1. Description Ins: Demet GÜL, PhD
COMPOSITION II
Description
Ins: Demet GÜL, PhD
İDB 106 Composition II

2. Descriptive Paragraph Example
The subway is an assault on your senses. You walk down the steep, smelly steps on the subway platform. On the far right wall, a broken clock show that the time is four-thirty. You wonder how long it has been broken. A mother and her crying child are standing to your left. She is trying to clean dried chocolate syrup off the young child’s face. Farther to the left, two old men are arguing about the most recent tax increase. You hear a little noise and see some paper trash roll by like a soccer ball. The most interesting thing you see while you are waiting for your subway train is a poster. It reads “Come to Jamaica.” Deep blue skies, a lone palm tree, and sapphire waters call you to this exotic faraway place
İDB 106 Composition II

3. What is a Descriptive Essay?
describe an object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc.
Encourages ability to create a written account of a particular experience.
allows for a great deal of artistic freedom (the goal of which is to paint an image that is vivid and moving in the mind of the reader).
If the reader is unable to clearly form an impression of the thing that you are describing, try, try again!
İDB 106 Composition II

4. Sample Description Paragraph II Topic Sentence
Unit 7: Page 90, 91
What will be described?
What overall impression of the tomb does the writer provide?
İDB 106 Composition II

5. Why are you writing your descriptive essay?
Find your particularly reason for writing descriptive essay.
Getting in touch with this reason can help you focus your description and enhance your language with a particular perspective or emotion.
Ex: If you want to describe your grandfather, You've chosen to write about your grandfather's physical appearance or the way that he interacts with people.
İDB 106 Composition II

6. Describing with the Five Senses
Use words that appeal or all of the five senses-
Sight
Taste
Touch
Hearing
Smell
İDB 106 Composition II

7. How should you write your description?
Unit 7, Page 90
İDB 106 Composition II

8. It's the famous saying: show don't tell.
Ex1: I grew tired after dinner.
Ex2: As I leaned back and rested my head against the top of the chair, my eyelids began to feel heavy, and the edges of the empty plate in front of me blurred with the white tablecloth.
The first sentence tells readers that you grew tired after dinner. The second sentence shows readers that you grew tired. The most effective descriptive essays are loaded with such showing because they enable readers to imagine or experience something for themselves.
İDB 106 Composition II

9. 1- Describe particular smells and tastes in the paragraph
1- Describe particular smells and tastes in the paragraph. Use the most descriptive words possible to allow the reader to smell or taste what you are describing.
İDB 106 Composition II

10. 2- Add the senses of touch and hearing to your paragraph wherever possible. Describe certain textures and sounds.
İDB 106 Composition II

11. E.g: My best friend is like the sun in my life 
3- Use ‘like and as’ when you write your descriptive paragraph. These devices strengthen your paragraph if used properly.
E.g: My best friend is like the sun in my life 
İDB 106 Composition II

12. 2- You can make use of the following language use in descriptive paragraph …
WHILE DESCRIBING THINGS:
It is made of……… ( The table in my room is made of wood.)
It consists of…… ( This city consists of many mysterious people.)
WHILE DESCRIBING PEOPLE or PLACES
As & like
She sings like an angel
My friend looks like Antony Hopkins.
I cannot cook as my mother
I want to join army as a pilot
İDB 106 Composition II

13. 4- Insert descriptive adjectives to modify your nouns
4- Insert descriptive adjectives to modify your nouns. Don't just say "ocean." Describe the actual colors you see in the ocean. Use more descriptive words such as deep dark blue ocean.
İDB 106 Composition II

14. Unit 7, Page 91
List the specific details that shows tomb is amazing to the writer.
Richness
Unusual decoration
İDB 106 Composition II

15. İDB 106 Composition II

16. Unit 7, Page 93 Beautiful Face, Hair, Clothing Top to bottom
İDB 106 Composition II

17. WE DIVIDE DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH INTO 3 PARTS:
Description of a person
Description of a place
Description of a thing or experience
İDB 106 Composition II

18. THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE WRITING A DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH
1- SPATIAL ORDER
Spatial order shows how people and objects are arranged in a space or scene. A description can be organized spatially in several ways:
from top to bottom,
outside to inside,
left to right,
near to far,
or the reverse of any of these
İDB 106 Composition II

