Descriptive Paragraph

Basic Writing

WTUC

What is a descriptive paragraph?

• Describes how something or someone looks or feels

• It gives an impression of something

• Include how the writer feels

• ‘shows’ the reader

• Creates a sensory image on the reader’s mind

Read Paragraph 54

• Samovar Memory, p. 123

Describing with the Five Senses

• Use words that appeal or all of the five senses-

• Sight

• Taste

• Touch

• Hearing

• Smell

Answers will vary

Activity 1, p. 124

• Answers will vary

Activity 2, p. 124:

• Answers will vary.

Activity 3, pp. 125–129:

Paragraph 55, p.125: 1. A subway station. 2. Answers may vary.3. Sight: broken clock showing 4:30; poster; deep,

blue skies; lone palm tree; sapphire waters; smell: smelly staircase; hearing: crying child; two old men are arguing; little noise

4. Present progressive tense (to make the reader feel like he or she is experiencing the description).

Paragraph 56, p.126:

1. A tornado. 2. Past tense. Suggested answers: begin, touch, hu

rl, rip, throw, use, roar, be, can. 3. Sight: descend; swirling clouds; ripped the roof fr

om an old house; uprooted trees and cars. hearing: winds roared like a wild4. Suggested adjectives: long, slender, swirling, de

adly, old, ferocious, wild, delicate (Feeling descriptions will vary.)

beast.

Paragraph 57, p.128:

1. What Mother did for her rose garden. 2. all of the sentences are necessary.3. a. She ripped out weeds that might be a d

anger to the flowers. b. She killed insects.

Language Focus, p. 130

• Adjectives are important in a descriptive paragraph.

• An adjective usually answers the question:– Which one? [this, that, these, those]– What kind? [big, old, yellow, crumpled]– How many? [some, few, many, two]– How much? [enough, bountiful, less, more]

Use adjectives in the correct place

• Adjectives come before the nouns they modify/describes

• Adjectives appear after a linking verb. – The teacher is intelligent.

Activity 4, pp. 131–132:

1. C 2. on the old blackboard3. a long letter 4. C 5. a great place 6. C 7. C 8. C 9. an excellent example 10. deep green feathers

Activity 5, p. 132:

• Answers will vary.

Activity 6, pp. 132-133:

• Answers will vary.

Activity 7, pp. 134-135:

• 1. Paragraph 57: the vital quality of the Blue River; Paragraph 58: the polluted quality of the Blue River

• 2. The Blue River is attractive and full of life (important, fresh, clear, wide, colorful, abundant, beautiful, tall, shade, green, healthy, wild, sweet, grassy)

• 3. The Blue River is unappealing and polluted (sluggish, brown, few, scrawny, limited, dirty, old, gray, dying, wild, polluted)

• 4. abundant/limited, green/gray, healthy/dying, sweet/polluted

Activity 8, pp. 135–137:

• 1. Paragraph 58: The Blue River Paragraph 59: The Blue River

• 2. Paragraph 58: the river is clean and beautiful “fresh, clear water …wide variety of fish…shade trees…grassy banks”

• 3. Paragraph 59: the river is dirty with “sluggish brown water …few fish or plants…scrawny trout…old trees are gray and dying…polluted river”

• 4. 58: fresh clear water 59: sluggish brown water 58: variety of fish 59: few fish 58: green, healthy shade trees. 59: gray dying trees

Activity 9, p. 137:

• Answers will vary.

Activity 11, p. 139-143: Paragraph 61, p.139:

• 1. b • 2. a • 3. 15 • 4. carefully arranged books, a few newspa

pers, an old television with nothing on it, peaceful beach scene

• 5. the left side of the room with the television could be described in greater detail.

• Paragraph 62, p. p.141:

• 1. d

• 2. a

• 3. – a) the tablet is in her left hand – b) the statue stands on a 150 foot tall pedesta

l, – c) the torch is in her raised right hand

Activity 12, p. 144:

• Paragraph 63, p.144: objects: office, cheeks, neck, blouse, world comma errors: big, beautiful, … earrings,