DESCRIPTION
What is it?
Descriptions are usually found within a larger text, such as:
- a description of a character or a setting in a narrative.
- a description of an animal in an information report.
A description is written to examine or describe features of a particular object, person or experience. This focused writing is on a specific topic or item such as 'My New Car', 'The Venus Flytrap' or 'Steam Trains'. Unlike information reports, descriptions do not include general topics or large groups of things such as 'Cars', 'Plants' or 'Transport'.
My Dog
My dog's name is Rover. He has a small brown nose that looks like a button. His long droopy ears are really cute and sometimes they get wet when he leans over to have a drink.
My dog's name is Rover. He has a small brown nose that looks like a button. His long droopy ears are really cute and sometimes they get wet when he leans over to have a drink.
Types of Descriptions
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1
Factual Descriptions
These types of descriptions are found in larger factual texts such as information reports, biographies and encyclopaedia entries. They describe real things or events.
Look at and discuss some of the factual description topics below.
These types of descriptions are found in larger factual texts such as information reports, biographies and encyclopaedia entries. They describe real things or events.
Look at and discuss some of the factual description topics below.
My bedroom
My little sister
My toy teddy
Can you write some of your own factual description topics?
My little sister
My toy teddy
Can you write some of your own factual description topics?
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Types of Descriptions
2
2
Imaginary Descriptions
These types of descriptions are found in larger imaginary texts such as narratives, plays and poems. They describe make-believe things or events. Good imaginary descriptions allow the reader to create a better picture of the character of the setting in their mind as they listen to a story being read.
Look at and discuss some of the imaginary description topics below.
These types of descriptions are found in larger imaginary texts such as narratives, plays and poems. They describe make-believe things or events. Good imaginary descriptions allow the reader to create a better picture of the character of the setting in their mind as they listen to a story being read.
Look at and discuss some of the imaginary description topics below.
The gingerbread house
The glitter fairy
My alien friend
Can you write some of your own imaginary description topics?
The glitter fairy
My alien friend
Can you write some of your own imaginary description topics?
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Description structure
1
Opening Statement
Opening Statement
This is used to:
Read the boxes below. Which ones do you think would be the most effective opening statements and why?
- identify the topic.
- gain the attention of the reader.
- make the reader know if it is factual or imaginary.
Read the boxes below. Which ones do you think would be the most effective opening statements and why?
Yesterday, I went to watch a movie called Aliens in the Attic.
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My bedroom is at the back of our single-storey house.
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I remember my mother telling me a story about brushing my teeth before I went to bed.
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Gordon, the little garden gnome, stands at the end of the path under the orange tree.
✔
Description structure
2
Series of Sentences
Series of Sentences
These sentences could be about:
- what the subject looks like.
- how the subject acts or moves.
- what the subject feels like/smells like/tastes like/sounds like.
- other special features or qualities the subject has.
My spaceship is round like a saucer. It has two straight antennae on the top and three legs that stick out when I land. A small ladder comes out from the hatch when I want to leave my spaceship.
If the description is part of a larger text, these details may be written in separate paragraphs. In a smaller text, they may be found in just a single paragraph.
Description structure
3
Conclusion
Conclusion
A conclusion gives a final comment on the topic. A conclusion is optional and not all descriptions will have one. Stand-alone descriptions are more likely to have a conclusion than a description that is part of a larger text.
The conclusion may also be used by the writer to link the description to the other writing that follows.
Read the boxes below. Which ones do you think would be the most effective conclusions and why?
The conclusion may also be used by the writer to link the description to the other writing that follows.
Read the boxes below. Which ones do you think would be the most effective conclusions and why?
Nobody has a lunch box that is like mine.
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If I have to do homework, could there please be less of it?
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Max cleaned his teeth last week and his toothbrush had doggy slobber on it too!
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There wouldn't be another dog like Max anywhere.
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Example text: Description
Gordon the Garden Gnome
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree. His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree. His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Description - Structure features
Gordon the Garden Gnome
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree.
His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree.