19. EXAMPLE OF SPATIAL ORDER : (CLASSROOM)
In Ms. Cakar’s classroom we see a lot of things. To the left of the class, we see 10 posters in the colors of the rainbow. In front of us is a white, square projector shade. In back of it is a green, rectangular chalkboard. To the right of the room is a black radio on top of the silver file cabinets…
İDB 106 Composition II

20. Here are three sample paragraphs: about a person, a place and a thing.
İDB 106 Composition II

21. 1- İDB 106 Composition II My Son Burak
My eight year old son, Burak, is different from other children because of his distinctive appearance. The first thing I notice when I look at him is his size. He stands at shoulder height next to me; indeed, he is taller than other children of his age, and is definitely stronger. Also his red hair is remarkable; it is thick, and stylish. Also, Burak has freckles on his face. His eyes are bright blue, and his eyebrows are blond. His lips are thick and somewhat feminine, and he has gaps in his teeth. His shoulders are broad and his belly is plump. When we hold hands, you can see that his hands are as large as my hands. His legs are strong, and his knees are covered with purple bruises, because he always falls down while he is skateboarding and biking. To sum up, although he is only eight years old, he is big and strong.
Distinctive: farklı kılan bruise: yara,bere
Remarkable: gözalıcı
İDB 106 Composition II

22. 2- 2- İDB 106 Composition II The Beach in Hawaii
A beach in Hawaii is like a paradise. To start with, the beach smells fresh like a new ocean air freshener. The sand is so hot that when you walk on it after the sea, you feel like you walk on a burning grill. Not far from the shore, you can see the palm trees. They sway in the air from the strong wind. In a distance, there is a beautiful house by the water, so you can see the navy blue ocean every day. People are laughing and playing on the burning sand, and others are relaxing on the beach sunbathing. They seem to enjoy the bright rays of the sun. From a far distance the ocean is a deep navy blue; waves come in like a bulldozer from all the wind. But at nights everything is still and quiet. You can only hear the waves of the ocean and the light wind which comes from the huge palm trees. To sum up, this beach is an amazing place for a perfect summer holiday. 2-
air freshener: oda parfümü sway: rüzgarda savrulma still: durgun
İDB 106 Composition II

23. 3-
1 left-over: arta kalanlar
İDB 106 Composition II

24. Sensory Language Language that uses the 5 senses: Sight Sound Taste
Smell
Touch
Example: The acid smell penetrated my nostrils as a breathed deeply. The humidity after the rain clung to my skin as I walked to my crippled car.
İDB 106 Composition II

25. Vivid Verbs Replace general verbs with vivid verbs.
Make writing more interesting and enjoyable for the reader.
Vivid verbs have more specific meanings than general verbs.
General
More Vivid Verbs
Dislike
Eat
Like/Love
Run
Walk
Despise, Hate, loathe, Scorn, Shun
Consume, Devour, Gobble
Admire, Adore, Cherish, Fond of
Dart, Dash, Scurry, Sprint, Jog
Hike, March, Plod, Saunter, Stroll
İDB 106 Composition II

26. Descriptive Adjectives
They describe the noun in detail so the reader can visualize what is being read.
Examples:
Adorable, Helpful, Gifted, Aggressive, Bored, Wild, Evil, Fearless, Cowardly, Helpful, Lovely, Knowledgeable, Vivacious, Wise, Troubled, Pleasing.
İDB 106 Composition II

27. Example of Using Vivid Verbs and Descriptive Adjectives
Boring: The nice woman walked into the restaurant. Descriptive: The vivacious woman sauntered into the restaurant.
İDB 106 Composition II

28. Describing People
Adjectives to describe yourself, your family, another student, your teacher.
Height
Build
Age
tall, short, medium height
frail, stocky, slim, thin, overweight, chubby, fat, skinny, well-built
young, elderly, middle-aged, teenager, in 20s, 30s
Face
Eyes
Hair Type/Color
round, oval, square, with scars, wrinkles, sun-tanned, pale
big round blue eyes, large, small, bright, narrow
bald, straight, curly,
spiky, wavy, short, long
dyed, blonde hair,
red hair, black hair
Facial hair: beard, moustache, sideburns, stubble, unsaven, clean-shaven
Clothes: casual, scruffy, shabby, smart, tidy, 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.
İDB 106 Composition II

