The Basic Outlook of a Descriptive Sentences

STUDY THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH CLOSELY

My grammatical errors and typo errors should be tackle with common sense.

The night was crooked like never before. It brought a chilly and foul air across the city to a lawn outside my house.  My legs were fully stretched and my palms were resting behind my head. The summer green grass underneath was warm and feathery.  My eyes were looking for the moon amid those twinkling stars. However, the yellow crescent moon was playing hide and seek with an ugly looking cloud. I was waiting for the Nightjar to sing her sweet song as usual but all I could hear was the continuous hooting of an owl which made the night even more ghostly.


In the above paragraph, I have used all the four features of the descriptive essay which we have discussed in our ealier lesson.

1.The most vivid pictorial details from the above paragraph:

Example form above Paragraph:
a. My legs were fully stretched and my palms were resting behind my head. (This gives picture in the minds of the readers how the speaker is lying outside his home.)

2.  Use of  Figurative Language from the above paragraph:
b. The night was crooked like never before. It brought a chilly and foul air across the city to a lawn outside my house. (The night is personified)
c. However, the yellow crescent moon was playing hide and seek with an ugly looking cloud. (Moon and cloud personified)
Use of personification is just an example you may use other too but as i said "DON'T OVER USE IT!" Remember we are writing an essay not lyrical poem.

3. Sensory Language
LETS EXAMINE THE WHOLE PARAGRAPH AND FIND OUT THE FIVE SENSORY WORDS:

a. The night was crooked like never before. It brought a damp and foul air across the city to a lawn outside my house.  My legs were fully stretched and my palms were resting behind my head. The summer green grass underneath was warm and feathery.  My eyes were looking for the moon amid those twinkling stars. However, the yellow crescent moon was playing hide and seek with an ugly looking cloud. I was waiting for the Nightjar to sing her sweet song as usual but all I could hear was the continuous hooting of an owl perched on an old juicy gooseberry tree.  The crooked night became even more ghostly.

The following table shows the sensory words accordingly:

All the underlined words are arranged according to its senses in above table. the point is as we write we should include sensory words which will naturally show sensory details. at our level, we should explore how to use compound words especially compound adjectives such as "green grass", "Crooked night", "sweet song" etc. At times, you wont able to include all the five senses and that absolutely "OK!"

4/ Intense/Strong Feelings
Descriptive essay is also personal essay like narrative essay. therefore the writer feelings must reflect in your essay. the above paragraph tells that the speaker is experience eerie feeling. There is  also a feeling of disappointing as he is not able to fulfill his wish of listening to the song of the Nightjar. The term"ghostly" clearly indicates that he was feeling spooky at that moment. So expressing your feelings through words in descriptive writing is indispensable. 

I HOPE I MADE SENSE TO YOU ALL....Drop me messages for further discussion!
GOOD LUCK...STAY AT HOME!!! COVID-19 MUST BE DEFEATED!!!

Features of Descriptive Essay

1. The pictorial details

The biggest ever challenge of the writer is to pen down picture worded paragraphs in descriptive essay. Now, the question is-how to create pictures in the mind of the readers. As a writer, we should be showing rather than telling. Study the example given below:

Example 1

Dema is nervous. The is the example of telling the readers rather than showing. This sentence informs the reader rather than creating a picture of Dema being nervous. Now check the second example.

Example 2

Dema’s breathing became uneasy, her hands were sweaty and she could hear her heart pounding. Her throat became dry and she almost choked when she began to speak.

This is showing-here, the reader can picture how Dema is feeling.  As a writer, we have to remind that we should show instead of simply informing.

Exercise 1 

Dema is angry. (This is telling, show her anger using 2-3 sentences) 

 2. Figurative language

Use of figurative language is must in descriptive writing. it gives a fresh look to your sentences. the figurative language largely revolved around simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole and idiomatic phrases.

Example1  shows the absence of figurative language which should be avoided

Dema is nervous.

Example 2

Dechen began to feel butterflies in her stomach when was about deliver her speech. The underlined words is an idiomatic expression which cen be equated to a figurative language.

Example 3

Dema was as nervous as cat. She could only manage to stammer as she stood before the podium.  The underlined sentence is simile.

Meek like a mouse, she stood before a murmuring crowd. ( we can play with  figurative language however, we must be careful not to use it excessively.)

Exercise 2

Describe the image given below in 3-4 sentences. Remember? Show-don't tell! 

  

3. Sensory Details (imagery)

As a writer, one should include the sensory details. Describing using the sense of touch, smell, sound, taste and sight is key to descriptive writing. The graphical representation of the sensory language is shown below:

Exercise 3

Identify the sensory words from the given sentences below:

Sound	Smell	Touch	Taste	Sight
The door was creaking as I entered the room.	The room is musty due to monsoon season.	The floor felt wet and smooth to my tired feet.	I ate  a Salty,crunchy potatoes chips with an oily burger.	Dechen has a rosy cheek with a glittering blue eyes.

  

In the next session, I will show you a descriptive paragraph with all the four features.  We have discussed the three features above; the fourth feature will be discussed along with descriptive paragraph. In the mean time,  make notes and complete the exercise. 

How to look at Descriptive Essay...

THE FOLLOWING LESSON IS MEANT FOR CLASS IX STUDENTS OF MENDRELGANG CENTRAL SCHOOL.  Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, the students and the language teacher has decided to continue learning through blogging in absence of normal schooling. The language used will be casual and error prone, common sense should prevail in such mode of learning due to various factors.

Descriptive Essay

Provides detailed pictorial description of a person, place, thing or an animal. Descriptive essay should show rather than telling. It should show through sound,smell,appearance,taste and touch. Painting a clear picture with words in the mind of readers is the main objective of any descriptive writing.  lets look at the features of the essay below:

I have listed down these four key features that you should include while writing a descriptive essay. You should ensure how to get these features reflected in your essay. so before we discuss these features in detail, you may copy the given information and reflect on these features. In my next post, we will discuss the features one by one. Drop me your doubts via facebook or SMS me.