanged against my car as I drove off the highway—if you could call it that—and onto the gravel path that led to my grandparent’s home. I wasn’t used to off-roading like this, so I took the turn a little too sharply and spun my wheels on the driveway, throwing up showers of tiny rocks. I pressed on the brakes, rolled down the windows, and turned off the car, taking in everything around me. A gentle breeze rustled through the willows that stood gallantly in the distance. The open air, so rare and fleeting in the big city, smelled of orange blossoms and freshly baked apple pie. Or maybe that was my imagination. Either way, I wished I could bottle the fragrance and take it back with me. The sun seemed to be basking in its own rays. It hovered over the horizon, and bright fuschia and apricot collided with the deep blue sky. I could hear the distant sound of pots clattering in the kitchen as Grandma fixed me up a home-cooked meal, and Laney, their cow, faintly mooed in the distance. I turned the key in the ignition, and my car roared back to life, scattering the peace that had been there seconds before. I made my way up the rest of the gravel path and parked my car next to their rusted John Deere. The tractor seemed to serve more as a decoration now more than as a workhorse, but somehow it looked like it belonged right where it was. I stepped out of my car and made my way up to their front door, gravel crunching beneath my boots. The peace overtook me again, and I knocked, feeling the serenity of their simple life wash over me. ................
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