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How to Write Descriptively

The document provides a guide on writing a descriptive article, emphasizing the use of sensory details and literary devices to engage readers. It includes exercises on comparing descriptive language, creating sense matrices, and structuring articles effectively. Additionally, it offers advice on audience awareness and the importance of vivid language and spatial order in writing.

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16 views5 pages

How to Write Descriptively

The document provides a guide on writing a descriptive article, emphasizing the use of sensory details and literary devices to engage readers. It includes exercises on comparing descriptive language, creating sense matrices, and structuring articles effectively. Additionally, it offers advice on audience awareness and the importance of vivid language and spatial order in writing.

Uploaded by

hydrophobic
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Name: __________________ Class: _____ ( / ) Date: ___________________

Writing a descriptive article


A. Watch the video from TED-Ed to learn how to write descriptively and
answer the following questions.
([Link]

How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson

1. How does a writer suck his/her readers into the world he/she has
created?

2.
A: Billie’s legs are noodles. B: Billie feels nauseated and
The ends of her hair are poison weak.
needles.
Her tongue is a bristly sponge, and
her eyes are bags of bleach.
Kelly Link, Secret Identity

a) Compare the two versions above. Which one is more interesting? Why?

b) Identify two literary device(s) used in version A. __________________________

3. What are the senses that fiction plays with?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. a) In the clip, Hopkinson has analysed the quote from Tobia S. Buckell in Hurricane Fever. Fill in the
blanks below.
“The world was ghost-quiet, except for the crack of sails and the burbling of water against hull.”
The words “ ”, “ ”, “ ” engage the sense of . Notice
that Buckell doesn’t use the generic word sound. Each word he chooses evokes a
of sound. Then, like an artist laying on washes of colour to give the sense of to a painting,
he adds another layer, , “the crack of sails,” and touch, “the burbling of water against hull.”
Finally, he gives us an by linking the word quiet with the word ghost. Not “quiet
as a ghost”, which would put a distancing layer of simile between the reader and the experience. Instead,
Buckell creates the “ghost-quiet” for an implied, rather than an overt, comparison.

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Name: __________________ Class: _____ ( / ) Date: ___________________

5. Advice from Hopkinson for a good piece of descriptive writing:


Step 1: use - words to engage sound, , , touch,
smell and .
Step 2: Create u c among your story elements, and set your
readers’ brushfire, imaginations alight.

B. Senses
A good way to practice thinking about what things are like is to use a sense matrix
(table).

Here is an example of a sense matrix about a paragraph of “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar
Wilde. Please read the paragraph and find out how Oscar Wilde described the beauty
of the Garden before the Giant came back. One example of each sense has been given
as an example.

It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers
like stars, and there were twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke out into delicate blossoms of
pink and pearl, and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the
children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. "How happy we are here!" they cried to each
other.

SENSE MATRIX
Senses Sight Smell Touch Taste Sound
When the - Large, lovely - Soft grass - Grass -sweetness - birds singing
children garden - - of the peach
were -
playing in
the Giant’s
garden …

Elements of writing a descriptive article


1. Descriptive language - Sense Impressions

Sentences Senses used


The garden was very lovely. The sweet scent of flowers was floating
in the air.
The city was lit up in bright colours, and the children were playing

2
Name: __________________ Class: _____ ( / ) Date: ___________________
happily with their glimmering lanterns.
The sound of firecrackers could be heard nearly everywhere in
the city, creating a very happy atmosphere.
The open window allowed a cool spring breeze to caress my
cheeks.
The bitter taste of the pre-trip travel sickness pill still clung to back
of my throat.

2. Spatial order
Look at the following short paragraphs. In which paragraph is spatial order used in a more organized way?

The paragraph that uses spatial order more effectively is paragraph _____.

3. Use similes and metaphors


A. Simile: use words such as ‘like’, ‘as … as’ or ‘as if’ to make a comparison.
e.g. Mrs. Mills was like a magician.
As sly as a fox, as strong as an ox, as fast as a hare, as brave as a bear … (Lenka- Everything at once)
B. Metaphor: uses words such as ‘is’. The comparison is much less obvious.
Mrs. Mills was a magician.

4. Use vivid and precise language

The food was unappetizing. The pale turkey slices floated limply in a pool of murky fat.
He is a good student. He is an attentive student.

