TED Ankara College English Department7th GRADE ENGLISH II

Name:____________________ Class:________ Number:______________

Writing a Descriptive ParagraphLike every paragraph, a descriptive paragraph uses a topic sentence to state the main idea and the controlling idea that guides the rest of the paragraph. The controlling idea gives more information about what kinds of details and support the paragraph will give.

The supporting sentences will give details and information about the subject so the reader gets a good mental image. A good descriptive paragraph will not just give information and opinions about the subject, but will make the subject come alive. The reader should be able to imagine the subject clearly. The supporting sentences should all lead naturally to the conclusion.

The concluding sentence of the descriptive paragraph will be connected to the main idea, but restating the meaning using different words. It will usually include an overall impression or opinion about the subject.

Descriptive paragraphs usually include opinions, but the focus is on the information and details that

lead to that opinion.

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Hotel Vitale†

Hotel Vitale is my favorite place to stay because of its extremely calming, natural atmosphere. This luxury hotel is located in San Francisco, California, on the San Francisco Bay. The hotel lives up to its slogan of "luxury, naturally" through the use of natural elements and soothing music. The rooms contain large windows that let in a lot of bright sunlight and allow guests to look out at the water. Natural materials such as wood and stone are used throughout the hotel, and lit-up river stones sit on the bedside tables in each room. Fresh lavender above the doors fills the rooms with a beautiful, fresh scent. Hotel Vitale completes its natural image with a Muzak soundtrack that features calming instrumental music in the lobby and livelier music in the lounge. When guests enjoy the hotel's hot spas on the roof deck and listen to peaceful music, they feel as if they are in paradise. Hotel Vitale has succeeded in creating a powerful yet calming energy through its design. This hotel is more than just a place to stay; it is an unforgettable experience.

† Paragraph adapted from Focus on Writing 3, Pearson

main idea

controlling ideaTOPIC

SENTENCE

SUPPORTING SENTENCES

(8)

adjectivesprepositional

phrases

Using Adjectives and Prepositional Phrases

Adjectives can give us more information about the qualities of a noun, and prepositional phrases tell us more about the location, motion and relations of a noun.

Write a sentence (of your own) that uses at least 3 adjectives and one prepositional phrase

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A Great Living RoomMy living room is small, but tidy and well organized. On the right, there is a wooden bookcase with four

shelves. On top of the bookcase is a small lamp with a dark base and a blue lampshade. The first and third shelves are filled with some of my favorite books, including an English-French dictionary. On the second shelf, there is an old clock with faded numbers on it that my grandfather gave me when I was young. On the opposite side of the room is a television set with a DVD player and my small movie collection on top of it. Between the television and the bookcase is a large sofa. Lying near the other end of the sofa is one of my cat's toys. In front of the sofa, there is a long coffee table with short legs. On the right side of this table are two magazines. Perhaps the most striking thing in the room is the beautiful beach painting above the sofa. The painting shows a peaceful scene with a sailboat on the right, far from the beach. Although it is a small room, everything in my living room TASK:

Underline the adjectives in the paragraph.

Look at that blue car!

That car is blue.

Be careful on the slippery ice!

Be careful! The ice is slippery!

Adjectives are more interesting when they have more meaning. Simple adjectives like good/ bad/ big/ small don't add as much to a description as friendly/ useless/ monstrous/ microscopic.

Location can be described using phrases.The car is in the garage. --- The monster hid the bed. --- The rainbow stretched --- The cat in the tree was meowing loudly.

Write down any 3 prepositional phrases used in this paragraph.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________

IMPROVE THE PARAGRAPHChange 3 adjectives in the paragraph into adjectives that you find more interesting and informative.1. _____________________ ________________________

2. _____________________ ________________________

3. _____________________ ________________________

Appealing to the Senses

You can appeal to the five senses (sight/ smell/ sound/ taste/ touch) easily, using adjectives, as well as similes and comparisons.

E.g. The cheese smelled like a dirty sock.The white sand sparkled like millions of diamonds.The baby's piercing cry sounded like an ambulance.

Many adjectives also give information to help the reader imagine the senses.

1. How does this description of a farm appeal to the senses?

a) What can you see?_____________________ b) What can you smell? ________________________

c) What can you hear? ___________________ d) What can you touch? ________________________

e) What can you taste? ____________________

2. For each of the senses, think of 1 noun (not from the paragraph), and use an adjective that can describe the noun for that sense. The first example is given.

a) Sight noun ___ FLOWER __________________ adj _____ PURPLE_______ _________ b) Sound noun ______________________________ adj ______________________________c) Touch noun ______________________________ adj ______________________________d) Taste noun ______________________________ adj ______________________________e) Smell noun ______________________________ adj ______________________________

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Fantastic Fun at a Fabulous Farm

My grandparents' farm is a huge and fascinating place that can overload your senses if you try to take it all in. You walk into the huge red barn through a wide wooden door that creaks as you push it aside. You're surrounded by the grassy smell of hay and the earthy smell of the dirt floor as you wander between the dark stalls, hearing the quiet snorts of cows and horses eating. You can climb the rough ladder into the dark hayloft, but be careful: If you jump around in the dry hay, your arms and neck will be itching and scratching for hours. In the barnyard, your ears are teased by the soft sound of sheep chewing on grass, and the light clippity-clop of horses trotting on the road. After a day spent outside in the bright, hot sun, you can walk inside and my grandmother will serve you a dish of cold, sweet ice-cream, made from buttery farm-fresh milk and red strawberries picked right in the backyard. You'll never run

