DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

Now that we have seen how to organize a paragraph, the types of sentences we can use to give
variety to our writings, it is time to begin writing.

To do that, we need, first, to understand the genre that we are going to use. So, what is a description
and what are the characteristics of a description? Let’s read these two characterizations:

The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in

such a way that a picture is formed in the reader's mind. Capturing an event through
descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your
five senses.

Characteristics of descriptive writing

1. Good descriptive writing includes many vivid sensory details that paint a picture and
appeals to all of the reader's senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste when
appropriate. Descriptive writing may also paint pictures of the feelings the person,
place or thing invokes in the writer.
2. Good descriptive writing uses precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and
passive verbs do not have a place in good descriptive writing. Use specific adjectives
and nouns and strong action verbs to give life to the picture you are painting in the
reader's mind.
3. Good descriptive writing is organized. Some ways to organize descriptive writing
include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance.

A descriptive paragraph is a focused and detail-rich account of a specific topic. Paragraphs

in this style often have a concrete focus—the sound of a waterfall, the stench of a skunk's
spray—but can also convey something abstract, such as an emotion or a memory. Some
descriptive paragraphs do both. These paragraphs help readers feel and sense the details
that the writer wants to convey.

To write a descriptive paragraph, you must study your topic closely, make a list of the details
you observe, and organize those details into a logical structure.

Both texts agree that a description includes details for the reader to create a mental picture of
something or somebody. They also mention the use of the senses as the best way to describe and
the need of an organization in the information.

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 1. Read the following characteristics of a description of a place

2. Before writing the description you need to organize your ideas.

An OUTLINE helps you organize your notes or ideas before you begin to write. It helps you to see
the order in which you will talk about the main idea (topic sentence) and it guides you in selecting
details and examples to support those ideas (supporting sentences) and leads you to the
concluding idea. An outline shows where to add more details, give more examples or change the
order of the main points. Preparing and following an outline is a useful pre-writing activity. It is not
necessary to write your ideas in complete sentences, although some people prefer to write the topic
sentence in full. Some outlines are quite simple: they list only the main ideas and a few supporting
details; some other outlines are more detailed and include many ideas, details and examples.

For our descriptions, we will always write the outline with the ideas we are going to include in our
text. The outlines should specify; the different paragraphs; each paragraph will have its own topic
sentence (with the controlling idea identified), the supporting details (which must be minimum 2 or
more) and the concluding idea as a summary/conclusion of all the information in the paragraph.

3. In a description of a place, there will be many references to places and position. So

let’s revise the prepositions to express them.

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 ACTIVITIES

4. The following text is from your class material. Read the description and complete the
circles with the information in each of the paragraphs.
Main Body

5. It is a description of a place. Which place?

6. Find at least one example of each characteristic of a description in the previous text.

7. Identify the topic sentence in each paragraph and circle the controlling idea. Underline
in each paragraph the supporting ideas as in the example

Paragraph one

Topic sentence: LONDON biggest and busiest city in Europe

Topic + controlling idea

Support:

Do the same with the other paragraphs

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 8. Write the outline of the following description

The House of my Dreams

Imagine waking up to the sound of birds singing in the trees outside and warm sunlight shining through your
bedroom window. This is what I dream of when I imagine my ideal house.

It would be a small wooden cottage surrounded by a neat green lawn stretching all the way down to a river.
There would be colourful flowers gently swaying in the cool breeze and an orchard at the back of the house
with trees full of sweet and juicy oranges, apples and pears.

My house would be comfortable. It would have a large, bright kitchen where I could sit quietly at a wooden
table admiring the view of the garden through the window. My living room would be simple, with basic
furniture like a long soft sofa and two large armchairs. It would also have a fireplace so I could keep warm on
cold windy nights. There would also be several wooden bookcases full of books to keep me company. My
bedroom would have a four-poster bed with a white linen bad cover and the walls would be painted a soothing
pale blue.

If I could choose, I would live in a house just like this with its beautiful natural surroundings and peaceful
atmosphere.

9. Once you have the outline, find in the text:

9.1.Adjectives and adverbs in the description

9.2.Expressions connected with the senses
9.3.How is the concluding sentence connected with the other paragraphs?

10. Read the following description and fill in the missing prepositions. Then write the
outline of the text.

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 11. Complete the directions with the following prepositions: across – along – from – out of
– past – to (x2) – towards- on

Tony (on the phone): Hi, Angie, it’s me again. I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m in the post
office and I can’t remember how to get ……………..the Red Lion …………………… here.

Angie: That’s OK. The Red Lion is on King Street, so when you are ……………… the Post Office,
you should turn right and walk ………………… the cathedral. Go ……………..Port Street and turn
left when you reach Baker Street. Walk …………….. Baker Street …………….. King Street and turn
right. The Red Lion will be ………… your right just ……………. The library.

12. Add these prepositions to the following paragraphs from the beginning of a novel:

Along – from – into – on (x2) – over – through – towards (x2)

She stands up in the garden where she has been working and looks into the distance. She has
sensed a shift in the weather. There is another gust of wind, a buckle of noise in the air, and the tall
cypresses sway. She turns and moves uphill …………….. the house, climbing …………… a low wall,
feeling the first drops of rain …………….her bare hands. She crosses the hall and quickly enters the
house.

In the kitchen, she doesn’t pause but goes ……………….it and climbs the stairs which are in
darkness and then continues …………… the long hall, at the end of which is a wedge of
light ………….an open door.

She turns …………….the room which is another garden – this one made up of trees and bowers
painted over its walls and ceiling. The man lies …………the bed, his body exposed to the breeze,
and he turns his head slowly …………..her as she enters.