His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Separate title/heading
Opening statement
Series of sentences
Conclusion
Opening statement
Series of sentences
Conclusion
Description - Language features
Gordon the Garden Gnome
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree. His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Gordon stands at the end of the path under the orange tree. His bright red cap seems to twinkle brightly under the dark green leaves.
The cap covers his head and hangs down over his back like Santa's sack. The blue stripes in his jumper match his long blue trousers, which are tucked into his shiny black boots. He carries a spade in one hand and a little bucket of yellow and white daisies in the other.
It is Gordon's face that makes him seem so special. He has fat pink cheeks, beautiful round brown eyes and a dimple in his chin. No one has heard him, but he always looks as though he is laughing.
There wouldn't be another gnome like Gordon anywhere!
Specific nouns
Pronouns
Adjectives
Adjectival phrase
Action verbs
Relating verbs
Personal opinion
Simile
Prepositions
Conjunctions
Adverbial phrases
Biography/Autobiography - Structure and language features
Graphic organiser: Description
Using a graphic organiser is very important when you are writing a description.
Below is an example of a spider web chart on the topic of My Bedroom.
Below is an example of a spider web chart on the topic of My Bedroom.
Graphic organiser: Description
Use the spider web chart below to help you organise your information for your own description.
Scaffold: Description
Specific topic to be described:
Introduction: (only needs to be one sentence).
Descriptive sentences about the topic: (group sentences about the same feature together)
Feature 1:
Feature 2:
Feature 3:
Feature 2:
Feature 3:
Good Work Bank:
Action Verbs
Action Verbs
Nouns
Adjective
Adverbs
Feeling Verbs
Ideas for the layout of your description and pictures you could use:
Revision checklist: Description
| Criteria | Always | Some | Rarely | Ideas for revision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Have I described a specific subject? | ||||
| 2. Is the layout clear and easy to read? | ||||
| 3. Does my introductory sentence identify the subject? | ||||
| 4. Have I written about 2 or more different features? | ||||
| 5. Have I used a concluding statement? | ||||
| 6. Have I grouped my sentences well? | ||||
| 7. Does my writing describe? | ||||
| 8. Have I used a plan to organise my description? | ||||
| 9. Have I used specific nouns? | ||||
| 10. Have I used interesting adjectives to build up noun groups? | ||||
| 11 Have I used pronouns to 'track' the subject? | ||||
| 12. Have I used action verbs? | ||||
| 13. Have I used feeling verbs? | ||||
| 14. Have I used adverbs and adverbial phrases to give more detail? | ||||
| 15. Have I used figurative language such as similes to help describe? | ||||
| 16. Have I edited my work to correct spelling and punctuation mistakes? |
Adjectives are known as describing words. They describe features such as shape, size or colour.
Good descriptions use interesting and different adjectives to help the reader create a picture in their own mind of the subject.
Good descriptions use interesting and different adjectives to help the reader create a picture in their own mind of the subject.
Look at the following sentences. The boring or simple adjectives are highlighted in red. They can
be replaced by more interesting adjectives (in blue).
be replaced by more interesting adjectives (in blue).
- I have a big lunch box.
- I have a large lunch box.
- My Mum has nice eyes .
- My Mum has sparkly eyes.
- The dog's tail is long.
- The dog's tail is fluffy.
0/6
From the words in the box, choose the adjective that best replaces the words in red.
Drag them into the box at the end of the sentence.
Drag them into the box at the end of the sentence.
Last night the sunset was colourful.
Above my single bed is a picture of a teddy bear.
Hiding between the long tentacles of seaweed was a clown fish.
Our holiday in the city was fun.
My teacher, Mr Simms, has a lot of black hair.
The snake showed us its pointy fangs.
dazzling
mop
sinister
exciting
comfortable
flowing
Well done, you correctly replaced all the adjectives!
There were 6 to find. You made 0 attempts and got 6 correct.
Writing Practice
Your school has organised a field trip to a nearly village. Write a short paragraph describing your day in the village. Mention how you went and how you spent your day.
Accept all relevant responses.
Writing Practice
You have recently undertaken a journey by train. Write a short paragraph describing your experience.
Accept all relevant responses.