29. Describing Character - What is he like? Is he nice???
careful,
hard-working, worried, cheerful, active, curious,
generous, aggressive, careless, sensible, independent, strong-minded,
creative
boring, imaginative sensitive, gentle,
loyal,
trusting, friendly stubborn, patient
moody,
optimistic,
energetic, confident, selfish, shy, reliable, clumsy
Examples:
Our new teacher is so patient. If we don't understand something, she goes over it again and again until we do.
Our English teacher at school is so creative. He is always coming up with new games that help make learning fun.
Tim is so generous. He always helps out the poor people in our community.
Jack is a smart man, but he is very messy. He doesn’t keep his office tidy.
İDB 106 Composition II

30. 2. Uses concrete, specific details to support the main impression.
Good description:
1. Creates a main impression-an overall effect, feeling, or image-about the topic.
2. Uses concrete, specific details to support the main impression.
3. Uses details that appeal to the five senses.
İDB 106 Composition II

31. Quick tips for writing your descriptive essay-I
Planning your descriptive essay:
What or who do you want to describe?
What is your reason for writing your description?
What are the particular qualities that you want to focus on?
İDB 106 Composition II

32. Quick tips for writing your descriptive essay-II
Drafting your descriptive essay:
What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures are important for developing your description?
Which details can you include to ensure that your readers gain a vivid impression imbued with your emotion or perspective?
İDB 106 Composition II

33. Quick tips for writing your descriptive essay-II
Revising your descriptive essay:
Have you provided enough details and descriptions to enable your readers to gain a complete and vivid perception?
Have you left out any minor but important details?
Have you used words that convey your emotion or perspective?
Are there any unnecessary details in your description?
Does each paragraph of your essay focus on one aspect of your description?
Are you paragraphs ordered in the most affective way?
İDB 106 Composition II

34. Take time to brainstorm
If your instructor asks you to describe your favorite food, make sure that you jot down some ideas before you begin describing it.
For instance, if you choose pizza, you might start by writing down a few words: sauce, cheese, crust, pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc.
Once you have written down some words, you can begin by compiling descriptive lists for each one.
İDB 106 Composition II

35. Use clear and concise language.
This means that words are chosen carefully, particularly for their relevancy in relation to that which you are intending to describe.
Choose vivid language.
Why use ‘horse’ when you can choose ‘stallion’? Why not use ‘tempestuous’ instead of ‘violent’? Or why not ‘miserly’ in place of ‘cheap’? Such choices form a firmer image in the mind of the reader and often times offer nuanced meanings that serve better one’s purpose.
İDB 106 Composition II

36. Use your senses!
Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses of the reader. Explain how the thing smelled, felt, sounded, tasted, or looked. Embellish the moment with senses.
What were you thinking?!
If you can describe emotions or feelings related to your topic, you will connect with the reader on a deeper level. Many have felt crushing loss in their lives, or ecstatic joy, or mild complacency. Tap into this emotional reservoir in order to achieve your full descriptive potential.
İDB 106 Composition II

37. Leave the reader with a clear impression.
One of your goals is to evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in the reader. If your reader can walk away from the essay craving the very pizza you just described, you are on your way to writing effective descriptive essays.
Be organized!
It is easy to fall into an incoherent rambling of emotions and senses when writing a descriptive essay. However, you must strive to present an organized and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a cogent sense of what it is you are attempting to describe.
İDB 106 Composition II

38. Unit 7, Page 94
Practice 2 D E C
İDB 106 Composition II

39. Unit 7, Page 95
This was clearly a music lover’s room.
My brother Michael’s bedroom shows his big interest in fantasy and science fiction.
İDB 106 Composition II

40. 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 chrome frame. Below the posters are two black steel bookcases crammed 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.
İDB 106 Composition II

41. Structure of Sample Descriptive Paragraph
TS: My brother Michael’s bedroom shows his big interest in fantasy and science fiction.
1. Glow-in-the-dark stars
1.1 at night, they glow in the dark.
1.2 during the day
2. a poster of The Matrix
3. bookcases
3.1 old books.
3.2 Old videos,e.g. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien.
CS: Anyone entering my brother’s room knows at once that Michael likes to escape to fantastic places.
İDB 106 Composition II