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Characteristics of Descriptive Essays . from Seeing the Pattern 146-150. Uses Sensory Details. Sight Sound Smell Taste Touch Try to use a variety of senses in your writing. Sentences Come Alive. Active Verbs. Examples. The team captain proudly accepted the award.
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Characteristics of Descriptive Essays from Seeing the Pattern 146-150
Uses Sensory Details • Sight • Sound • Smell • Taste • Touch Try to use a variety of senses in your writing.
Sentences Come Alive Active Verbs Examples The team captain proudly accepted the award. The team captain marched to the podium, grasped the trophy, and gestured toward his teammates. Use active verbs rather than adverbs to create “striking and lasting impressions” (148). What is the effect of the revision on the reader’s understanding of the event?
Dominant Impression • Overall attitude, mood, or feeling about the subject • Implied thesis of the descriptive essay • This is your point—define it clearly
Connotative Language • Words have subtle variations in meaning • Select words that strengthen your dominant impression.
Uses Comparison Simile Metaphor Eating chili peppers is a descent into a fiery hell. Biting into a tabasco pepper is like aiming a flame-thrower at your parted lips
Uses Comparison Personification The television screen stared back at me.
Methods of Organization Spatial Chronological
Methods of Organization Least to Most Most to Least
Vantage Point • The vantage point is like your perspective in the piece. Think of it as a camera for the reader. • Fixed: Stays in one place. • Moving: Moves from place to place. • Choose a vantage point that feels appropriate to your purpose. • What vantage point(s) will give your reader the most useful information? • From which vantage point(s) can you provide the most revealing or striking details?
Brainstorm • Look at the prompt for the essay. • For each noun in the chart, brainstorm five topics. • You will use this list to help you come up with an idea for your descriptive essay.
“Eating ChilliPeppers” pp. 144-146 Read the sample carefully. • What is the dominant impression? • What is the vantage point? • What method of organization does the author use? • What language appears to be particularly effective?