Module 5 Descriptive Writing – Nature’s Wonders

Goals for this Module:

l Use descriptive language to express ideas and feelings

l Move from “vague” to “vivid”

l Practice using various forms of words

l Practice revising simple sentences

l Write similes and metaphors

l Describe a scene in a photo

Part I. Idea Generating – Nature’s Wonders

Exercise 1 (pair work) – Make a list of adjectives that describe the above photo or how the scene can make someone feel. Your list should have 20 to 30 words. Then compare your list with other students’ lists.

Example: peaceful

calm

Exercise 2 – Using the words from exercise 1 write 3 sentences describing the photo:

Working with Words

Exercise 3

List synonyms for the words in the table:

quiet

interesting

happy

sad

big

dangerous

Exercise 4

Write the various forms for the following words:

Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
	interesting
tranquility
		inspire
motivation
	difficult
			calmly
		excite
wonder
		wander

Part II. Analyzing Descriptive Writing

Reading 1—Read the following essay and answers the questions.

Seasonal Changes

     The sweltering heat and humidity of summer have given way to the cool crisp weather of autumn. For someone like me who has lived years in Los Angeles it is a pleasant change to be living in a place that has four seasons including a “real” autumn. Before coming to Daejeon, my friends told me that the Fall is the most beautiful time in Korea. So far, I can agree. However, the pleasant weather has been just one of the notable changes. From my vantage point living near a university campus, the change began with the Fall semester and the return of students. Almost over night the Jayang Dong area went through a metamorphosis in which throngs of students suddenly filled the previously quiet streets, restaurants and “hoffs”. The university neighborhood, as all campuses this time of year, is bustling with young people enjoying one of the best times of their lives—their change into adulthood. Although change comes with challenges, changes in life are as inevitable as changes of the seasons.

     The seasonal change is visible in so many places. In shops and department stores, the decorations depict the autumn mood. The clothes being sold both in boutiques and on the streets downtown have changed from sexy summer wear to cozy winter warmth. Some traditional Korean restaurants have changed their menus to draw attention to dishes that fit the seasonal change. Change is ubiquitous.

     Several weeks ago, I was hiking near Gyejoksan when I met a Korean man the same age as me. Without giving away our age in numbers, let’s just say we are both entering the “autumn of life”. As we walk and talk along the mountain trails he suddenly asked me, “What is life?” I thought it was a strange question from someone I had just met, but then I thought he probably has not met many Americans and wanted to take the opportunity to get a Westerner’s opinion on the question: “What is Life?” I thought about it as we walk through the hills. I look around me thinking the answer must be near. The leaves were beginning to change color. Locals were beginning to harvest the fruits of their labor from their mountain gardens. In the valley below, farmers were harvesting some of the rice they had been growing all summer. I gave my answer to the man. “Change. That is what life is: Change.” As Autumn comes with the harvest, cooler weather, full moons, falling leaves and all the other changes, most people start to reflect on the past year as they prepare for winter. We reap our harvest. We prepare for the long cold winter. We evaluate the changes we have made and we ponder the changes that have made us.

     Autumn is truly a beautiful season and a beautiful time to embrace change.

Exercise 1 – Questions

1) What is the main idea of this essay? Which sentence states the main idea?

2) What is the writer comparing?

3) What does the writer mean by “autumn of life”?

4) What does the writer mean by “the changes that have made us”?

Exercise 2 – Write definitions for the words in bold.

1) vantage point –

2) throngs –

3) bustling –

4) inevitable –

5) ubiquitous –

6) harvest –

7) reap –

8) evaluate –

Part III. Writing Similes and Metaphors

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing is like painting a picture with words. Your goal is for your reader to see the images you have in your mind clearly through words. You want your reader to feel what you feel. Adjectives, adverbs and descriptive nouns are the colors you can use to paint with words. Similes and metaphors can also help to create vivid representations of your ideas for your reader.

Simile – A figure of speech comparing two unlike objects, phenomenon, animals or people usually beginning with “like” or “as.”

l My brother dresses like a clown.

l The typhoon ripped through the city as if it were a hungry tiger tearing at its dinner.

l He runs as slow as a turtle.

Metaphor - A figure of speech in which a word or phrase suggests a likeness or analogy between two seemingly unrelated objects or ideas.

l She is so rich, she is drowning in money.

l The fierce storm dug its deadly sharp claws into the city ripping roofs off houses and smashing windows.

l He is such a turtle he will never win the race.

The monkey looks like ET.

The monkey is as small as a thimble.

The monkey is as cute as a____________________.

The monkey is an ornament.

It’s a space monkey!!!

It’s eyes are marbles.

Exercise 3 – Write a simile and a metaphor to describe the following:

1) your best friend

2) your mother’s cooking

3) summer

4) getting an “A” on a test (hint: “feels: like”)

5) falling in love

6) life

Part IV. Organizing Ideas for a Paragraph

Choose a picture to describe
Make a list of descriptive words (use the template)
Free write for 7 minutes about the photo
Circle the ideas you like
Number the ideas in the order you think is best
Write a topic sentence that can provide the main idea

Part V. Write a description of a photo.