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Notes on Descriptive Writing
In this unit you will learn:• Types of descriptive words• Two types of description• How to write a descriptive
sentence• Organizational patterns for
paragraphs• Tips for Writing Description
Notes on Descriptive Writing
Notes on Descriptive Writing
Think of descriptive writing as “writing that shows rather than tells.”
Types of Descriptive Words
• Concrete Words• Polysymbolic Words• Emotionally-impacted Words• Figures of Speech
• Concrete WordsWords that stimulate an impression of one of the five senses
Types of Descriptive Words
Words that stimulate multiple impressions of the five senses
Types of Descriptive Words
• Polysymbolic Words
Concrete and/or polysymbolic words that also carry significant emotional value(s)
Types of Descriptive Words
• Emotionally-impacted Words
Imaginative comparisonsObject
A
Types of Descriptive Words
• Figures of Speech
Object B
Imaginative comparisonsObject
A
Types of Descriptive Words
• Figures of Speech
Object B
!?
Imaginative comparisons• similes• metaphors• personification• anthropomorphism• synecdoche
Types of Descriptive Words
• Figures of Speech
An indirect comparison using “like” or “as”
Types of Descriptive Words
• Similes
A direct comparison suggesting a complete transformation of Object A into Object B
Types of Descriptive Words
• Metaphors
1. Simple metaphor2. Collapsed metaphor3. Abstract metaphor4. Inverted metaphor5. Functional metaphor
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
1. Simple metaphorJohn is a fox.
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
2. Collapsed metaphorJohn, the fox
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
3. Abstract metaphor_____, “fox”
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
4. Inverted metaphorfoxy John
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
5. Functional metaphor“That John! He sure ‘outfoxed’ me!”
Types of Descriptive Words
• Types of Metaphors
Attributing life-like qualities to inanimate objects/subjects
Types of Descriptive Words
• Personification
Attributing specific human-like qualities to inanimate objects/ subjects
Types of Descriptive Words
• Anthropomorphism
Referencing a part of one object to compare that object with another
Types of Descriptive Words
• Synecdoche
Problems with Figures of SpeechA Sample Paragraph
Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surrounding the bank embrace the pond like a mother’s enfolding arms reaching out to caress her sleeping child. Like a beaming proud mother’s eye, the sun drenches the scene with its loving warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, minnows shoot from rock to rock like silver darts thrust like scattershot by some unseen hand.
Problems with Figures of SpeechA Sample Paragraph
Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surrounding the bank embrace the pond like a mother’s enfolding arms reaching out to caress her sleeping child. Like a beaming proud mother’s eye, the sun drenches the scene with its loving warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, minnows shoot from rock to rock like silver darts thrust like scattershot by some unseen hand.
Problems with Figures of SpeechA Sample Paragraph
Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surround the bank. The sun drenches the scene with its warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, like silver darts, minnows shoot from rock to rock.
• Objective Description• Subjective Description
Two Types of Description
Two Types of Description• Objective Description
“technical description”
Concrete WordsPolysymbolic Words
Two Types of Description• Objective Description
“personal description”
Two Types of Description• Subjective Description
Concrete WordsPolysymbolic WordsEmotionally-Impacted WordsFigures of Speech
Two Types of Description• Subjective Description
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
• The descriptive sentence is always an abstraction with specific details.• The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate.• The descriptive sentence supports an objective—one part of the paragraph or another.
• The descriptive sentence is always an abstraction with specific details.Descriptive sentences never
present all the images; each sentence creates a limited picture.
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
• The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate.
Subject -- Predicate
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
• The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate.
Subject Noun – Verb – Object Nouns
Who? What? Where? When? How?
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
• The descriptive sentence supports an objective—one part of the paragraph or another.Clarifies the main idea of the topic
sentenceClarifies primary developmentClarifies secondary development
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
A sample descriptive sentence:The blue-grey laptop computer, perched on the parquet-laminated kitchen table, cluttered with books and papers, displays the PowerPoint abstract background—softly blended graphics that fade into white, punctuated with stiff, black letters.
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
A better descriptive sentence:On its two back legs, the blue-grey laptop computer perched on the parquet-laminated kitchen table.
(subjective description)
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
An alternative descriptive sentence:Raised on back legs, the blue-grey laptop computer was set on the parquet-laminated kitchen table.
(objective description)
Writing the Descriptive Sentence
Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective
Description• Directional Organization• Spatial Organization• Psychological Organization
• Directional OrganizationOrder of the CompassLinearChronologicalSequential
Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective
Description
• Spatial OrganizationGeneral to Specific/Specific to GeneralSmall to Large/Large to SmallFront to Back/Back to FrontInside to Outside/Outside to Inside
Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective
Description
• Psychological OrganizationMost important to least importantLeast important to most importantAssociative (familiarity)Non-associative (random)
Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective
Description
Facing east, the house rests atop two acres of farmland. The gated drive begins at the highway and winds in a gentle “S” across the grassy front lawn and ends at the garage to the left of the main house. Behind the house stretches freshly plowed ground, rows ranging from left to right. A line of oaks crowns the crest of the property.
Sample Paragraph #1
Sample Paragraph #2Resting deeply back in his
chair, his feet crossed on the corner of his desk, Dr. Marsh is fast asleep. The few silver-grey strands of hair sweep back from his receding hairline. His lips sealed loosely, his wide chin rests comfortably over his neck. A pair of black reading glasses dangle on the end of his nose. His chest rises and falls as he snores softly in a slow rhythm. His pulpy hands are folded in his lap over a brown folder of loose pages.
Tips for Descriptive Writing• Focus the descriptive words on the
subject or predicate.• Don’t overwork the detail.• Arrange descriptive sentences consistently, following an organizational plan.• Keep descriptive detail objective in business communications.• Use description along with other developmental patterns.