3. Think of one noun and give it a brief description for each of the five senses.

Noun ________________________

Sight _______________________ Sound _______________________ Taste _______________________

Smell _______________________ Touch _______________________

4. Most things can be described using more than one of the senses. What is something that you can easily describe using all five of the senses? _______________________________________

Describe it without adjectives, but appeal to each of the senses:

How does it look? _______________________________________________________

How does it sound? _______________________________________________________

How does it smell? _______________________________________________________

What does it taste like? _______________________________________________________

What does it feel like? _______________________________________________________

5. Abstract nouns can be difficult to describe using the senses. Pick one of the following: Joy/Peace/Fear/Creativity

Now, describe it using qualities that aren't all based on the senses. To do this, think about things that it is similar to, what it is used for (function), or what it does. Be creative.

It reminds me of ___________________________________________________________________________________It acts like ___________________________________________________________________________________________It is never ___________________________________________________________________________________________It always ____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. How would you describe the following?

a) Happiness ________________________________________________________________________________________

b) Sadness ________________________________________________________________________________________

c) Freedom ________________________________________________________________________________________

d) Boredom ________________________________________________________________________________________

e) Homework ________________________________________________________________________________________

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Similes and MetaphorsSimiles and metaphors are very helpful for making a description interesting. Instead of saying something simple like "She is very tall", you can use a simile: "She was as tall as an oak tree." Instead of just saying "The dog was very skinny", use a simile like "The dog’s legs looked as thin and weak as twigs."

A Use similes to make the following descriptions more interesting. Remember to use the structure “… as _______ as _______ …” Eg. He was gentle: ___He was as gentle as a lamb . __

1. He was strong.____________________________________________________________________________

2. The house was dirty.______________________________________________________________________

3. The water was cold. ______________________________________________________________________

4. She was very smart. ____________________________________________________________

B Write down something that you could compare to each of the following. Explain why you believe they are similar.

1. A Mountain is like ______________________ because ______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Cold Water is like ______________________ because ______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. A Snowflake is like ______________________ because _____________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. A Brick Wall is like ______________________ because __________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Tissue Paper is like ______________________ because _____________________________________

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Using AdverbsAdverbs give more information about verbs and adjectives. In a descriptive paragraph, they are especially helpful for describing action.

There are many types of adverbs:Adverbs of manner: fast, loudly, happily, easily… Adverbs of time: soon, immediately, later… Adverbs of place: there, near, everywhere… Adverbs of degree: very, quite, somewhat… Adverbs of frequency: seldom, often, rarely…

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Magnum MadnessWhen I was 12 years old, I rode the scariest

roller-coaster I've ever been on. The Magnum XL-200 was a record-breaking ride that reached 115 kph. It was taller and faster than any roller-coaster in the world. The ride began suddenly with a lurch that pushed you back into your seat, speeding around a corner, then slowly starting the first climb up a 65 meter rise. The chain clicked loudly and steadily, building tension as the ground quickly sank farther and farther below me. My heart pounded loudly and I felt like the climb was never going to end. I nervously looked down and saw tiny people and cars scurrying around. When we reached the top of the climb, we sat there for what seemed like forever. The cart crept slowly over the crest of the hill, and I nervously looked straight down the track at a 65 meter, 60° drop. When we started the drop, everyone screamed loudly and shut their eyes tightly, gripping the handles of the carts like their life depended on it. We went up and down hills, thrown back and forth by the turns, racing madly through pitch black tunnels. When the terrifying experience was over, we all ran eagerly to get back in line to immediately ride it again.

Note: Adverbs commonly end in -ly, but not all adverbs end in -ly, and not every word that ends in -ly is an adverb.

Underline all the adverbs in the paragraph

Remember the structure of the paragraph: Topic sentence (including a main idea and a controlling idea) Supporting sentences Concluding sentence (connected to the main idea) Ten Sentences

Use adjectives, prepositional phrases and adverbs to give more information.Use details that appeal to the senses.

In your notebook...

Adverbs often answer the question "How was it done?" How was the cake eaten? It was eaten quickly. How did you talk? I quietly spoke to my friend. How were they dressed? They were fashionably dressed.

Peer EditingWhen you're done writing, there's still more work to do before you're finished. After the preparation, brainstorming, and writing, you should still get help from friends and other writers. Let them read what you wrote, and ask them to share their opinions so you can have a deeper understanding of another viewpoint.

Find a partner and exchange your writing with each other. Be ready to explain your work.

Complete the following To-Do list in response to each other's paragraph. Be ready to explain your answers.

Checklist of issues for the peer editor to consider:

Word choice -- Can you suggest more effective or interesting vocabulary?

Clarity -- What phrases or sentences are confusing? Suggest improvements.

Details -- Are there enough details to make the description come alive?

Adjectives -- Do they add meaning and texture to the description?

Interesting -- Is there a point to the paragraph? Are there boring sections?

Grammar -- Help with any mistakes in tenses, plurals, structure, etc.

Spelling -- Check it!

Punctuation -- Check periods, commas, apostrophes, question marks etc.

Format -- Check indentation, margins, spacing, neatness, etc.

If you want, you can read your paragraph in front of the class when you're done.

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