Basic Concepts

The EST Paragraph

§ The EST paragraph is defined as follows:

The EST paragraph is a unit of written English discourse

that presents the reader with a selected amount of
information on a given area of a subject. This information
is so organised by the writer that the rhetorical concepts
chosen and the relationships between these concepts
are the most functional for both the rhetorical purpose
of the paragraph and for the level of the reader; that is,
the reader’s position in respect to the subject matter
under discussion -beginner, expert, etc.
The EST Paragraph

§ Writer’s rhetorical concepts: There is an objective or

purpose from writing the EST discourse. E.g. detailing

an experiment, making a recommendation, presenting

new hypotheses or theory, stating a problem, reporting

past research, presenting information on apparatus

used in an experiment, presenting other types of EST

information.
The EST Paragraph

§ Writer’s rhetorical functions: To fulfil the objective, the

writer uses a set of functions to develop his concepts,

so he uses description (physical, function, and

process), definition, classification, instruction, visual-

verbal relationship, etc.

The EST Paragraph

§ Writer’s rhetorical techniques: there are many

linguistic tools that bind the information together to

make the EST paragraph both cohesive and coherent.

They show clearly the relationship within and between

the writer’s rhetorical functions such as time order

(chronology, process), space order (general, specific),

causality and result, order of importance (most

important, less important), comparison and contrast,

analogy, exemplification, illustration (Fig. table, etc.).

Description

§ Description is the pattern of narrative development

that aims to make vivid a place, object, character, or
group. Description is one of four rhetorical modes (also
known as modes of discourse), along with exposition,
argumentation, and narration.

§ In EST discourse, this rhetorical function is divided into

three types, each of which has distinct characteristics
and a clear-cut set of purposes.
Description
§ Physical Description: has to do with the physical nature of
whatever is being discussed.

§ Function Description: is concerned with the purpose of some

devices (usually machinery) and how the parts of that device
work separately and with one another and with the whole.

§ Process Description: deals with processes and procedures

and is characterised by the detailing of a series of steps, each
but the first usually dependent on the previous step and all
aimed at achieving a definite goal. Process description is
considered by many to be a special case in itself (and is so
frequently found in EST discourse) that we choose to treat it as
a separate type of the rhetorical function of description.
Describing an Object
§ A paragraph to describe objects consists of 5 parts:
1. Function/ Use
2. Components/ Parts
3. Characteristics
• material
• shape/ figure
• dimensions
• property
• Colour
4. Position
5. Connection between parts
Language Focus

1. Function/Use

§ A drum is used for making music.

§ A drum is used to make music.

2. Components/Parts

• A hammer consists of a handle and a head.

is made up of
is composed of
• A hammer includes a handle and a head.
• A hammer has two parts: a handle and a head.
sections: one is a handle, the other is a head.
components: one is a handle, the other is a head.
3. Characteristics

a. Material

§ A chair is made of wood.

§ Bread is made from wheat.
§ This kind of car is made by a big company in Japan.
b. Shape/Figure

§ A coin is shaped like a circle.

§ A coin is circular in shape.
§ A coin is circular.
 Noun Adjective

Square Square
Rectangle Rectangular
Triangle Triangular
Ellipse Elliptical
Semicircle Semicircular
Circle Circular
Cube Cubic
Pyramid Pyramidal
Cone Conical
Hemisphere Hemispherical
Cylinder Cylindrical
c. Dimensions: length, width, height, depth, thickness,
etc.

§ This building is 250 metres high.

§ This building has a height of 250 metres.
§ The height of this building is 250 metres.
§ This building is 250 metres in height.
Adjectives Noun

Long Length
High Height
Wide Width
Broad Breadth
Deep Depth
d. Property: is a special quality that belongs to the
object.

§ The interior of a Ping-Pong ball is hollow.

§ This book is thick.

§ The glass bottle is fragile.

§ The edge of a table is straight.

§ The sides of a car are flat.

§ The middle of a bottle is curved.

Colour: black, white, green, etc.

4. Position
If the objects to be described are complicated, consisting of
many parts, or appearing in a set, positions must be given.

Example: inside, outside, at the top, on the left/ right, in the

middle, to the right/ left (of), at the bottom, above, over,
between, below, beside, at the end of, behind, in front of, near,
by, etc.

§ The engine is inside the scooter with a headlight at the top.

§ The spare wheel is at the back. There is a petrol cap under

the seat.

§ A car has four headlights at the front. At the top of the engine
is the radiator and at the top is an oil cap.
5. Connection between Parts
Connection is a relationship between two things or more. If
the object has more than one part, we have to describe
them part by part with a connection between them.

Verbs that signal the connection are: attach, detach, join,

connect, support, fix, fit, lead, link, etc.
§ The head of a hammer is fixed to the handle.
§ The rubber tube is fitted over the glass tube.
§ The glass tube is fitted into the rubber tube.
§ The wire leads from the switch to the bulb.
§ The wire links between the switch and the bulb.
§ The wheels of a car are detached from the body of a car.
§ The wheels of a car are connected by the axles.
Examples of a Paragraph to Describe Objects

A mixer is used for mixing food. The mixer is

made of metal and plastic. It consists of 5 parts: a
base, a stand, a motor housing, beaters, and a bowl.
The base is rectangular in shape. It is 12 cm wide
and 15 cm long. The stand which is supported by
the base is 30 cm in height. The motor housing
which contains a motor is joined to the stand. The
steel beaters are very hard and tough. They are
fitted in the gearbox. The glass bowl is hard and
brittle. The edge of the bowl is circular. The glass
bowl is detached from the base.
Examples of a Paragraph to Describe Objects

A kettle is a metal container which is used for

boiling water. It consists of 4 main parts: a vessel, a
lid, a spout, and a handle. The vessel is 7 inches
high. It is hollow and spherical in shape. The base is
flat and circular. It has a diameter of 6 inches. On
the top of the vessel, there is a convex lid with a
plastic knob in the middle. The lid is 5 inches in
diameter. Above the lid is as curved handle which is
covered with plastic at the middle part. At the side
of the vessel is a conical spout for pouring water out
of the vessel.
Examples of a Paragraph to Describe Objects
A vacuum bottle is a container which is used to keep
liquids either hot or cold. It is composed of a metal container, a
glass bottle, a plastic cap, a cork, and a shock absorber. This
vacuum bottle is 25 inches in height. The outer part of the
bottle consists of a metal container and a plastic cap. The
container is cylindrical in shape. Its base is flat and circular. It
has a diameter of 10 inches. The cap is at the top of the
container. Inside the container, there is a cylindrical glass bottle
with a tapering neck and a cork at the top. The glass bottle is
supported by a spiral shock absorber which is fixed to the base
of the container. It has 2 walls: the inner and the outer. Between
these walls, there is a vacuum to keep the liquid at a constant
temperature.
spiral (adj.) = cycling around a single point
Thank you for your
attention