Descriptive writing

Elements of Descriptive Writing

1. Descriptive Writing

2. 1)What Is Descriptive Writing ?    Descriptive writing  creates a picture of a person, place, thing, or event.  Description  tells what something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels like. 

3. 2) Elements of Descriptive Writing Good descriptive writing is comprised of five elements; Sensory Details Figurative Language Dominant impression Precise language Careful Organization .

4. 1 ) Sensory Details    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 a pictures of the feelings the person, place or thing invokes the writer.

5. Good descriptive writing often makes use of figurative language to help paint the picture in the reader's mind. There are many ways to use figurative language, and it is a talent that should be practiced until perfected.   -A simile uses  like  or  as  to compare two unlike things. Example : Her smile was like sunshine . -A metaphor compares two unlike things without using like or as:  Example : Her smile was a light that lit up the room . -Personification suggests comparison between a nonliving thing and a person by giving the nonliving thing human traits 2) Figurative Language    

6. When you plan a descriptive essay, your focus on selecting details that help your readers see what you see , feel what you feel , and experience what you experience . Your goal is to create a single dominant impression, a central theme or idea to which all the details relate-for example, the liveliness of a street scene or the quiet of a summer night . This dominant impression unifies the description and gives readers an overall sense of what the person, place, object, or scene looks like(and perhaps what it sounds, smells, tastes, or feels like). Sometimes_but not always_your details will support a thesis making a point about the subject you are describing . 3) Dominant Impression

7. Good descriptive writing uses precise language. Using specific words and phrases will help the reader “see” what you are describing. If a word or phrase is specific, it is exact and precise. The opposite of specific language is language that is vague, general, or fuzzy. 4) Precise Language

8. Good descriptive writing is organized. Some ways to organize descriptive writing include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. 5) Careful Organization

9. 3)Transition Words and Phrases that Signal Description. . Transitions used in descriptive writing vary depending on whether you are describing a person, a place, or a thing. Here are some examples of transitions that might be used in descriptive contexts :

10. To show spatial order or direction

11. To show order of importance

12. To show time order

13. 4)The Structure of a Descriptive Essay

14. “Dark shapes glide through the night sky on silent wings, their sinister shadows outlined against the light of a full moon. Swooping down to the earth, they hover near houses and deserted buildings, breaking the peace of the night with their disturbing presence. Carriers of disease, drinkers of blood, companions of witches and demons, bats – the very word brings a shiver of fear to most people.” ~ Sylvia A. Johnson, Bats

15. “Anybody could see how cold it got. The wind already had glass edges to it, stiffening muscles and practically cutting through the stitches of our clothes. When it blew, the chill stabbed our teeth like icicles, and our voices jiggled every time we talked.” From Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida by Victor Martinez

16. Things to Remember About Descriptive Writing Be specific , not vague. Elaborate (add more details and expand your ideas). Use vivid vocabulary (strong nouns, verbs, and adjectives). Include details that relate to your five senses.

17. LET’S TRY THIS