Writing 1 The Second Semester 2015-2016 Unit 8: Descriptive Paragraphs Presented by Dr. Mohamed Sha’at

The objective of the Session Students are expected to: Define a descriptive paragraph. Suggest words that appeal to some or all of the five senses. Discuss some tips of writing a descriptive paragraph. Go through examples of descriptive paragraphs.

What is a descriptive paragraph What is a descriptive paragraph? A descriptive paragraph describes how something or someone looks or feels. It gives impressions and it doesn’t give definitions. Good writers use words that appeal to some or all of the five senses: roaring /Sight Sunset / a storm / a lion gleaming Taste wedding cake / honey / ice cream tasty Touch silk / cotton / iron soft / hard Hearing a baby’s cry / bang / a loud noise Smell perfume / a rose / sweat smelly

Tips to be considered when writing a descriptive paragraph: 1- The dominant expression of the descriptive paragraph is often expressed in the topic sentence. 2- Search for the most dominant impression upon you and start to describe it. 3- Support your description with specific images and details.

Writing a Descriptive Paragraph Good descriptive paragraphs are really fun to read because they fuel your imagination. A good description allows the reader to be a part of your world, to clearly imagine the scene, to feel the sensations, the smells and the tastes of the subject you are writing about. To achieve this think of your 5 senses in relationship to the topic being tackled. Tell the readers: 1- What does it smell like? For example, does it smell like oranges, or like sweet perfume, or like nervous sweat?

2- What does it taste like 2- What does it taste like? - Is it tart, or sweet, or bitter, or creamy? 3- What does it feel like to the touch? Is it rough, smooth, sharp, slippery? 4- What does it sound like? Is it loud, or soft, or shrill, or soothing? 5- What does it look like? What is the color, the shape, or the height or the depth?

John and his Brother Mike Unlike John, Mike was active and creative. He enjoyed helping other people. In fact he was admired by all of his neighbors. On the contrary, John did not like helping people or sharing their social occasions. He had never been invited to any of his neighborhood’s ceremonies.

James Bond was driving through town James Bond was driving through town. It was raining heavily and the wind was blowing. No one was on the street and all the stores were closed as the owners of those stores do not expect any client in such a weather. Just Bond’s car was roaring along the street and suddenly Bond saw the killer in the telephone box next to the gas station. Bond stopped his car and quickly ran towards the telephone box to arrest the killer. Unfortunately, he could not as the killer was so strong. He pushed Bond on the ground and ran away.

Invite students to go through paragraph 55, p Invite students to go through paragraph 55, p. 125, and answer the following questions: 1- What is the writer opinion about the subway? He doesn’t like it and he thinks that it is a place for poor and uncivilized people. 2- List other places where people wait for something? A bus station, a bank, an airport. 3- Which of the five senses does the writer use to describe this place? smell smelly staircase

Write a connected paragraph describing the following 2 pictures

Behaving in an angry and violent way towards another person aggressive adj. Men tend to be more --aggressive-- than women. Aggression N. Kindness and forgiveness shown towards someone. Mercy n. The prisoner pleaded for mercy. Mercilessly adv. To enter a country by force Invade v. The soldiers invaded the country last night. Soldier n. The police arrested the killer and beat him mercilessly. Arrest v. to hit repeatedly beat past beat p.p. beat Beat v. To put handcuffs on someone. Handcuff v. To use force to make someone do something Force n. / v. A person who writes news stories or articles. Journalist n. A person who sees something happening/ to see something happen Witness n. / v.

A Palestinian youth was guarding his farm when a group of Israeli soldiers invaded the farm. He tried to stop them but the soldiers threw him to the ground and started to beat him mercilessly. After that, they handcuffed him and forced the young man to prison. Fortunately, there was a journalist nearby, who witnessed the criminal aggression, and he filmed the whole incidents of the crime.

Polling How can you grade this meeting? A = excellent, B = very good, C = good or D = fair.

Dr. Mohammed Sha’at