5. Use __________ tense – proofread your work!


3
Name: __________________ Class: _____ ( / ) Date: ___________________
6. Use linking words
Events should be written in the order they happened. To show sequence of events, linking words should be
used. Put down some examples of linking words in the box below.

7. Structure your article ***


Introduction –start with a bang!
Body paragraphs (Give clear Topic sentences, elaboration and examples!)
Conclusion

8. Show audience awareness ***


Make sure you know who your target readers are before you start writing!

Writing topic:
When it rains heavily in the morning on school days, many teachers and schoolmates become all wet after
they arrive GHS. Unless the red rainstorm signal is on, we still need to have lessons. Based on what you’ve
experienced/ observed during heavy rain, write a descriptive article to the school anchor sharing 3 pieces of
advice for S.1 schoolmates.
Draft:
Introduction

Body paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraph 3

Conclusion

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Name: __________________ Class: _____ ( / ) Date: ___________________

Common questions

Powered by AI

A 'sense matrix' encourages writers to explore and utilize all five senses when describing a scene, thus enriching the narrative with a multi-sensory experience. For instance, in Oscar Wilde's 'The Selfish Giant,' the sense of sight is used with "large lovely garden," touch is evoked with "soft grass," and sound is incorporated with "birds singing." This holistic approach to description can make the environment come alive to the reader .

Version A is more compelling because it utilizes vivid imagery and metaphor, which engage the reader's imagination. The description "Billie’s legs are noodles" and "Her eyes are bags of bleach" invokes strong, unusual comparisons that captivate the reader's attention, unlike the straightforward description of nausea and weakness in version B. These literary devices spark curiosity and a sense of wonder about the character's physical state .

Similes and metaphors enhance descriptive writing by creating vivid and imaginative comparisons that make the text more engaging and memorable. Similes, typically using 'like' or 'as,' can make descriptions more relatable and picturesque, e.g., "Mrs. Mills was like a magician." Metaphors provide more implicit comparisons, offering depth, as in "Mrs. Mills was a magician," encouraging readers to infer and explore meanings, enriching their engagement with the text .

A writer can effectively immerse readers into a fictional world by using vivid descriptive language that engages the senses, creating a sensory-rich experience. For example, rather than using generic descriptions, a writer might use specific and evocative words like "crack" and "burbling" to create a vivid auditory image. Nalo Hopkinson suggests using metaphors and implied comparisons, such as "ghost-quiet," to emotionally and vividly portray a setting .

Using vivid and precise language in a descriptive article is important because it creates strong, clear images in the reader’s mind, increasing engagement and understanding. For example, the description “The pale turkey slices floated limply in a pool of murky fat” offers a more specific and impactful image than merely stating the food was "unappetizing." Precise language eliminates ambiguity, making the text more evocative and memorable .

Tobias S. Buckell uses sensory words like "crack" and "burbling" to vividly describe sounds, creating a layered auditory experience. This choice of language avoids generic terms like 'sound' and instead paints a picture that allows readers to virtually 'hear' the scene. The use of 'ghost-quiet' adds an emotionally charged layer to the description, merging auditory imagery with a haunting silence .

The document advises starting with a compelling introduction and using body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, examples, and elaborations to convey vivid experiences during heavy rain at school. It emphasizes audience awareness and suggests structuring the article with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Writers are encouraged to use sensory language and vivid descriptions to engage readers and share practical advice for S.1 schoolmates to navigate such situations .

The crucial steps include using words to engage all senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell—and creating unity among story elements to ignite readers' imaginations. This involves constructing nuanced sensory descriptions and weaving these elements seamlessly into the narrative to facilitate a vivid and coherent world .

Spatial order is effectively used in descriptive writing to organize descriptions logically, guiding the reader’s visualization through a scene in a coherent manner. For instance, beginning from the foreground and moving to the background, or detailing elements from top to bottom, helps readers form a mental image that aligns with the author's intended portrayal. It provides a clear directional flow, enhancing the spatial understanding of the narrative environment .

Audience awareness is crucial in structuring a descriptive article as it guides the tone, level of detail, and language complexity that a writer employs. Understanding the target audience enables the writer to tailor content to resonate with readers' expectations and interests, ensuring relevance and engagement. This awareness influences the choice of examples, the depth of explanation needed, and the type of sensory details incorporated into the text .

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